With so many stuck at home, online learning (eLearning) has played a bigger part in our lives than ever before. The industry is expected to surpass $350 million in value within the next five years and it’s little wonder. Quarantine has strongly highlighted the benefits eLearning has for businesses both large and small, especially those looking to grow into new sectors or for individuals to expand their prospects.
Finding the right course
With competition at an all-time high, there has never been a better time to start your eLearning journey. Many of the best online courses are offered for free including hundreds of courses from Ivy League universities in response to the global pandemic. Services such as Coursera allow customers to access course content like videos and slides in their entirety, charging only for access to graded assignments and the completion certificate. For those who are only interested in learning and don’t need anything to add to their CV, this is perfect. For those interested in something more official, a relatively new phenomenon may hold the answer. One year master’s programs online have become increasingly popular over the last few years. Most of these programs offer a full university qualification with a level of flexibility that can only be offered by remote learning.
The argument for eLearning
The world is changing rapidly, entire industries are revolutionized overnight and in the face of rising automation, job security is quite tenuous for many. As such, it is more important than ever before to be flexible and diverse in your skillset. For businesses, especially smaller ones, ensuring that you and your employees are adaptable and up to date with the cutting edge is key to remaining competitive.
With the surge in customers, many of the largest eLearning platforms are taking advantage of the incredible amounts of usage data they now have to create some truly innovative tools. Machine learning algorithms are being used to determine which courses may best suit a customer based not just on their current career but where their industry may be headed, helping them stay ahead of the curve. Businesses and individuals not availing of these services are passing up an incredible advantage.
Competition is tough and small businesses need to use every tool available to stay competitive. Online learning and degrees offer a solution that is both flexible and time-efficient. The result is that no matter your circumstances, with a bit of time each week you can learn a new skill to push you ahead of the pack. With the eLearning industry at an all-time high and more options than ever, right now is the perfect time to start.