Well if you are anything like me then I am sure you have thought on more than one occasion about what skills you can actually learn online. With our ever changing world and especially how technology is moving faster than ever, we are reguarly reminded of new and innovative skills we can learn online. Or perhaps you just have a curiosity to try something new which maybe out of your comfort zone and where better to start learning than from the comfort of your own home.
You still maybe asking yourself;What is the quality of the course? Is the platform accredited? Is it worth the money? Is this course going to help my career?
To answer all of these questions and to help you choose the Top Skills to Learn Online in 2020, I’ve created this in-depth guide.
Table of Content
Top Skills to Learn Online
If you are in a rush and don’t have time to read the full review, then no worries as I have put together the top recommendations for skills to learn according to its category and the best platform to find the course.
If you are looking for a healthy balanced lifestyle then making fitness part of that is a key factor. If signing up to a gym doesn’t appeal to you, I get it. Then working out in the comfort of your own home maybe your answer or just getting motivated by some of the greatest sports men and women could be what you are looking for.
We recommend trying out:
MasterClass offers courses from some very famous faces that includes some famous athletes. We recommend checking out the course Stephen Curry Teaches Shooting, Ball-Handling and Scoring.
Udemy offers over 400 courses on topics related to fitness. We recommend checking out the course Fitness for Beginners.
Yoga
Practicing yoga from the comfort of your own home can not only save you time and energy but money also. Yoga is a practice that is full of physical, emotional and spiritual benefits. Following an online class with an expert teacher means you can schedule in the time that works with your daily routine.
We recommend trying out:
Udemyoffers close to 800 courses on topics related to Yoga, Mediation, Yoga for Kids and more. We recommend checking out the course Sounds True Presents:The Yoga of Awakening.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the human ability to be fully present and aware of where we are and what we’re doing. Mindfulness meditation involves paying attention to the breath and bodily sensations and is accessible to all of us. The benefits of Mindfulness help to relieve stress, process trauma and encourage self-compassion.
We recommend trying out:
edX offers accredited courses which are partnered by top Universities like Harvard and Berkeley. We recommend checking out the course Mindfulness and Resilience to Stress at Work – BerkeleyX.
Udemy offers close to 2000 courses on topics related to Mindfulness. We recommend checking out the course Mindfulness for Anxiety and Sleep – with Tara Brach.
Nutrition
Nutrition is essential for growth, development, health and wellbeing. Eating a healthy diet contributes to preventing future illness and improving quality and length of life. Having a better understanding of the nutritional benefits of the food and drink that we consume can help us to make better decisions. If you are looking for guidance on a personal level or considering a career in nutrition, there are resources online for all.
We recommend trying out:
Coursera offers high quality accredited courses taught by top experts from world-class Universities. We recommend checking out the courses Stanford Introduction to Food and Health or Child Nutrition and Cooking.
edX offers accredited courses which are partnered by top Universities like Harvard and Berkeley. We recommend checking out the course Nutrition, Exercise and Sports.
Gardening
Gardening is a really satisfying hobby and having the knowledge to look after and maintain your green friends. It’s important to have the right skills along with enthusiasm and commitment. Whether you have a variety of houseplants or you want to grow your own vegetable patch, there are helpful resources online for you all.
We recommend trying out:
Skillshare has more than 25,000 courses all aimed at creatives with around 2,000 of its courses completely free. We recommend checking out the course Happy Houseplants: Caring For Your Plants I Learn with The Sill.
Udemy offers close to 90 gardening related courses. We recommend checking out the course The Beginner’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening.
Culinary Skills
Cooking
Learning to cook with creativity and confidence is very different to just rustling up a quick pasta dish. So why not take the plunge and learn to cook from an expert. This will leave you ready to invite family, friends and loved ones round for an unforgettable dinner party or potentially the first stages into a culinary career.
We recommend trying out:
MasterClass offers courses from culinary geniuses like Gordon Ramsey and Alice Waters and many more where you will learn basic knife skills to making your own pasta dough and much more. We recommend checking out the course Gordon Ramsay Teaches Cooking I.
Udemyoffers a wide variety of cooking courses 300+ to be exact. You can learn anything from Indian Cooking, Vegan Cooking, Bread Baking and Nutrition. We recommend checking out the course Healthy Cooking Fundamentals.
Baking
Do you want to get into baking? And looking for guidance and inspiration of where to start. There are some key qualities which will help you become a better baker that include: Organization, Attention to detail, Patience and Creativity. There is no better feeling than when your bread has risen perfectly or the ingredients of your cake perfectly compliment each other.
We recommend trying out:
Udemy offers close to 50 baking courses from sourdough bread baking, cake baking to pastry and desserts. We recommend checking out the course The Basics of Cake.
Skillshare offers a wide variety of baking courses to keep you busy in the kitchen. We recommend checking out the course Easy & Versatile Baking: The One Yeast Dough You Need to Know.
MasterClass offers courses from some culinary experts and you may recognise some of their faces. We recommend checking out the course Dominique Ansel – Teaches French Pastry Fundamentals.
Artistic Skills
Design
If you already work as a designer you will know how dynamic and innovative the design world is and keeping up ahead of the game can at times feel a little overwhelming. Taking an online course to brush up your skills is the perfect solution as it is both time and cost effective. On the other hand if you enjoy designing and being creative as a hobby it’s also an excellent way to get inspired.
We recommend trying out:
Skillshare has more than 25,000 courses all aimed at creatives with around 2,000 of its courses completely free. It’s a great place to start. We recommend checking out the course Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design.
CreativeLive is an online creative community with 1,500+ curated courses on 6 creative categories including Art & Design, Craft & Maker and more. Its 30-day refund policy makes it an appealing option to try out its creative courses. We recommend checking out the course Color for Designers: Exploration, Theory, & Application.
Adobe Design
If you are starting your career in the design world, you will be aware of the different Adobe software programs on offer. If you want to create visuals for print, web and app design you will need to know how to use the creative industry’s go-to graphic design programs. With so many useful online courses to help guide you through these programs, it’s the best place for you to start or even brush up on existing skills in the comfort of your own home.
We recommend trying out:
Skillshare has more than 25,000 courses all aimed at creatives with around 2,000 of its courses completely free. It’s a great place to start. We recommend checking out the course Adobe Photoshop CC – Essentials Training Course or Adobe Photoshop CC – Advanced Training Course.
CreativeLive is an online creative community with 1,500+ curated courses on 6 creative categories including Art & Design, Craft & Maker and more. Its 30-day refund policy makes it an appealing option to try out its creative courses. We recommend checking out the course Adobe InDesign CC for Beginners or Adobe InDesign CC Intermediate: Beyond the Basics.
LinkedIn Learning offers a wide variety of courses related to the Adobe programs which are all self-paced. We recommend checking out the course Illustrator 2020 Essential Training or Photoshop 2020 One-on-One: Fundamentals.
Photography
If you’re a complete newbie to photography, a holiday shooter or just want to know more about setting up your camera. You will be thrilled to know there are some top online photography courses to meet what you are looking for. If you want to read about the Best Online Photography Courses then check out my post here.
We recommend trying out:
Skillshare offers some top photography courses for beginners and with its generous 1-month free trial you really can’t complain. We recommend checking out the course Fundamentals of a DSLR Photography.
CreativeLive is a creative platform that has 700+ handpicked instructors and photography is one of its most popular topics. We recommend checking out the course 28 days of Portrait Photography.
LinkedIn Learning offers more than 16,000+ courses which are all self-paced. When you successfully complete a course you will earn a certificate. We recommend checking out the course Introduction to Photography.
Musical Instrument
Have you always wanted to play the guitar or learn the piano? Well learning how to play an instrument online may be your answer. With so many self taught musicians or ones looking to brush up on existing skills. The high quality and variety of online courses becomes the obvious choice, so why not give it a go.
We recommend trying out:
Udemy offers over 2000 music related courses from learning the ukulele to the drums and even music theory. We recommend checking out the course Piano for all – Incredible New Way To Learn Piano & Keyboard.
Skillshare offers a wide variety of music classes from production, theory to songwriting and more. We recommend checking out the course Songwriting and Composing Melodies.
Personal Skills
Writing
Being able to communicate and express ourselves through written words is such a valuable skill that we use everyday. Whether it is writing an email to a boss, updating our Curriculum Vitae or creating a post for social media, being able to write in a succinct way and with confidence can not only save us a lot of time but also help to improve our verbal communication. So great courses which can help us not only professionally but personally as well.
We recommend trying out:
edX offers accredited courses which are partnered by top Universities like Harvard and Berkeley. We recommend checking out the courses Business Writing – BerkeleyX or Professional Writing ASUx.
Coursera offers high quality accredited courses taught by top experts from world-class Universities. We recommend checking out the courses Good with Words: Writing and Editing – University of Michigan or Creative Writing.
Udemy offers more than 100 courses on Creative Writing and many are discounted. We recommend checking out the course Write a Book! Creative Writing Skills for Beginner Writers.
Personal Finance
Trying to figure out the best ways to budget and to keep an eye on your spending can definitely become very stressful and feel almost out of control at times. Some ways to keep our personal finance in check is by money management, budgeting and getting out of debt. So getting some guidance and tips from online courses can help us make the right choices.
We recommend trying out:
edXoffers accredited courses which are partnered by top Universities like Harvard and Berkeley. We recommend checking out the course How to Save Money: Making Smart Financial Decisions.
Courseraoffers high quality accredited courses taught by top experts from world-class Universities. We recommend checking out the course Personal & Family Financial Planning.
Udemy offers close to 600 Personal Finance related courses that vary from Investing to Finance fundamentals. We recommend checking out the course The Complete Personal Finance Course: Save, Protect, Make More.
Organization
Managing our time and focusing on how to reduce procrastination can make the biggest difference to our day, week, month and year. Many times it can be by making simple changes and resisting distractions. So why not take a course to help organize ourselves and become more productive.
We recommend trying out:
Skillshare offers a wide selection of courses on Organization and Productivity and some are completely free. We recommend checking out the courses Finding Planner Peace – Discovering What Planner System Works For You or Airtable for Artists: Organize Your Business & Increase Your Productivity.
Udemyoffers more than 80 courses on Organization with over 10 being completely free. We recommend checking out the course Get Things Done: How To Organize Your Life And Take Action.
Professional Skills
Digital Marketing & SEO
Trying to get someone’s attention online and engaging a user with relevant content is getting more difficult than ever. So if you are an entrepreneur or you are looking to advance your career in digital marketing then learning how to successfully do it yourself is the way forward. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the ways to optimize a script, a blog post or enabling a website to rank higher in google. So why not educate yourself with some of the top courses out there and help advance your career in Digital Marketing & SEO.
We recommend trying out:
Pluralsight offers a 10 day free trial on technology related subjects. We recommend checking out the courses Exploring Strategy & Vision or SEO Fundamentals.
Skillshare offers a generous 1-month free trial and many courses related to Digital Marketing and SEO. We recommend checking out the course Introduction to SEO: Tactics and Strategy for Entrepreneurs.
Coursera offers high quality accredited courses taught by top experts from world-class Universities. We recommend checking out the course Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization.
Udemy offers more than 2000 courses on Digital Marketing with many of them discounted. We recommend checking out the course Digital Advertising & Marketing 101: Take The Complete Guide.
Coding
If you want to design your own website or you are considering a career in programming, then there are some excellent online courses out there that are focused on you becoming job ready as a programmer. It is not only a highly employable career but the salary isn’t bad either.
We recommend trying out:
Codecademy offers courses in 14 different programming languages and a free basic plan for you to try out. We recommend checking out the Career Path Web Development.
Treehouse is an online technology school offering 300+ courses on subjects like web design, web development and mobile development, its 7-day free trial gives you full access to the platform. We recommend checking out the track Beginning Python.
Copywriting
Copywriting is one of the skills that is in high demand. The career opportunities can vary from website copywriting, blogging, eBook writing, product copywriting and much more. Having the skills for copywriting also can help you in many professions like digital marketing or as a social media manager as it gives you the ability to be able to express yourself coherently through words. If you think this could be a skill or career for you, then check out the online courses on offer below.
We recommend trying out:
Udemyoffers more than 200 courses related to Copywriting and if you aren’t satisfied you are entitled to a 30-day refund guarantee. We recommend checking out the course The Complete Copywriting Course: Write to Sell Like a Pro.
Skillshare offers a generous 1-month free trial and many courses related to Copywriting. We recommend checking out the course Copywriting For Beginners: How To Write Web Copy That Sells Without Being Cheesy.
Data Science
Data Science is a revolutionary technology that is the study of Data. It is way of creating insights and predictions to help companies make important business decisions. If you enjoy extracting, analyzing and vizualizing information then a career as a Data Scientist may interest you. Plus the pay check isn’t bad either. So with so many online courses for you to choose one we have highlighted some of the top courses.
We recommend trying out:
Datacampoffers close to 350 on topics that specialize in data science and analytics that are taught by expert data scientists. We recommend checking out the career track Data Scientist with R.
Udacity offers courses and tracks on topics related to programming, business and data science and more that are well-recognised. We recommend checking out the Nanodegree Program Become a Data Scientist.
Final Thoughts: Top Skills to Learn Online
Hopefully, this detailed guide on the Top Skills to Learn Online has inspired you and given you some guidance to brush up on existing skills or to learn something completely new. Just remember that learning a new skill is for everyone no matter what your prior experience.
Please, leave a comment below if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to help you out.
Catherine Cooke
Hey. I am Catherine and have been working as a freelancer for many years now and I believe that you are in charge of your own destiny. If learning a new skill or having a career change is something you want to do, then there is no better time than the present. If you have a question please feel free to ask me anything or leave me a comment.
