Even as you’re approaching the end of your higher education, there is great value to gain from improving your knowledge and skills. Aside from personal growth and enrichment, continued learning helps prepare you for the changing demands of today’s workforce. This is especially important, as the World Economic Forum reports that the skills gap among youth is widening. Approximately 267 million young people aged 15-24 are struggling to find job opportunities and security, because they do not have the relevant and updated skills that employers are looking for.
Now, while the Nepalese government has launched employment programmes to boost the country’s workforce, you also have an individual responsibility to develop your existing skills and even acquire new ones. In this age of digital transformation, you can look into online learning platforms that help make learning convenient, accessible, and flexible for your needs.
Coursera
Coursera is the best choice when it comes to skills development with the help of well-structured courses, specialisations, and degrees. It is partnered with some of the world’s top universities from places like the UK and the USA. Some examples include the likes of the University of Michigan, Indian Statistical Institute, and Imperial College London. You can therefore pursue high-quality content on various business, humanities, and science topics organised and taught by subject matter experts.
The platform also provides videos and transcripts to accommodate different learning styles, but its main advantage is the completion certificate that you receive at the end of each course. An article about industry certificates from Coursera highlights its benefits in increasing students’ job prospects. Among the employers surveyed, 86% agreed that these micro-credentials help strengthen candidates' applications and make them stand out among others.
Skillshare
Like Coursera, Skillshare is also a popular digital learning platform, except its specialised courses mostly cater to creative professionals and small business owners. While it does not provide certification, learners from all backgrounds and skill levels can benefit from its affordability. It offers a three-tiered pricing plan, as well as membership discounts that you can access by using your school email or entering codes shared in Skillshare-sponsored videos.
Another distinctive feature that you can leverage while using Skillshare is its social community of learners. Whether it’s to share knowledge or seek inspiration from other people, online learning can be more motivating and engaging with the element of collaboration.
Certified Digital Marketer
Digital skills are also becoming increasingly sought-after in today’s job market. In Asia and the Pacific, 75% of employers have increased their demand for digital professionals, according to ADB. In response, students can explore the marketing learning platform Certified Digital Marketer (CDM) for industry-specific skills fit for the 21st century.
The digital marketing classes, certifications, and career tracks on CDM are expert-led and industry-recognised. This allows you to gain fundamental skills from search engine optimization (SEO) to marketing analytics. While CDM now offers blended learning in the Philippines where the company is based, it continues to offer fully online master classes and corporate training to all learners from anywhere in the world.
Lingoda
In this globalised world, learning a new language can open you up to exciting new career opportunities. Language learning may be intimidating at first, but Lingoda’s in-house experts can help you be proficient in languages like English, German, French, and Spanish — no matter what your skill level or learning goal is. Unlike other language learning sites that simply offer reading material and worksheets, this Berlin-based platform has live classes 24/7, which you can attend privately or in small groups. This setting encourages more interactive and flexible learning, as you can get real-time feedback from your instructor and also learn at your own pace and schedule.
In order to maximise your learning experience and stay motivated throughout your journey, you can also read this previous article about ‘Creating a Productive Study Environment’. Here you can find tips on setting up a dedicated study space and strategies for goal-setting and time management. With the right amount of discipline and focus, you can expand your skills and be equipped to take on the ever-changing world of work.
| Author: Amanda Colby |
