These days it’s becoming more about skills than degrees. And there are more ways than ever to learn new skills that can immediately impact your career and make you more in demand with employers.
Online learning is one of the most popular ways to upskill yourself now. There are some massive perks to learning online too. It has revolutionized the workforce and enabled people in any situation to get excellent skills and head back out into the world of work.
Here are some of the reasons that learning online has become so popular and can be better than traditional brick and mortar based learning.
Looks Great
Once upon a time, learning online wasn’t seen in the same light it is now. However, it is now seen as a really positive thing. Not only can you take some fantastic courses like ones like free courses from MIT and even business administration MBA, but there are no limits to the options.
Rather than spending your time watching the latest Netflix series, you are using your time to learn something that will lend itself to your future.
Traditional degrees in the past were seen as superior, but now it is an even playing field.
If you are currently employed and wish to make a jump in your career, then an online course will fit with your work schedule. If you are looking to swap career paths, then online learning can facilitate that.
Variety
Thanks to the internet, there is no limit to what you can learn. You can choose to take a simple, fun course like learning to knit or make acrylic paintings – of you can opt for something more technical and choose coding and technology.
Many of the most prominent institutions now have their courses online. With the same great tutors putting the work together, and the ability to rewatch the classes, take your time (deadline permitting) and get it done to a very high standard.
It is worth noting that you don’t need to take a course in your current area, to be able to expand your skills. For example, if you are currently hairdressing, then a course in people management or organization skills will improve your managerial abilities.
You can find many courses online for free, and while the ones that typically come with the beautiful letters like PhD, others don’t So you can really take the time to decide what you want out of a course before enrolling.
Comfort
Catching the train in the morning with the hustle and bustle of commuters can be an enjoyable experience if you aren’t doing it often. The hot coffee you get, the morning newspaper and the potential the day holds for you can all be pretty lovely.
But, what is also lovely is, choosing to spend your Saturday morning getting some of your done – in the comfort of your kitchen, with your own coffee.
There are some online courses, depending on the location, and the course that might require you to head in. For example, some sciences will need to see the practical in action. But for the most part – around 95% of online courses, you can sit in your track pants and relax.
You can also choose how and when you learn. If you are working night shifts, after you have slept, you can switch on your computer and read some of the course material. Or, if you work weekends/weeks you have other full days to give time too. Some courses are actually self-paced without a deadline, so you can take as long as you want to complete it.
Finances
Well, of course, this would make the list of great points. Learning online is mostly a lot cheaper than attending classes. There will likely never be an article that covers learning online that doesn’t mention the cost.
The cost of tradition courses vs the cost of online courses is just one of the factors involved.
If you consider the cost of the course as the base. Add on top of that, things like lunches in the cafeteria, coffees, commuting, buying a lot of required materials – it soon adds up. And while there are bursaries and loans that help towards this, the vast majority of students will find themselves having to work extra jobs to help.
And that is if you don’t have a full-time job already. If you do, then you might find yourself not qualifying for help financially, and the cost of learning is going to impact your life in even more ways.
Both learning online and learning in a classroom has its many perks. After all, learning, in general, is good for us, not only to expand our skills but then to use those skills in a way that impacts our career.
