The pandemic has trapped us all indoors. And if you are looking to utilize your time and make it productive, one of the best ways is opting for a course online. Learning new techniques can add to your professional expertise, enhance your capabilities and enable you to complete tasks effectively. So it’s definitely a win win!
There are tons of online sites you can visit and explore to find out the course you like. These courses could be a perfect way for you to achieve new levels of competence. Few of the sites that offer free online courses include Udemy, Unacademy, The British Council, Coursera, Skillshare, FutureLearn etc. You can even try and employ the live coupons each one has to score some additional savings on the courses you pick.
With a flexible schedule and infinite number of courses available at affordable rates, you can learn new skills at your own pace. Keep up with the evolving trends in learning beneficial competencies like:
| Skills/Courses | Online learning platform |
| Language and IELTS | The British Council, FutureLearn |
| Filmmaking and Podcasting | Udemy |
| Online teaching | Unacademy and Udemy |
| Blogging and creative writing | Coursera, Udemy and Unacademy |
| Photography | Coursera, Udemy and Skillshare |
| Graphic designing | Canva Design School |
| Public speaking | FutureLearn |
| Business skills | Udemy, Coursera |
- Language skills
Ranging from basic, intermediate and expert levels you can improve your vocabulary and succeed at job interviews or converse better with colleagues. Assess and understand language principles to prepare for reading, writing and speaking IELTS tests with courses available on The British Council portal.
You can also learn new languages like Spanish, French, German and more on Duolingo for free! Other platforms too allow users to view sites in their local languages and download the app on several operating systems.
- Communication and interpersonal skills
MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) like The British Council help you improve language skills, find your personal communication style to apply interpersonal skills at the workplace and manage conversations seamlessly. The course covers areas like diversity and inclusion to ensure you can fluently communicate in different cultural settings.
For jobseekers and working professionals, the Udemy website also provides free courses that include short videos on different topics with useful tips to improve spoken and written language.You can also explore Udemy coupons and redeem your desired ones to save some bucks. With various Udemy coupons and offers users can save upto 95% on almost all courses.
- Filmmaking
Screenwriting courses help you write your first ever screenplay, create engaging and fictional characters. Udemy offers courses ranging from writing, directing and film distribution. Amateur filmmakers can also get complete free guides to learn everything from pre-production to editing.
India’s film schools and media centres are also providing virtual short courses on screenwriting, film language, production design, film distribution, financial management with behind the scenes of popular movies that help you understand the entire process of feature films.
- Podcasting
In addition to renowned personalities, storytellers, subject experts, news reporters etc. can share their experiences using podcast applications. Some audio producers also train students to plan episodes, record high-quality audio, launch and promote podcasts with tips to interview guests.
Podcasting courses on Udemy, Skillshare (free trial) and Creative Live guide you to host, record and launch a podcast, teach you how to build and grow an audience on different platforms like Apple or Google Podcasts and Spotify.
- Online teaching
With online learning taking over conventional methods, mentors and trainers have designed courses to help other teachers create online modules and help students learn right from the safe confines of their home.
These courses guide tutors on how to design a course and plan lessons with types of equipment, software, video devices, screencasting, audio capturing and editing techniques. Portals like Udemy and Unacademy also allow instructors to upload slides with simple voice-over and animated content.
- Blogging and creative writing
In addition to marketing entrepreneurial businesses, creative writers and amateur bloggers can learn to build profitable blog and legalize it to gain monetary benefits. These courses cover important aspects like WordPress, Blogger, Google Ads and using design tools like Canva.
Online tutorials help to write stories, articles, social media posts and pages with creative writing. The courses on Coursera, Udemy and Unacademy also highlight important aspects like Search Engine Optimization (SEO), content strategy and marketing.
- Photography
Capture amazing pictures and video footage without using the automatic mode. The courses encourage you to explore manual controls on different DSLR models, learn basic camera settings with image editing applications like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.
The courses on Udemy, Skillshare and Coursera also focus on composition fundamentals like rule of thirds and leading lines with other topics including light and exposure, aperture, ISO, shutter speed, lenses and creative digital image processing.
- Designing
Illustrators and graphic artists can learn drawing, graphic design and animation with typography, colour fundamentals and design software’s with tips for using different software’s and in-depth instructional videos for common designing projects. Self-study courses provide sections like design books, blogs, design job boards etc.
A few courses on popular platforms allow students to only access tutorials and course content, but need to purchase premium plans to get a certificate and skip advertisements. Canva design school courses titled ‘creativity’ cover topics like building logo, choosing colour type and palette with graphics for brand marketing.
- Public speaking
Prepare, write, organize and deliver effective presentations, talks and speeches confidently. Introduction to public speaking and dynamic speaking courses on Coursera help students to get over their fear of public speaking, use rehearsal techniques to speak vibrantly and use dynamic gestures.
Resources on FutureLearn include popular TED Talk videos that demonstrate public speaking effectively with ethics about the art of public speaking, amazing presentations, analysis of speeches from personalities like Steve Jobs, Meryl Streep and other Hollywood celebrities.
- Business skills
People working in industries like retail, banking, finance, IT, law etc. need to drive value from data. Data analysis courses along with skills like programming, networking, startup funding and marketing, entrepreneurship, website building are also popular.
Remote working, career development, negotiation strategies, risk management, business fundamentals skills are available for free on Coursera. Other platforms like Udemy and edX teach programming languages and enable students to develop smartphone applications.
Upgrade your professional experience, add expertise to your repertoire or follow your passion to start a new career by gaining new skills on online learning platforms – absolutely free! To get free courses or claim savings on premium subscriptions, use coupons, promotional codes, discount vouchers on courses purchased using online learning platforms.