It's that time of the year when people start to reflect on where they've been and where they want to go, personally and professionally.
Online courses are a good way for motivated individuals to expand their skillset without the commitment of physically attending a school. While sitting in a desk and interacting face to face with like-minded people can be beneficial (ability to ask questions, network and focus), completing a class online is often the easiest way for working professionals to start and finish a goal. Let's look at some of our readers' favorite online courses.
One of the most popular coding bootcamps in the country, Coding Dojo's online option is a "flexible alternative that provides online access to its in-depth two-stack curriculum-complete with real-time support from instructors, an industry-tested learning platform, hands-on assignments and more."
It should be noted that Coding Dojo (whether on campus or online) is a serious commitment both time wise and financially (the online bootcamp is $6,000).
More than 25 million people have used Codecademy's online courses to learn how to code. It's free with the option of paid upgrades. Currently, however, Codecademy is undergoing some updates so if you start now, your progress may not be saved. In the next few months, they'll be releasing brand new, updated versions of many of their language courses (like JavaScript).
If you're a Web professional remotely interested in doing your job better or learning new skills, then you will likely geek out over the courses offered at Udemy. From learning SQL to preparing for a project management certification exam, there are nearly 50,000 courses to choose from. They are, of course, not created equal when it comes to quality so make sure to read the reviews, watch sample videos and consider cost versus reward. Some courses are hundreds of dollars, but be on the lookout for promotions like during the holidays courses were just $15.
Course categories include: Web development, operations, IT and software, personal development, design, marketing, copywriting, office productivity and more.
These are, by definition, 101-type courses but the tutorials guide participants to some of the most common social media questions and answers.
From digital literacy and IT skills to personal development and soft skills, ALISON provides certified learning courses that result in receiving a "diploma" of that field. While it's tough to say how much weight these diplomas hold in enterprises, it does show a commitment to learning and, more than anything else, keeps Web professionals at the top of their game.
Professionals looking to become Internet marketing consultants should check out Internet Marketing Training Center, which offers a complete course built around the latest digital strategies.