8 Free Online Courses to Keep You Productive and Upskilled

Gone are the days when people solely relied on traditional education to get the professional boost needed to climb the corporate ranks. With the internet readily accessible, more and more online classes and certification courses are available to upskill for one's professional career.

Not only is this option beneficial for professionals who are always on the go and desire to broaden their horizons, it's also ideal for fresh graduates who want to get a leg up in the professional environment.

We've compiled a list of eight free online courses that professional Singaporeans can take advantage of to upskill in the slowed-down new normal.

Read: New Skills for the New Normal: How to Upskill for Now and Beyond

YouTube

At the top of our list is good old YouTube! Started in 2005, YouTube has become one of the largest platforms for video content. Its multitude of videos can suck you right into a black hole of topics, including tutorials and DIYs that are easy to follow.

We recommend this for: people who have diverse interests and want a variety of readily available lessons, a jack-of-all-trades.

Memrise and Duolingo

Since Singapore is home to thousands of multinational corporations, learning a language or two might be one of the most useful and productive things you can do. You can even do it via your phone! Memrise and Duolingo are both application- and website-based language-learning tools that help you sneak in a language learning session even during the busiest day.

Memrise is a great tool to use when you want to focus more vocabulary and phrases. On the other hand, Duolingo is more focused on teaching students how to construct grammatically correct sentences.

We recommend this for: people who love exploring other cultures through different languages and for people who want to work for multinational companies.

Kadenze

If your interests lay on the creative side of things, the Kadenze website might suit you. It partners with leading universities and institutions that concentrate on these types of artistic topics, giving you a wide selection of tutorials - from music to fashion to even business courses geared towards creatives. You can easily find a program to match your creative whims.

Their free membership offers a limited but pretty comprehensive scope ranging from photography to digital sound production. A premium membership, however, opens you up to more courses and additional services, like certification classes as well as an open forum to collaborate with other students.

We recommend this for: people who are creative and competitive.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a useful website that tackles Math, Science, English, the Humanities, and even practical life skills for all ages. They even offer test preparation courses for:

• the standardised test (SAT) - an admissions test widely used in American colleges
• the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) - exclusively used for law school admissions in the United States, Canada, and some parts of Australia
• the Praxis Core - a standardised test taken by people who aspire to be teachers in the United States.

We recommend this for: the whole family! With its in-depth courses from Grade 1 to practical adult life skills, Khan Academy can help you with your educational needs.

Coursera

If you are looking at gaining or levelling up your job-relevant skills, take a look at the options offered on Coursera. It offers hundreds of free, on-demand recorded lectures that are taught by instructors and professors from world-class universities and companies.

It even offers online certification courses that can be used to bolster your professional profile as well as online four-year bachelor's and master's degrees that can be done at your own pace. These, however, are offered at a cost, depending on the course that you decide to take.

We recommend this for: busy professionals looking to advance their career

Code Academy

Code Academy offers free courses on website development and various computer science subjects that are beginner and intermediate friendly. Although there are free interactive lessons and activities, it also offers job-ready lessons for USD 15.99 a month.

It even has a sorting quiz to help you decide where to begin your computer programming journey.

We recommend this for: people looking to expand their computer proficiency and are looking to climb up the tech corporate ladder.

EdX

Founded by some of the top universities in the world (Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), edX is filled with free world-class courses that feature different subjects and topics.

Just like Coursera, EdX has available programs that are equivalent to a bachelor's or master's degree; it also caters professional certificates that can help boost your resume.

We recommend this for: jobseekers who are looking to elevate their profile so they can stand out from the crowd.

SkillShare

SkillShare is an educational platform that focuses on creative digital courses, business classes, and videos on lifestyle and productivity that are taught by industry experts who help break down ideas in relatively short and easy-to-follow videos.

However, SkillShare's free services only lightly touch on the topics, while its paid membership goes more in-depth on their available courses.

We recommend this for: freelance creatives that are looking to develop skills or for professionals looking to switch careers into the creative market.

Read: Sharpen Your Skills To Future-Proof Your Career

As soon as you complete these courses, you can quickly update your JobStreet profile to add that new skill to your resume and start finding #JobsThatMatter. To get more career-related development insight head over to JobStreet's Career Resources Hub for the latest expert advice.

At JobStreet, we believe in bringing you #JobsThatMatter. As a Career Partner, we are committed to helping all jobseekers find passion and purpose in every career choice. And as the number 1 Talent Partner in Asia, we connect employers with the right candidates who truly make a positive and lasting impact on the organisation.

Discover Jobs That Matter. Visit JobStreet today.

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