3 Ways to Boost Your Skills for Free

Upskill without Going Back to the Classroom

Tired of seeing jobs that you want to apply for only to see that you don't have the required experience? Join the club, it's a big one. Maybe you want to try out a field or a skill before committing to a new job or additional credentials. Here are a few free ways to build your skills and explore new fields without committing to a full degree program.

Skills Based Volunteering

Volunteer your skills for nonprofit organizations and build experience while serving a community in need. Sort for opportunities by the skill you would like to use, the length of time you prefer to volunteer, or even by causes that you connect with. Visit catachafire.org to choose projects which range from Just one hour to a few months in length.

MOOCs

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are free online courses offering a wide variety of topics to a global audience. Edx is the gold standard in this category, where free actually means free. The caveat on Edx is that you have the option to pay for a digital certificate if you feel the need to verify your achievement. Coursera and FutureLearn are two additional leaders in online learning. Both offer some free content, but entice learners to pay for a monthly membership fee to access the full slate of available courses. Coursera offers need-based financial assistance which covers the cost of most programs.

Like what you're seeing?  Often for a reasonably low cost, you can earn professional certificates or complete MicroMasters Programs all online at your own pace.

Direct to the Source

Google, IBM, Facebook, Amazon, Salesforce, Linux, Goldman Sachs and other industry leaders all offer free training courses. While these programs don't guarantee future employment, the training certainly provides an advantage in the job search or promotion process. A number of companies, those listed above included, provide their training programs via their foundations or the philanthropic arm of the company.

Looking for more?

A premium account on LinkedIn can get pricey but it does offer you unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning with content on just about anything you might want. Our advice? Use your free month of LinkedIn premium to build your skills and your network.

— Katie Peterssen, MEd, NCC, LCMHCA

Co-Founder, Ignite Career & Leadership Development, LLC