The tech industry (tech for short) has become at the forefront of innovation and development in the world. Most companies operate using some form of technology. It is no wonder that the most well-paid and in-demand jobs today are related to this industry. Hang on while we take you through the best self-guided tech courses.
One interesting thing about the tech industry is you can land a lucrative job despite not having a high degree in formal education. Rather than put sole importance on traditional education degrees, this industry is more concerned with the practical skills, talent, experience, and value a person can bring. Thus, you do not need to attend a well-known university to grab career opportunities in tech. You can, instead, focus your attention to honing the right skills and gaining enough experience.
One way to develop the necessary skills required for tech job positions is to take self-guided courses.
Self-guided or self-directed learning enables students to achieve learning outcomes without depending on the input of teachers and peers. Due to the accessibility of the internet, self-guided courses are usually available in an online format.
Some of the proven advantages of online self-guided courses include:
- Learning at your own pace and availability
- Unlimited access to the content
- The choice to work independently or collaborate with others
- Cost-effectiveness
Self-guided tech courses fall into two categories – free and paid. Paid tech courses can be more comprehensive and take more hours to complete. Most paid courses grant certificates to students at the end as proof of course completion. For most paid online courses, you can choose to subscribe to a platform (course provider) or purchase one course at a time.
Here are some of the best self-guided tech courses available online
IT for Beginners, IT for Dummies, IT for Non-IT ( Udemy)
This Udemy course consists of 32 lectures that add up to 1.5 hours of content. It provides a broad overview of the various jobs or positions in the IT industry. IT for Beginners also discusses principal IT concepts like system administration, project management, UX designing, programming languages, IoT technology, and the cloud. This course differentiates front-end and back-end functionalities. It also has an exercise component that requires students to build a database and create an if/then game – a foundation concept in programming.
This course is perfect for non-technical professionals who would like to know the basics of working in the IT industry. This course is one of the best because of its content, time flexibility, and reasonable course price ($13.99). Udemy issues a certificate once you pass the quiz at the end of the course.
Introduction to Python (DataCamp)
This widely popular course highlights one of the most widely-used programming languages – Python. Unlike other courses, Introduction to Python focuses on using the language for data science. In this course, you will learn how to use Python to store data and analyze data using a variety of data science tools. The course also comes with real data sets that you can work on to get a taste of data science is
Introduction to Python is more specific and does not offer a more general introduction to tech. This is a great course to start learning Python for programming. Aside from being a self-guided course, Introduction to Python is free and has attracted more than 4 million students.
Modern Robotics, Course 1: Foundations of Robot Motion (Coursera)
This is one of the top robotics courses on Coursera and is part of the platform’s Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control” specialization. Also, this course is ideal if you are interested in learning how robots work and are considering robotics as a career.
The course includes:
- Robot configurations for serial robot mechanisms and robots with closed chains
- Configuration space (C-space)
- C-space topology
- holonomic and nonholonomic constraints.
- spatial velocities and forces
This course allows you to choose a programming language (Python, Mathematica, and MATLAB) to build robotics software. You can also use the free cross-platform robot simulator V-REP to apply your robotics knowledge without leaving your house.
IT Fundamentals for Business Professionals: Programming (edX)
IT Fundamentals is available on the edX platform and was a joint project of UPValenciaX and Universitat Politecnica de Valencia in Spain.
The course has 5-course components and uses the English language. You can also take this as a preparation for the CLEP Information Systems and Computer Applications exam. CLEP is a highly-recommended exam for those who want to start a career in the IT industry.
Some of the topics covered in this course include:
- Data warehousing
- SQL language
- object-oriented programming
- pseudo code
IIT Fundamentals Course materials are free to use. But for a fee of $75, you can receive a verified certificate upon completion of the course. Furthermore, to meet learning objectives, you will need previous math and computer knowledge and experience to take this course.
Some of the features of this course that makes it stand out include:
- It involves experienced instructors
- The certificate offered is backed by a reputable university.
- Training materials are free for those who want a certificate of completion
Learn JavaScript (Codecademy)
Taken by close to 3 million students, Learn Javascript is one of the most popular courses on Codecademy.
The Learn Javascript course teaches programming fundamentals of the latest JavaScript syntax. JavaScript is one of the most popular programming languages used in web development.
After completing the course study time of 20 hours, you should possess the knowledge and skills to create responsive and interactive web designs. The course also provides the foundation a developer needs to use JavaScript in various environments.
Learn Javascript does not require prerequisite skills and experience, and access to its course materials is free. However, if you pay the Codecademy pro membership, you can get a certificate after completing this course.
Machine Learning A-Z™: Hands-On Python & R In Data Science (Udemy)
Machine Learning A-Z™ is one of the most popular tech courses on the Udemy platform. This course discusses various machine learning models, algorithms, and the complex theory.
The strength of this course is its hands-on approach, which offers you the chance to:
- make strong analysis
- understand and create machine learning models suitable for solving particular problems
- develop Python and R to make predictions.
- learn more about Reinforcement Learning, NLP, and Deep Learning
Machine Learning A-Z™ is considered a well-made course designed by two respected and professional Data Scientists. The course offers a step-by-step guide to machine learning and the sub-field of Data Science.
Which One is the Best Self-Guided Course?
Several well-made self-guided tech courses online can provide the skills and knowledge to thrive in various tech positions.
These courses enable you to do the following:
- Change or reboot career
- Do personal coding projects
- Improve tech credentials and market yourself in the tech industry
- Level up a current job position
- Understand basic tech concepts like coding
- Learn extra skills
Online course providers like Coursera, Udemy, Futurelearn, and Udacity have their versions of top-rated courses on similar tech topics or fields. This is why determining the best self-guided course is subjective.
The most suitable self-guided tech courses for you will depend on personal variables like budget, skill level, experience, interests, and purpose.
Tech skills are valuable to stay competitive in the job market. The world is moving toward technological advancement at a fast pace. Many businesses try to keep up with technological trends to stay relevant.
You do not want to get left behind. Self-guided tech courses will help you to stay ahead of the game.
Check out our blog for more thought-provoking articles on the tech industry.