April 26, 2022

20 (FREE) Online Career Courses to Help You Get Ahead in Life


The working world is changing. It's not a secret. 
 
With the advent of technology, new opportunities are emerging, and the old ways of doing things are becoming obsolete. 
 
To keep up, you need to learn and expand your skillset constantly. Here are 15 free online career courses to help you do just that.
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Free programming online courses

Computer Science has become an integral part of the modern world, and programming is one of its most important aspects. To make programming more accessible to everyone, many universities and organizations offer free programming online career courses. 



1. Harvard University's Introduction to Computer Science, edX

This course is Harvard's most popular on-campus offering. You'll learn-
  • To think algorithmically, 
  • Solve programming issues quickly, 
  • And become proficient in various languages such as CSS, HTML, and PHP. 
 
One more great News! You can enroll in these types of Harvard's online career courses for free.
 
But-
 
Although the course (Harvard University's Introduction to Computer Science, edX) is free, you can pay to add a HarvardX Verified Certificate.
 
Duration: 9 lessons
 
 

2. An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (Part 1), Coursera

This Rice University-developed course is open to anyone who has completed high school mathematics. Using a browser-based program designed specifically for this course, you'll learn to make simple, interactive games like Pong, Blackjack, and Asteroids.
 
Note: free with trial
 
Duration: 3-4 hours a week/5 weeks
 

3. Introduction to C++, MIT OpenCourseWare

 
This four-week course gives you a quick overview of the C and C++ programming languages. You'll get a solid foundation in-
  • memory management, 
  • pointers, 
  • and object-oriented programming
 
Duration: 10 lectures, 5 assignments.
 

4. HTML5 Coding Essentials and Best Practices, edX

Do you have basic knowledge of HTML? Are you familiar with CSS?
If yes, you can take this excellent course. This course is taught by the World Wide Web Consortium (also known as W3C).
 
You will learn:
  • To use simplified HTML5 elements
  • Practice coding techniques through multiple interactive exercises.
  • Animate fun web graphics.
 
Duration: 6 weeks/6-8 hours a week.
 

5. Dash, General Assembly

Want to create fun websites? Dash is a fun and free programming online course. It teaches you the fundamentals of web development through browser-based projects.  What does it teach? It teaches you CSS, HTML, and JavaScript.  

Follow their step-by-step instructions on creating fun websites. After completion, you can apply for remote jobs online. 
 
Good luck.  
 

6. Learn HTML, Codecademy

HTML is a primary coding language used to display content on websites.
For example, you are not interested in coding. But, if you need to work with websites, HTML knowledge will help you.
 
The lessons are free, but you need to take the Pro service if you want a certificate.
 
Don't worry; a free trial is available!
 

7. Java Programming Basics, Udacity

You've never programmed before, but you're curious about creating Android apps. Or, 
You wanted to be a back-end web developer.
 
This free online career course (Java) is for you.
 
Java Programming Basics is the primary language for developing Android apps and back-end web development.

It is one of the best free online career courses. After completion, you will know how to create apps.
 
Who does not want to submit his first fully functional app to the App Store?
 
Duration: 4.5 hours/23 lessons

Learning to program is a crucial skill in today's world. There are a few options for people who want to learn how to program but don't want to spend any money. These options include:

- Finding a good, free online course.
- Joining a programming community or online forum.
- Asking a friend or family member for help.
- Trying out one of the many programming tutorials that are available online.
 

Designing online courses

Here are 5 designing online courses.

9. Professional Logo Design in Adobe Illustrator, Udemy

From this course, you will learn how to use Illustrator to build an eye-catching company brand by making a logo. 
 
Duration: 7 hours, 22 minutes/45 lectures

The following things you will learn from the course.
 
  • Basics of Photoshop
  • Introductory terms, definitions, tools, and techniques
In just 90 minutes, you'll be shocked at how much you can learn about image editing!
 
Note: Free with trial
 
Duration: 90 minutes
 

11. Fundamentals of Graphic Design, Coursera

Awesome course. You will learn:
  • Fundamentals of design
  • Color theory
  • Imagemaking, typography, composition, color, and shape.
 
Duration: 3-5 hours a week/4 weeks
 
 

12. Beginner's Guide to Concept Sketching, Pluralsight

Many of us don't know where concept sketching is used. It is mainly used for logos, layouts, characters, environment design, and more.
 
You will learn the fundamentals for each type of project using Adobe Photoshop from this course.
 
Note: free with trial
 
Duration: 90 minutes
I understand that completing 105 lessons may sound daunting, but most of them take less than 10 minutes. Cheers!
 
We understand that completing 105 lessons may sound daunting, but the bulk of them take less than 10 minutes to complete. 
 
Even if you're a complete novice, you'll be able to utilize InDesign to build page layouts for various documents after completing this course.
 
Duration: 105 lectures/11 hours
 

 


Digital marketing courses online

Please take a look below. 

Have you heard about SEO but never had the opportunity to learn more about it?
 
No problem. Just complete this course.
 
You will learn to identify keywords to attract visitors to any website. Not only this. You'll also know what to do to rank higher on search engine result pages. 
 
Duration: 1 hour, 11 minutes/14 videos
 

15. Social Media Quickstarter, Constant Contact

Constant Contact, an email marketing company, designed this online course (Social Media Quickstarter) to aid you in creating and growing a social media presence for your brand or business.
 
You'll be introduced to several different platforms in this course, including-
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  •  LinkedIn
  • Instagram and
  • YouTube
"Getting Started with Email Marketing" is one of the best online career courses. In this digital marketing online course, Allyson Van Houten of MailChimp teaches you about email marketing. 
 
You'll understand how to set up a new email campaign. 
 
Note: free with trial
Duration: 1 hour, 11 minutes/14 videos
 

17. Social Media 101, Buffer


Buffer's week-long email course will teach you the fundamentals of social media in just two minutes per day. 
You'll learn everything from setting a tone for your social media postings to analyzing online marketing analytics.

Duration: 14 minutes/7 lessons

Copyblogger shows you how to implement effective online marketing with this email course. 
You'll also get quick access to 14 eBooks on content marketing, copywriting, keyword research, and various other topics after registering.
 



Communication

19. Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills, Coursera


Negotiation is about more than just getting the best pay.  A bright career is waiting for you if you can develop this skill. No doubt, you will get the best paying job. It's (negotiation) a big part of communication.  
Please do this excellent online career course for free to develop the skill.
 
Duration: 17.5 hours
 

 

Writing

If you level up your business writing, this course is for you.
  • Thousands of five-star reviews
  • More than 200,000 students have done this course.
This course is for professionals who want to improve their writing skills.
 
Duration: 41 minutes 





Wrap up

There are many free and paid online career courses available to help you gain the skills you need to achieve your goals. Here are just a few examples:
 
1. Alison: This online learning site offers more than 500 free career courses in business, health care, marketing, and IT.
 
2. Coursera: With over 800 courses from over 100 universities, Coursera is one of the largest providers of free online courses. Subjects covered include everything from data science to music theory.
 
3. edX: edX offers access to over 1,800 courses from dozens of colleges and universities, covering topics like history, business, engineering, and computer science.
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