According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, technological advancements are expected to support strong employment growth in professional, business and scientific industries over the next ten years.
Given that professional requirements are in a constant state of flux, how do we stay agile and relevant in today's business environment when going back to school to re-tool can be an expensive proposition? How can we grow in our current job positions and maintain a growth mindset and be open to new professional opportunities?
I spoke with Maryanne, autodidact and polymath, about how she leverages the Library's Udemy online learning platform to learn new skills and maintain professional competencies to stay relevant and marketable in today's competitive job market.
Maryanne, What courses have you taken in Udemy?
I've completed an array of courses across industries such as: Salesforce Administrator, Grant Writing, Intro to GIS software, and Personal Finance.
Why did you enroll in these courses?
For professional and personal enrichment. As a career backup, I want to do Saleforce administration if I ever need a higher-paying job. GIS Software is fascinating to me and I'd also like to take community college classes on this subject; I wanted to find out if it is the right thing for me before I invest in taking classes.
I found the grant writing class to be helpful in my current job. I took also the personal finance classes because I wanted to learn more about how I could help my customers with these resources, and also save for retirement. Additionally, I have a Project Management Professional Certification and I use the classes on Udemy to get free Continuous Learning Credits to maintain my certification.
What did you accomplish by taking these courses?
More than anything, it satisfied a lot of curiosity I have about different subjects and future career paths. I'm actually not planning at the moment to change career paths. However, it's really empowering to know what my supplemental educational options are in case there's a career opportunity that comes up.
What else can you share about your experience with Udemy?
Using my library card to obtain free access to Udemy, I can obtain professional certifications needed for well-paying jobs, instead of having to pay a lot of money elsewhere for these classes. Also, these classes allow me to continue to expand my professional skill set and stay competitive in today's fast-changing job market.
Real-world instructors will guide you step-by-step through the skills. And you won’t just memorize; you’ll really learn through practice tests, quizzes and hands-on exercises. Many of the classes provide free supplemental, downloadable materials, like project management templates (for example: checklists, schedules, risk tables, and other useful visual aids) that help me with presenting project statuses on volunteer projects I do. For anyone who wants to increase their skill sets, go for a promotion at work, or a career change, I highly recommend leveraging Udemy’s resources!
Access to the Udemy learning platform is available to permanent library card holders. You will need a Google, Microsoft, or Gale account to sign in to Udemy. To install the app on your device, choose the "Udemy for Business" app and then fill in gale.udemy.com when prompted.
