If you are utterly committed to learning a new skill, then nothing will make it easier than hiring a personal mentor who can answer all your questions and cater their teaching toward your style of learning and rate of progress. Not everyone has the time, money, or desire, to focus so intently upon a new skill, however. For those people, a free online course that can be studied at any pace is no doubt the best fit. Below are just examples of some of the desirable skills you can start learning online today.
Coding
Coding is perhaps the most important skill that goes untaught in schools. With technology playing an increasingly important role in everyday life, more and more businesses are in need of talented coders. Being able to code well is a highly valued skill – not just because talented developers are fairly difficult to come by, but because it is a complex skill that takes a long time to master. If you want to boost your career prospects, and delve into a modern and entirely unique field, then coding could be for you – especially if you’re already comfortable with technology and have an interest in developing anything from websites to software. Codeacademy.com is perhaps the most popular place to get free coding courses. – sign up for the site and get daily ‘code tip’ delivered straight to your inbox.
Languages
Besides being a useful and impressive skill, a second language actually makes you smarter. Being bilingual “can have a profound effect on your brain, improving cognitive skills not related to language and even shielding against dementia in old age,” claims an article in the New York Times. Whilst learning a new language is easier the younger you are, it’s never too late to learn – and with an array of audio tapes, worksheets and books available online, it’s easier than ever before to learn whatever language you like. Whether you wish you could read Japanese literature or simply want to get better at communicating with taxi drivers on your frequent holidays to Spain – websites such as Duolingo.com can help you build your foreign language skills in a fun and interactive manner.
Poker
Nobody wants to be the newbie at the poker table (or ‘the fish’, as poker terminology would have it known as). Being able to convey a convincing poker face or intimidating demeanor goes only some of the way in being successful at the game. To consistently cash big and impress your opponents, you should be familiar with poker variants, rules, terminology and general tricks and tips related to psychology and odds calculation. There are plenty of online guides that can teach you the basics, but for a taste of the strategy that professionals employ, check out reputable poker channels on YouTube and Twitch. If you want to put your newly acquired poker knowledge to test, then try a poker freeroll online on a site which gives you bonus chips upon sign-up.
Guitar
It’s not surprising that the guitar is one of the most popular instruments people choose to take lessons in. Few people, after all, can resist the allure of being able to strum out the tunes written by their favourite artists. Whilst you probably won’t master the guitar like Hendrix from a few online tutorials, cords do not take a long time to learn, and a little practise each day will quickly help you learn some of your favourite songs to play at parties. At JustinsGuitar.com, you can find hundreds of free online guitar courses and song tutorials. For specific song tutorials, head to YouTube.
Photography
Everyone loves that feeling of taking a perfect photograph. For most of us, it feels like a fluke when we snap a photo which truly captures a specific moment in time – but what if every photo you took could be that good? No matter what camera you have or what type of photography you’re interested in, there is plenty of free resources online to get you started. PhotographyCourse.net offers plenty of bite-size introductions to the various aspects of photography, from camera user guides to long-exposure night shooting tutorials.
Nutrition
In the US, more than 50% of the adult population is overweight. In a culture which enables obesity, it doesn’t help that there is an overwhelming range of conflicting information available online. It might at times feel overly complicated to know whether you’re making the right choices when it comes to nutrition, fitness and diet. That’s all the more reason to take an accredited nutrition course from a respected institute. If you are keen to stay healthy and want to make informed choices when it comes to eating and exercise, then check out some of the free online nutrition courses recommended by Study.com.
The internet is the modern day library, filled with a seemingly endless number of free guides, tutorials, manuals, online lectures and courses that you can access with just a few clicks. It’s easy to forget what an amazing time we live in – but don’t forget to take advantage of the fact that you can learn practically any skill you want conveniently and cheaply thanks to the internet.