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Top 25 online courses in South Africa – June 2020

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Top 25 online courses in South Africa – June 2020

E-learning is becoming increasingly popular to the people of South Africa. The country is home to the largest open distance e-learning university, and it’s hoped that digital learning can address some of the inequalities in education. Taking an online course can also help with personal and professional development. As such, we’ve outlined the 25 most popular online courses in South Africa among FutureLearn learners.

 1. COVID-19: Tackling the Novel Coronavirus

The headlines across the world are still dominated by the current COVID-19 crisis. South Africa has over 50,000 confirmed cases, making it very much a pressing matter still. Our course on tackling the novel coronavirus examines how the virus is impacting people, how it spreads, and what needs to be done to address it. It’s been one of our most popular courses over recent months and has a rating of 4.8 out of 5. 

Enrol today

 

2. Occupational Health in Developing Countries

Occupational health services are those that focus on keeping teams and people safe and well at work. It focuses on both the physical and mental aspects of health and can benefit both employees and businesses. However, it’s often neglected in developing countries. This course examines some of the key elements of occupational health, as well as some of the methods and measurements that can be applied in the workplace. 

Enrol today

 

3. How To Teach Online: Providing Continuity for Students

In the wake of the current pandemic, many schools and universities in South Africa have been closed. As such, both students and teachers have had to adapt to new ways of learning and teaching. Even the most experienced teachers are facing new challenges with this way of working. Our course is focused on giving teachers the strategies and skills to develop their lessons for the online classroom. 

Enrol today

 

4. Start Writing Fiction

South Africa began its coronavirus lockdown on March 27 and is only just starting to ease measures. With more free time on your hands than usual, you may have considered writing that story you always wanted to. Our course Start Writing Fiction is the perfect place to get you on your way. You’ll learn how to create characters, draw on sources, and read as a writer. 

Enrol today

 

5. Teaching English Online

Teaching English brings an array of work opportunities. It’s a skill that’s always in demand, and online teachers are especially sought-after at the moment. Our course from Cambridge Assessment English is designed to help teachers transfer their skills to an online context. You’ll study the skills and knowledge required to adapt your teaching methods and learn about the tools you can use to help you. 

Enrol today

 

6. Education for All: Disability, Diversity and Inclusion

Everyone should have equal access to education. However, this isn’t true for millions of children around the world. Learning should be an inclusive and universal right, and there are ways to make it more accessible. This course uncovers some practical ways to do exactly that. You’ll learn the skills and techniques to make your classroom a more inclusive place for everyone. 

Enrol today

 

7. Rome: A Virtual Tour of the Ancient City

If you’ve ever wanted to go back in time and visit ancient Rome, we’ve got the next best thing. This course gives learners the chance to take a guided tour of the city. Dr Matthew Nicholls guides you through a 3D digital model, exploring the history, architecture and culture of the eternal city. 

Enrol today

 

8. What is a Mind?

The mind is a puzzle that has long been debated by scientists, philosophers and scientists. In this age of technological advancement, we have more of an understanding than ever before. However, there are still questions to be asked and problems to be solved. In this course, Professor Mark Solms from the University of Cape Town introduces a range of ideas and theories about the mind. 

Enrol today

 

9. What is Leadership?

The concept of leadership is a complex one. However, those who can effectively lead are in high demand. This course explores some of the fundamentals of leadership, allowing you to examine and develop your own leadership style. The course, designed by Deakin University, has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 from over 150 learners. 

Enrol today

 

10. COVID-19: Diagnostics and Testing

Two of our most essential tools in the fight against coronavirus are diagnostics and testing. Many countries have been doing all they can to increase their testing infrastructure and capacity. Others have taken different approaches to tracking and tracing the spread of the virus. This course from the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics looks at the current recommendations for COVID-19 diagnosis and testing. 

Enrol today

 

11. Genealogy: Researching Your Family Tree

Genealogy is a fascinating and often rewarding field of study. If you’ve always wanted to research your family history, this course presents the ideal introduction to the subject. It looks at ways to find and analyse sources, and how DNA testing can help you on your search. You’ll also learn about some of the challenges that face genealogical research, as well as how to overcome them. 

Enrol today

 

12. Managing Mental Health and Stress

Our mental health is essential to our overall wellbeing. During these difficult times, it’s more important than ever to make sure you take care of your own. Stress can often cause mental health difficulties, so it’s essential you’re able to recognise and manage that stress. This cause looks at how you can stay on top of your mental health, as well as give you strategies to combat workplace stress. 

Enrol today

 

13. COVID-19: Effective Nursing in Times of Crisis

As healthcare workers are fighting on the front lines against the coronavirus, the systems they work in are going through upheavals. At such a time, effective nursing becomes more important than ever. This course looks at some of the issues faced by nurses working in crisis zones, and how we can apply these learnings to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Enrol today

 

14. Teaching for Success: Lessons and Teaching

For teachers of any subject, continuing professional development is crucial. It helps you develop your skills and knowledge, ensuring you fulfil your potential and help your students fulfil theirs. This course focuses on English language teaching and looks at how to plan and manage lessons, as well as how to take responsibility for your own CPD. 

Enrol today

 

15. An Introduction to Screenwriting

Writing a screenplay can be a rewarding but challenging project. They generally follow particular formats but are only limited by your imagination and creativity. This course explores some of the basic concepts and elements that go into a professional screenplay. It will also give you the opportunity to write your own first draft. 

Enrol today

 

16. English in Early Childhood: Language Learning and Development

English is the fourth most commonly spoken first language in South Africa. However, it’s also widely used and understood across the country, especially by the government and in the media. As such, it’s worth knowing how young children learn the language, as well as how you can help them on their learning journey. This course is created by the British Council to help parents and practitioners support children as they learn English as a second language. 

Enrol today

 

17. Extinctions: Past and Present

There have been five mass extinction events in Earth’s history, and each of these has shaped the biodiversity of the planet. Sadly, human activity is currently threatening a sixth extinction. This course examines the previous events and how they impacted life on the planet. It also explores some of the current threats to biodiversity, and what we can do to prevent another mass extinction.  

Enrol today

 

18. Understanding IELTS: Writing

The IELTS is a world-renowned exam that tests English language ability in four key areas. The writing section consists of two sections and takes 60 minutes to complete. This course is focused on helping you develop strategies to do your best in the exam. It looks at the types of essays you’ll need to write and gives you the tools and knowledge to reach your full potential. 

Enrol today

 

19. Understanding Autism

Autism is a developmental disability that impacts an individual’s communication and understanding of the world. It’s what’s known as a spectrum condition, meaning that different people are affected in different ways. However, there are some difficulties that everyone with autism share. This course, certified by the CPD Certification Service, explores some of the conditions and sensitivities that people on the autism spectrum often encounter. 

Enrol today

 

20. Bookkeeping for Personal and Business Accounting

Bookkeeping is a skill that’s relevant and useful to both your personal and professional life. The skills to manage your finances can be applied in the workplace as well as at home. This course helps you understand the maths you’ll need to balance the books. It also looks at concepts such as profit and loss and revenue and debt.  

Enrol today

 

21. Collaborative Working in a Remote Team

Since the start of the pandemic, people around the world have been working from home. In South Africa, it’s expected that a large number of workers will continue working remotely after lockdown is lifted. As such, it’s essential for people to understand how to work collaboratively and within a team, even when you’re not face-to-face with people. Our course on the subject, designed by the University of Leeds, explores the challenges and opportunities of remote working. It also helps you find ways to work collaboratively and successfully. 

Enrol today

 

22. Introduction to Forensic Science

Forensic science is a field that fascinates many people. This six-week course explores some of the most interesting aspects of the subject, looking at how crime scene evidence is examined. It follows a theoretical murder case and deals with a variety of different evidence types. No prior knowledge is needed, as you’ll learn many of the fundamentals as your progress through the course. 

Enrol today

 

23. Plagues, Pestilence and Pandemics: Are You Ready?

As we live through a global pandemic, the study of infectious diseases seems highly relevant. With this course, you’ll explore how infections are spread and how they can affect the body. It also looks at topics such as bacterial resistance, disease containment, and outbreak responses. The course was created by Griffith University and currently has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. 

Enrol today

 

24. Understanding IELTS: Speaking

The speaking section of the IELTS exam requires listening, comprehension, and speaking skills. For those English language learners taking the test, they’ll have to have a conversation with the examiner, which usually takes around 14 minutes to complete. The Understanding IETLS: Speaking course helps prepare you for the test. It outlines the four criteria you’ll be assessed on and provides tips and techniques to help you succeed. 

Enrol today

 

25. Understanding IELTS

This program consists of four courses, one for each section of the IELTS exam – reading, writing, speaking and listening. You’ll cover all of the essentials on how each area is structured, as well as what you need to demonstrate during the exam. It’s designed by the British Council and takes around 12 weeks to complete all four courses. 

Enrol today

 

UpSkilling – Change the Mindset

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UpSkilling – Change the Mindset

Remote workers.  Deskless workers.  Regardless of the preferred term, your employees, your customers are likely working from home.  They are not coming into your office or some other facility.  

And with that, becomes a challenge for L&D and Training. 

The Good Old Days  – As in early Feb. 2020

Let’s look into our crystal ball of the past and remember:

  • Physical ILT – in your conference room, in a training classroom, at a hotel, at a trade show
  • OJT – On the job training

On-site training at some level could be one on one – similar to coaching or it could be the manager training their staff on some thing.  How about those new employees?  The multi-day training of them, learning where folks sit, watching a video, reading the manual that nobody reads, are what seem essential.

And, well, that is all gone.

How, then can we train them on new skills, if we cannot physically be present and as of important what skills do they need to know in the current business situation?

Change the Focus

In the past, (like a few months ago), people were being trained specifically related to their job role.  If they were in consideration for leadership, they received leadership development training.   If they were looking at a new role in the company, they were provided (or should have been) content related to that new role.  Everything was job role based.  

Acceptable for sure. And when it came to onboarding the premise was provide them the information they need quickly, to onboard them quickly and have them into the fold.

Those days are gone.

Nearly “25 percent of workers reported that their skills were mismatched to the demands of their current job.” (World Economic Forum)

Think about that for a second. 

That stat was before the pandemic.  Imagine, what that is now?

Six Drivers

In the report, “Future Work Skills, 2020” they identify six drivers of change.

1. Extreme Longetivity – This is to say, that by 2025, 70% of Americans will be over 60 years old.

Add in the economic conditions that exist today and likely will for the next couple of years (according to some economists), people will continue to work, rather than retire.

Oh and add that for all the talk of “we can handle change”, people regardless of age in general, can’t.  Do you think, Carolyn, aged 62 is going to be thrilled that her role is going to require her to learn more skills, beyond what is she has been doing for 35 years?

2. Rise of Smart Machines and Systems.  –  Automation in the workforce will replace the need of humans doing those jobs.  We already see this happening, and occuring before the pandemic.  Robotics exists (you see in with manufacturing), now toss AI into the mix.  With a reduced need of humans for those roles, a company has two options – either re-skill them (ideal) or eliminate their role – i.e. lay them off or fire them. 

3. Computational World –  The world becomes one programmable system.  IT is in our lives.  The need for technical skills, even at the base level – learning Office for example, is an essential. 

4.  New Media Ecology  –  Powerpoint is dated.  Folks today must learn the latest forms of media including video and have the ability to dig deeper into the meaning of text and images, to extract essential knowledge.   Teaching your employees, Powerpoint – or how to create a deck in PPT, is the past, the new reality –  teach them how to shoot video and utilize it in an effective means for delivering knowledge, insight and communication.  

5. Superstructured Organizations – New forms of production and value via transformational social technology.  This was already taking place, pre-pandemic, but with the skills folks will need going forward will only expand. And you can be any size of business.

6. Globally Connected World. 

Reality Pre-Pandemic

  • One in four adults reported a mismatch in skills they have, and the skills they need for their current job (World Economic Forum)
  • Close to 30 percent (30%) of adults say they fear being seem as dumb or incompetent, if they ask for training in a skill that they should know or need to know for their job (Sitel, Future of Work and Employee Learning)
  • 46 Percent (46%) of full-time workers believe they have the skills that will enable them to compete, 10 years from now (Pulse of the American Worker Survey – Prudential)
  • It takes 36 days to learn a new skill (IBM Institute for Business Value
  • Depending on where/whom you read, the half-life of skills is five years, with it dropping down significantly for those in Engineering.  

The New Reality

You likely have employees working from home.  Even when the time comes to open up the office, the percentage of employees who will want to work from home, is likely to remain high (until a vaccine is available).    

As an employee working from home, you may prefer the office, just as some learners prefer sitting in a physical classroom to learn, even if they are not paying attention.  In other words, independent operation is similar to independent learning.   You either like it or you don’t. 

There are employees who need to be provided a daily task list or weekly for that matter, in order for them to feel comfortable, while there are others who would bristle at such a process. 

Those that need the daily task push (sure it is micro-managing, but look, there are people who prefer this), are now faced with a whole new dynamic paradigm, and one that is not favorable to them. 

Web conferencing is the rage.  Regardless if you use Zoom, WebEx or whomever, workers need to know how to use the application, and how to work with others in this new virtual setting.  

And with this comes new skills, they must learn.

  • Provide them with “how to” content covering whatever web conferencing solution you are using.  Include mini-quick reference cards.  3rd party off the shelf content does exist for some of these solutions.
  • Provide them with content on cross-collaboration, effective communication, emotional thinking, team dynamics and other soft skills that will be used in this new environment
  • Soft skills such as creativity, innovation (thinking out of the box) are crucial. 

Skills To Prepare

Your employee’s productivity is only as good as the level of training or learning you provide them, in their role.  If there was any form of learning that is ideal for your workforce, it is e-learning (i.e. online learning).

But with that, one must recognize the following:

  • Compliance training is one in and one out, this means that an employee will take the content/course right before it is due (the majority) or early on, complete and never return, thus usage of your learning system will be poor (if compliance is all you do)
  • Safety content is important, but if I am at home, and not on-site, then learning how to reduce chemical acccidents shouldn’t be at the top of the learn scale (not until, they return to their location on-site). 
  • Mindsets must change.  If you are providing any learning around safety, and those folks are all at home, is it still essential? At your location, absolutely, but will Dan need to know how to drive a forklift, if he isn’t going to be on-site, for the rest of the year? Can, you hold off on that forklift safety, until he returns to his location or until he gets close to returning?
  • If the percentage of your training/learning is job role specific, are you presenting your personnel with the skills content that provides new skills non-job related, but still of value to them?

There are a lot of distractions that come with working from home. Focusing on specific tasks if you will, may not be at the same  “let’s do it” mentality, because, they are home, away from prying eyes (at least you hope your employer isn’t using a keylogger or similar on that work laptop they provided you). 

Top Five Skills that are “MUSTS”

  1. Ability to not only know their own job skills, but learn at least some basics in other job roles and disciplines.  For example, an employee who is front-facing with a customer, should be provided content that breaks down some of the departments they may be asked upon.   Many of these employees, rarely receive customer skills training, communication and other soft skills that are relevant.   I remember back in the day, of having an employee ask if they could learn some of our content tied to our Ph.D. staff, because they were the first face folks saw when they came into a location and they were interested in learning about what folks were inquiring about.   I provided them and the rest of the folks in that group, with such information.  
  2. Differential Thinking – Thinking that is not dependent on “right now”, rather focuses on “what if”.  This requires content that isn’t just about their job role, it includes how to handle tasks that are not related to their role, but is essential in this new business environment.  Adaptability is a crucial skill set.
  3. Learning of new tools.  Bring out the content with Microsoft 365, toss in some content on MS Teams (if you use it) or Slack (if you use it).  Toss in articles or other forms of content to provide insight into the technological landscape, such as a machine learning or internet of things.   I’d definitely recommend content on how to use video as a form of “how to explain”.   The easy way is to just tell your employees to go to “YouTube”, but as someone in L&D, you shouldn’t go the easy way.  You should create content that pinpoints the tools you recognize are relevant to your employees, and will get them to access over and over again.
  4. Soft Skills – Now is the time to add this content to your learning system.  There are over 100 vendors out there who provide 3rd party content around various soft skills.  If your system does not offer soft skills content or offers it, but not with the vendor’s content you found, don’t fret.   You can still buy the content and have it integrated into your learning system via an API.
  5. Skills for tomorrow.  Too many folks focus on right now, and as a result you have people whose skills will become outdated, and/or jobs that did not exist in “right now”, that show up later on.

I recall a wonderful article that discussed all the new jobs in recent years within the gig economy. Nobody could foresee an Uber Driver, Doordash delivery person, personal shopper and so forth.  How many people recognized that data scientist would become a job in demand? 

Think of the global connected world.  Think about the millions of folks, perhaps yourself, that are currently learning a new language via an app on your mobile device or online.  Then ask yourself, why are you not offering the same opportunity to your workforce? Instead of just offering proprietary content, why not offer them 3rd party foreign language content?

Remember the distraction point? Or working from home?  To reduce indifference to using your learning system, because the only thing you are providing is “assigned”, tap into the interests. Learner-centric should now be the norm, not the “we never do that”, way. Training and Learning can be fun.  If that employee wants to have a family member take a soft skill course you have in your system, let them.   First off, they may be doing it already, and secondly, soft skills is about enrichment.

Be willing to re-skill your workforce.  We are very good saying “reskill”, as a country, but boy are we really poor at implementing it.  

 Leadership development must change.  A leader is one that just isn’t effective in their  job role, it requires so many more skill sets (soft skill wise) and even some multi-disciple too.  You can’t be observing someone any more, but you can observe the content that they are taking, and see where the gaps are.  

Future leaders in your company, will be those who adapted well during this time.  They are the ones who recognized and acted accordingly to the changes that have come about.  They will be skilled at communication, decision making, and collaboration with a remote workforce.

Bottom Line

vILT is hot and will continue to do so. But virtual ILT only works to a point. No one is going to retain any information by staring at someone’s face for an hour or two.  They need engagement and interaction, something that is beyond, typing in a chat room, or raising their “hand”.

Simulations should be something you should consider for your training.  3rd party content that goes beyond just text is something you should be offering.

And skills that are adaptable and available to all,

Must become the norm.

NEW: Here is the link to my webinar presentation on “How to Engage and Upskill with Training” 

E-Learning 24/7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Announcing the Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate from IBM

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Announcing the Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate from IBM

By Betty Vandenbosch, Chief Content Officer at Coursera 

With businesses rapidly moving their operations to the cloud and consumers demanding better data protection, the cybersecurity industry is facing a significant talent shortage. In fact, 3.5 million IT security roles are likely to go unfilled by 2021. 

To address this talent shortage, we are excited to announce the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate, which will help learners launch a career in the field of IT security. The certificate is designed to help learners without cybersecurity experience become job-ready within eight months. Taught by architects, security operation center analysts, and security engineers from IBM, the courses draw on experts’ real-world experiences working on large-scale security systems at IBM and many of their clients. 

At $49 per month, the certificate offers an affordable stepping stone for individuals to enter the cybersecurity field. In eight courses, learners will develop the needed technical skills, covering a range of digital forensics concepts and cybersecurity analyst tools. To boost learner confidence before entering a new career in cybersecurity, the certificate includes a hands-on security breach project and 12 virtual labs featuring industry tools. Program completers are also eligible for the System Analyst Fundamentals IBM digital badge. LinkedIn profiles with IBM digital badges receive six times more profile views than those without. 

The IBM Professional Certificate comes at a critical moment for IT security, as enterprises and governments adapt to the impact of COVID-19. As organizations shift to remote work, they’re increasingly vulnerable to new cyber threats, and over half of cybersecurity teams are understaffed. The IBM Professional Certificate equips learners with the tools to help address malicious cyber activity while paving the way for a sustainable career. 

We’re proud to collaborate with IBM, the world’s biggest enterprise security vendor, to provide high-quality training to learners everywhere. Together, we hope to train thousands of IT security professionals to bridge a critical skills gap and help organizations around the world thrive in a safer digital ecosystem. 

Learn more about the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate.

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Discover how the Google IT Support Professional Certificate helped Jason pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science

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Discover how the Google IT Support Professional Certificate helped Jason pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science

My name is Jason Niro, and I live in Las Vegas, Nevada. I graduated from Bay State College, in Boston, with a bachelor’s degree in entertainment management with a recording arts concentration. After graduation, I moved to Southern California to pursue a career as an Audio Engineer. While I was interning at a few record labels, I got an opportunity to work for Panasonic Avionics Corporation. My pursuit of a career in audio engineering soon ceased, and I ended up working at Panasonic for over seven years. During that time, I gained some knowledge about information technology and soon fell in love with it. 

I received hands-on experience with Linux servers, MySQL databases, networking, and a multitude of other proprietary technologies. I took a few classes at a local community college in networking and programming that were the equivalent of a CCNA certification, and also received a certificate in network infrastructure. In addition, I gained a basic understanding of the Python programming language. At that point, I really fell in love with all things technology. I kept learning at my job and on my own, but I really wanted to get a degree in computer science. I didn’t have the funds to go back to school, and so I kept looking for other opportunities to learn. 

I came across the Google IT Support Professional Certificate in 2018. Google was providing 10,000 students with access to this certificate program for free. I applied for the scholarship and was lucky enough to get it! I completed the Google IT Support Professional Certificate, and around that time, I saw that the University of London was providing a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science through the Coursera platform. I enrolled for the degree program in April 2019 (part of the first cohort of students) and am loving every minute of it!

The Google IT Support Professional Certificate helped me get a head start on my degree in computer science. I did not have to take the How Computers Work class, and my certificate was recognized as proof that I knew some of the basics. In addition, this certificate gave me the confidence I needed to apply for the degree program. 

“Knowing I could complete a certificate program provided by Google really inspired me to continue learning.”

The Google IT Support Professional Certificate also helped me on the job. While working at Panasonic Avionics Corporation, I was able to work with Linux in a more efficient and effective way. I was also able to help troubleshoot many issues that arose, from Linux servers to Mac and Windows Operating Systems. 

I recently left my position at Panasonic and am currently working at MGM Resorts International in Las Vegas, in their IT department. I am currently working in the IT Risk department, but I will be transitioning over to their Computer Engineering department (which is an advanced technical help desk position) in the coming months. In this position, I will definitely be using everything I learned from the Google IT Support Professional Certificate program. 

The reason I decided to get my degree in computer science through the University of London program was that it provided two things that were extremely important to me. I wanted to learn from the best, and I feel that the University of London has provided outstanding content from which I have gained a tremendous amount. Also, compared to other computer science programs, it was affordable, and something I could do from home on my own time. I am thirty-two years old with a wife and a one-year-old. I am currently the sole provider, and I needed to be able to work full time while obtaining this degree. 

While it is not easy for me to afford this program, it is a lot cheaper than many other available options. I know that getting this degree will enhance my career, and with it, my pay. Getting a degree in computer science is something I always wanted to do, and I just didn’t know how to do it until I found the London program. I really enjoy learning, and both the Google IT Support Professional Certificate and the University of London program have provided me with ample learning material that I will use for the rest of my life.

While I am in school, I want to work with as many different pieces of technology as I can. I enjoy “getting my hands dirty,” and I believe I am on the right track. My five-year plan is to complete my degree from the University of London and attain a career with one or both of the following organizations: Google, or the government (FBI or NSA). I truly believe that working for these organizations is a way I can use my skills in IT and computer science to make a difference in many people’s lives.

 

Graphs, Charts and Maps From Three Years of “What’s Going On in This Graph?”

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Graphs, Charts and Maps From Three Years of “What’s Going On in This Graph?”

Each of the graphs in this slide show was featured in one of our weekly “What’s Going On in This Graph?” discussions from 2017-2020. To learn more about a graph, including source information and related statistical concepts, visit the accompanying link.

Inside Footballs’ Campaign to Save the Game

Teenagers in The Times: May 2020

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Teenagers in The Times: May 2020

Here is the May 2020 edition of Teenagers in The Times, the last of the 2019-2020 school year. This roundup of news and feature stories about young people that have recently appeared across sections of NYTimes.com appears on the first Thursday of each month from September until June.

Within these monthly lists, we hope students find articles that capture their imagination and show them what is happening among people in their age group around the world. For the summer months, however, we offer students the opportunity to find and tell us what interested them the most in The Times each week. Our 11th Annual New York Times Summer Reading Contest runs from June 12 until Aug. 21, 2020.

For ideas about how to use Teenagers in The Times with your students, please see our lesson plan and special activity sheet, both of which can be used with this or any other edition.

This Brooklyn High School Found a Way to Honor Its Graduating Seniors

With almost all Class of 2020 ceremonies canceled, high schools like James Madison have devised creative methods to celebrate their departing students.

Why I’m Learning More With Distance Learning Than I Do in School

This Opinion essay author writes, “I’m 13 years old. I don’t miss the other kids who talk out of turn, disrespect teachers and hit one another.”

The Class Divide: Remote Learning at 2 Schools, Private and Public

Some private schools provide online luxury learning. As many public schools struggle to adjust, educational gaps are widening.

As Students Put Off College, Anxious Universities Tap Wait Lists

Uncertain that campuses will reopen, students are reluctant to commit for the fall. For schools, enrollment drops and lost revenue could be devastating.

A Pandemic Isn’t a Reason to Abolish the SAT

“For now, the SAT and ACT are more democratic than many of the other metrics used to evaluate college applicants,” argues the writer of this Opinion essay.

The Return to School

What Australian children have to say about going back to class

_________

Civics, Politics, Economics and Business

Gymnasts Push for Lasting Change After a Coach Is Suspended for Abuse

When Maggie Haney, the prominent coach of an Olympian, was barred for eight years after being accused of emotional abuse, gymnasts saw an opening to press for other cases to go forward and to demand broader change.

Regan Smith: No Swimming, No Olympics, No Graduation. No Complaints.

Smith, 18, set two world records last summer and seemed primed for the Tokyo Games. When they were postponed, she focused on what she could do rather than what she couldn’t.

The Gymnast Who Hasn’t Turned Off Her Olympic Countdown

Sunisa Lee, 17, had stellar showings at the national and world championships, and her sights on making the U.S. women’s Olympic team. Those plans are now up in the air.

Capgemini Partners with Coursera to Upskill Employees and Promote a Culture of Lifelong Learning

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Capgemini Partners with Coursera to Upskill Employees and Promote a Culture of Lifelong Learning

By Anthony Tattersall, Senior Director of Enterprise, EMEA at Coursera

We are excited to announce that Capgemini, a global leader in consulting, digital transformation, technology, and engineering services, has partnered with Coursera to offer high-quality learning to its employees. Starting today, Capgemini’s employees in nearly 50 countries will have access to 4,000 courses on Coursera for Business. 

No one could have predicted the impact that COVID-19 has had on the world of work and the dramatic way it will change how businesses operate and serve customers in the long-term. For Capgemini, it has reinforced its business imperative of encouraging employees to continuously learn and stay abreast of new trends and skills to better support customers. 

The global launch follows a successful pre-launch that started in February, which saw more than 25,000 Capgemini employees enroll in courses on Coursera for Business, with more than 22,000 courses completed to date. 

Our catalog of high-quality courses aligns with Capgemini’s goals to enhance the learning of critical new skills, such as those in digital, professional services and cloud computing. This will help employees more easily adapt to changing business needs, encouraging a culture of lifelong learning and individual growth for greater employee engagement. 

There are 4,000 courses on offer to Capgemini employees across business, technology, data science, and personal development. The partnership also complements the launch of Capgemini’s Digital Learning Hub, NEXT. The hub brings together a wide range of the best online courses, updated continuously to allow employees to build their development path as well as to share their learnings and experiences.

We applaud Capgemini’s commitment to helping employees worldwide access learning and skills that will support their work and careers during this time and beyond. 

Coursera for Business provides a world-class learning platform for companies that need to upskill, reskill, and deepskill their talent. With topics ranging from digital transformation and data science to software development and leadership, over 2,400 companies trust the Coursera for Business enterprise platform to transform their talent.

 

How well has Africa managed COVID-19?

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How well has Africa managed COVID-19?

At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, there were dire predictions about the spread of the virus through Africa. The continent was deemed a high-risk area for the spread of this deadly new disease.

However, six months into the pandemic and Africa has largely bucked the trend. While European and American countries have seen deaths in the tens of thousands – and healthcare systems straining to cope – we are yet to see the same scenes play out in African countries.

As St George’s University of London, in partnership with Ilara Health – a Nairobi-based health-tech company – launch a new course exploring how African primary care workers can manage the outbreak, we spoke to Mohammed Razai – Academic Clinical Fellow in Primary Care at St George’s, University of London –  and Maximilian Mancini – Chief Strategy Officer at Ilara Health – about what COVID-19 looks like on the ground in Africa.

Join ‘COVID-19 in Africa’

 How has Africa fared so far?

According to Mohammed Razai, “the apocalyptic predictions that COVID-19 would unleash catastrophe in the African continent, thankfully, has not yet come true. According to the WHO, Africa is the least affected part of the world with only 1.5% of the global COVID-19 cases and 0.1% reported deaths.”

This goes against initial predictions, which were, he says “rightly gloomy”. After all: 

Most African countries are low or middle income with very fragile, resource-poor health systems both in terms of health infrastructure – Burkina Faso has nine intensive care unit beds – and scarcity of human resources such as frontline caregivers  – most West African countries have less than two doctors per 10,000 population, compared to, for example, Italy with 41 doctors per 10,000 people. There are also significant problems around access to water, sanitation, and hygiene.

In spite of this, while Western countries have struggled to contain coronavirus, African nations have, by-and-large, coped relatively well. South Africa has seen the highest number of deaths from COVID-19 on the continent, with almost 1,000.

How has Africa controlled COVID-19?

Maximilian Mancini at Ilara Health argues that this is the result of a mixture of factors. Governments in many African countries were “fairly quick with their internal responses”, with South Africa fully shutting the country down, and Nigeria and Kenya enacting “curfews, suspension of international flights, and restricted local movement”.

Mancini also points to Africa’s youthful demographic as key in keeping death rates low. It has been established that COVID-19 is most dangerous to people over 75 – the median age in Africa is 19.7. He also argues that “previous immunization campaigns across the continent such as the BCG vaccines against TB could be playing some role as well.”

Razai says that African countries had an advantage that many ‘developed’ nations lacked – an existing healthcare response network to outbreaks of infectious diseases, particularly in relation to the Ebola virus. 

“Although Ebola is a completely different disease,” he explains, “the containment measures are essentially the same: self-isolation, contact tracing, and behaviour change such as physical distancing and hand hygiene. Many countries with recent Ebola outbreaks are repurposing their isolation facilities and have mobilised effective contact tracing in their communities.”

What challenges does COVID-19 still pose for Africa?

While the pandemic is so far yet to explode across the continent, both Razai and Mancini are keen to stress we are still in the foothills of the outbreak, and African healthcare systems face multiple challenges in the months ahead.

Access to testing for the virus – crucial to gauging its spread – is often limited at best. According to Mancini:

This is a function of a limited number of labs able to run PCR testing, weak and fragmented private healthcare systems that hinder point-of-care rapid testing, and an equally weak supply chain hindering the uptake of testing capacity. All of this is also exacerbated when taking into account the global competition for various testing supplies, where African countries struggle to compete with Western countries in securing scarce supplies.

Nevertheless, Razai points out that, “the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which was established in 2016, has been very effective in coordinating a continental response in conjunction with the WHO. It expanded testing capacity as far back as February and has acted swiftly in containment strategies”.

Mancini agrees that “testing capacity has been increasing, with countries such as Kenya receiving donated mobile labs and local supply efforts”.

Do African primary care workers have access to PPE?

Testing is just one part of the picture regarding how primary care workers can manage COVID-19. The (limited) supply of personal protective equipment for doctors and nurses has been a big issue in the West. So far, this has been less of a problem for Africa.

Mancini believes there are three reasons for this. The current low number of cases is yet to strain the centralised healthcare systems that provide protective equipment. Social stigma around COVID-19 means many with symptoms might be staying home, rather than seeking care.

And, if “caseloads could dramatically increase in the coming months (as is still the general consensus), limited adherence to standard of practice around infection prevention control (IPC) and PPE management might result in significant material recycling, thereby lowering the need for PPE.”

For Razai, Africa’s response to the limitations of its healthcare systems – preferring preventative measures such as self-isolation and nationwide lockdowns – brings with it its own issues:

“Self-isolation of the vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions is more difficult [in Africa] as families are on average larger and several generations live in the same household, hence the risk of viral transmission within families is high.”

Meanwhile, the lack of PPE has also provoked strong local responses and shown the ingenuity of African entrepreneurship. In Kenya, “local entrepreneurs have been re-purposing their 3D printers to print face shields”, while in Nigeria “local tailors have begun creating cloth masks.”

It’s also important to remember that the African response hasn’t been homogenous – each country has reacted to the pandemic in its own way.  While countries like South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda opted for strict early lockdowns, Ghana and Malawi have had limited or no lockdown measures.

As Razai argues, “For many low- and middle-income countries in the region, the challenge is a trade-off between saving lives from COVID-19 and the potential loss of more lives from poverty and malnutrition, social unrest, and economic collapse.”

What challenges does Africa face against coronavirus?

Moving forward, the continent’s ability to test for the virus remains limited, a fact that Mancini says, “hinders primary care health workers from being able to identify those with the virus.”

The region also faces challenges around “education and information sharing, with the primary care infrastructure across the continent rarely receiving the same level of educational support and training experienced in the more developed parts of the world”. And, finally, he says, the stigma around coronavirus means “patients suffering from COVID-like symptoms are less likely to seek diagnosis and, eventually, care.”

There is also a danger that the focus on COVID-19 takes attention and resources away from other infectious diseases that haven’t gone away. Only recently, a new outbreak of Ebola was confirmed to have taken place in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mancini points to worrying drops in visits to care clinics, saying that, “this is rapidly becoming a central issue across the continent”.

Razai similarly argues that, “COVID-19 can divert resources away from routine primary and community care such as childhood immunisations. UNICEF estimates at least 80 million children under the age of one will be at risk of preventable diseases due to disruptions caused by COVID-19, including on the African continent.”

Nevertheless, how Africa has managed the pandemic so far has given cause for hope – and shown how preconceptions of disease management in the West were skewed.

Many assumed that Europe and America would cope, while Africa would be swamped – instead, the opposite has occurred. Africa has so far used its prior expertise in disease management to keep the virus at bay.

How confident should we be about Africa’s continued response?

Mancini says he is “cautiously optimistic” about the future of the pandemic in Africa. “We are talking about a continent with…possible demographic traits, local ingenuity, and a long history of having to respond to widespread disease outbreaks”. This gives him “some comfort that the continent might be spared the worst”.

For Razai, “the African continent is particularly vulnerable and its initial success in containing the virus does not mean it is out of the woods.” He believes that “developed countries should step up and respond generously to the UN Humanitarian response plan to fund PPEs, testing kits, medical equipment, immunisations campaigns, and procurement of essential food and sanitation supplies.” 

Only international collaboration and sharing of data and expertise can stop the virus in the long term. As Mancini puts it:

“A complete understanding of the virus and its various manifestations will be key in the approach the world takes to manage future outbreaks.”

To learn more about Africa’s response to COVID-19, and how primary care workers can help patients in low-resource environments, sign up to COVID-19 in Africa: Managing the Outbreak in Primary Care Settings from St George’s, University of London.

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Category Coronavirus, Current Issues

How has Lockdown changed the job market?

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How has Lockdown changed the job market?

As we draw closer to the midway point of 2020, we can all reflect on what an unusual year it’s been so far. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives in ways we couldn’t have imagined back in January. But as the weeks of lockdown have rolled by, we’re becoming used to a new normal. So, as the global economy starts moving again and people return to work, what do we know about what’s changed in the job market during COVDI-19? 

We take a closer look at the overall picture in the labour market, what’s changed in how we work, and how certain industries are faring during this unprecedented time.

The UK declared a lockdown on March 23. For many of us, this meant we couldn’t go to work as we normally would. During the uncertainty, people were left wondering what this meant for their jobs. Thankfully, the UK government launched their furlough scheme on April 20, paying 80% of people’s wages if they couldn’t work. 

Recent figures show that, as of May 24, some 8.4 million jobs have been furloughed since the scheme launched. Although some people are starting to return to work, many will continue to rely on the scheme. This incentive has been extended through to October (with some alterations).  

Although the furlough scheme has brought relief to many people, there has also been a surge in unemployment. Around 856,500 people signed up for benefits such as universal credit and jobseeker’s allowance in April, an increase of 69%. 

There have been similar trends across the global job market during COVID-19. The US, in particular, has been badly hit, with nearly 1 in 4 Americans claiming unemployment benefits. Additionally, recruiters in many countries have seen a significant decline in hiring activity since the pandemic began. 

All of this makes for somewhat grim reading. But it’s not all bad news. Some industries are still hiring, people are slowly returning to work, and government schemes exist to support workers. 

Hiring in a pandemic

One of the biggest changes to the job market during COVID-19 is the way companies are approaching recruitment. Companies are still looking to fill vacancies during this hectic time. However, current social distancing measure makes traditional means of hiring more challenging. 

Despite the current hurdles, businesses are finding ways of hiring new staff. The process just looks a little different now. So, if you are searching for a new job, here are some of the ways you might interview for the role given the current circumstances: 

  • Telephone interviews. Although a popular first step of the recruitment process before coronavirus, it’s become even more prevalent recently. It’s a good way of initially gauging whether you’re the right fit for the role. 
  • Video interviews. During lockdown, many of us have been using video calls to keep in touch with loved ones. Platforms like Zoom can also be a great way of conducting an interview. It’s a useful replacement for face-to-face and panel interviews. 
  • Online tests. Tests are a fairly common part of the recruitment process. While in-person assessments aren’t possible right now, companies are turning to online solutions instead. They can be a great way of proving your credentials when applying for a job. 

Remote working 

Technology is rapidly changing the way we live and work. One of the saving graces of the coronavirus pandemic is that many people have been able to work remotely. At the height of lockdown, those who were able to work from home were asked to do so. 

Although this way of remote working was new to many of us, it’s actually a trend that’s been emerging for a while. In 2019, Airbnb’s Future of Work report revealed that 77% of UK workers think being able to work remotely is important. 

There are studies to back up the merits of this way of working, too. The American Psychology Association found that workers who had the ability to work remotely were more satisfied with their jobs and more productive. 

So, whether you’re in work or applying for new roles, the job market during COVID-19 certainly has a focus on working from home. For many, this added flexibility is a great addition. But there are certainly pitfalls. It can be hard to set boundaries and not overwork. Plus, the lack of human interaction can be difficult for many. 

The coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly disrupted the job market, both in the UK and internationally. Across the UK in April, advertised vacancies were 49% lower than they were the previous year. But some industries have been hit particularly hard. 

Between lockdown and social distancing measures, it’s not surprising that some sectors have been hit worse than others. Even with government support, the pressure has been immense on some businesses. It’s hard to quantify exactly which industry has been hit the hardest. But a combination of lost revenues and fewer jobs is clear across many. This includes: 

Hospitality and leisure

With mandatory closures and social distancing in place, the hospitality and leisure industry has been hit particularly badly. If you think of things like hotels, pubs, travel, and sport, it’s not hard to see why. 

According to one report, small- and medium-sized businesses in the sector lost an average of 54% of their monthly business income. 

Manufacturing 

The manufacturing industry in the UK has seen its worst slump in nearly 30 years. Areas such as new orders, employment, and overall output have all rapidly declined. Figures show that jobs in the industry are down 58% since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic started. 

Again, lockdown restrictions have meant that places like factories and some warehouses haven’t been able to open.

Food and drink 

With the closure of bars, pubs and restaurants, the food and drink industry is another that has felt the impact of COVID-19. Although people are eating more at home, out-of-home consumption has all but halted. Businesses in this industry traditionally rely on money coming from people eating out, which has been impossible during lockdown. 

Energy

At the height of lockdown, it seemed like nearly the entire country had come to a standstill. And, with a decrease in transportation and trade across the globe, the demand for energy went down. Estimates suggest that this decline was around 18-25% per week. 

As well as a decrease in demand for energy, jobs in the UK also declined significantly. Some figures suggest there are 73% fewer advertised vacancies in this industry.  

Retail

As all non-essential shops were closed from the start of lockdown, it’s little surprise to see the retail industry hit so hard. Job vacancies declined nearly 80% during April. On top of that, chains such as Debenhams, Laura Ashley, and Cath Kidston have all gone into administration since the start of lockdown. 

Although things may seem pretty bleak at the moment, there are always positives to be found in times of crisis. Despite the current climate, there are some industries where the job market during COVID-19 is thriving. 

Many of these areas have seen either a demand for new staff or an increase in demand for services. Often, these sectors already had much of the infrastructure to deal with the crisis caused by the pandemic. 

As companies across the country (and the world) adjust to a new normal, we’ve outlined some industries that have recently seen increased demand. We’ve also picked out some ways you can think about getting involved in these areas:

Healthcare

Now, more than ever, we appreciate how vital our healthcare systems are. The people working throughout the NHS and other healthcare services continue to prove how vital they are. And the healthcare job market during COVID-19 is further proof of this. 

Data shows that only 9% of employees in health and social work were furloughed. Similarly, only around 10% of jobs in the industry were at risk, compared to an average of 24%. Only those in the IT and water supply, sewage and waste industries had a smaller proportion. 

Of course, there are many different areas of the healthcare industry. If you’re thinking of entering the field, you can find all kinds of courses that will help develop your knowledge. If you’re interested in learning about the coronavirus outbreak, for example, you could take our course on COVID-19. 

We even have a course on managing COVID-19 in primary care. This three-week course is led by experts at St George’s University of London. It helps keep existing healthcare professionals up-to-date with the latest advice related to the virus.

Discover healthcare courses

Wellness 

Health and wellbeing have never been more important than they are right now. This need is also reflected in the boom of the home wellness industry. While many of us have been stuck at home during lockdown, we’ve looked to apps, online fitness classes, and other social wellness opportunities to stay healthy. 

According to an expert from the Global Wellness Institute, people stuck inside were desperate for company. As such, people have been searching for collaborative videos including ‘with me’ in the title at a greater rate than ever. 

People in the UK have been buying a range of fitness equipment, such as yoga mats and kettlebells. Similarly, the popular meditation app Headspace experienced a 19-fold jump in users taking a calming exercise. Evidently, the need to stay healthy, both mentally and physically, is resulting in a boom in the wellness job market during COVID-19. 

You can learn about why mindfulness and wellbeing are such important tools during times of crisis. You can take a variety of courses that can help with things like stress, sleep, eating, and overall wellbeing.

Explore mindfulness and wellbeing courses

Online education 

At the end of April, an estimated 1.2 billion children across the globe were out of the classroom.  With schools and universities closed, remote learning and online education have become essential. As such, the industry has experienced a surge in popularity. 

Although schools in the UK are gradually starting to open, this shift towards e-learning has shown just how useful technology can be in many different industries. Things like language apps, video conferencing lessons, online learning software, and virtual tutoring have all become popular. 

And it’s not just the students who have turned to online education while they’re out of school. Parents have also been trying to brush up on their knowledge, as they take charge of their children’s at-home education. Learners of all ages can benefit from this method of study, which is why the industry continues to thrive. 

At FutureLearn, we have a wide variety of courses related to online education. For those looking to improve their online learning skills, you’ll find multiple opportunities. If you’re more focused on the teaching side of things, there are many relevant courses, including those about teaching for home learners.

Learn how to teach online

eCommerce 

Despite retail sales declining in bricks and mortar stores, the online sector has seen an overall increase in sales. Online orders increased around 200% in the UK during April and the early part of May.  While people are forced to stay home and shops are closed, this comes as little surprise. 

The world of eCommerce brings convenience and efficiency, giving people a huge range of options to choose from. With social distancing measures set to be around for a while, its continued growth seems likely. 

It’s an industry that relies on a wide range of digital marketing skills. There are also all kinds of roles related to eCommerce. You could manage content, write engaging copy, optimise websites for search engines, market on social media, and more. Of course, customer insight and analytics are also essential skills. 

Digital technology is having a huge impact on our lives, and understanding these digital skills in retail can be hugely beneficial for your career.

Discover digital skills 

Pharmaceuticals 

Pharmaceutical companies are playing a significant role in the pandemic. As well as research into vaccines, there is ongoing research into diagnostics, technologies, and other treatments. According to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, in May, there were over 1,000 clinical trials and more than 150 treatments being tested.

As healthcare systems around the world prepare to deal with the impacts of the virus, the pharmaceuticals job market during COVID-19 has continued to grow. So much so that massive companies such as Gilead and Eli Lilly have seen stock market gains. 

With FutureLearn’s pharmacy courses, you can pursue your interest and improve your knowledge in the area. It’s a vast field, with loads of fascinating subjects. Whether you want to learn about genetics in medicine or the basics of good pharmacy practice, you can find a relevant course. 

Explore pharmacy courses

Gaming 

We’ve mentioned gaming a few times in recent posts. There’s been a surge in popularity across all platforms since the start of the pandemic. A survey conducted in March found that gamers in the UK reported they spent 29% more time playing video games during the quarantine. 

With the entertainment industry hit by closures, people have turned to these forms of at-home entertainment to pass the time. As such, global spending on digital games rose to its highest monthly total ever, a staggering $10 billion. 

That’s not to say the industry hasn’t been impacted by COVID-19. Many high-profile releases have been hit by delays, while basically all games conventions and expos have been cancelled.

However, a career in games development could be a rewarding one. Like many other technology-driven industries, the games job market during COVID-19 has plenty of opportunities. The UK’s indie gaming industry, for example, continues to thrive.

Find game development courses

It’s undoubtedly a strange time for everyone right now. And, with furloughs, unemployment, redundancies, and more, it seems like a difficult time in the job market too. However, there are some glimmers of hope, and as the world takes steps out of lockdown, things will hopefully start to move again. 

Whereas industries such as hospitality, retail, and food and drink have been hit hard, others have thrived. It’s difficult to know when the job market will pick up again, but experts remain hopeful that the UK economy will bounce back reasonably quickly. 

During this challenging time, technology has played a key role in keeping us all connected. Additionally, it has also changed the way we think about applying for jobs and recruitment. Companies are far more likely to interview remotely, which is one of the big changes we’ve seen in the Job Market During COVID-19.

Ultimately, whether you’re currently working or not, there is never a bad time to start learning some new skills. If you have career goals in mind or are just hoping to improve your employability skills, an online course can help.

Soft skills: what they are and how to develop them

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Soft skills: what they are and how to develop them

What are soft skills? 

Soft skills are the personality traits, behaviours, and interpersonal skills that we use to interact with other people. In the workplace, they represent our ability to work effectively and harmoniously with others, and it’s for this reason they are exactly the type of skills that employers look for. According to the Society of Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) ‘2019 State of the Workplace’ review, soft skills represent the top three missing skills amongst job applicants. 

Soft skills are not usually tied to specific professions, rather they relate to our personalities and, as such, they are highly transferable skills. Although they’re less tangible than hard skills, they can still be learnt and developed, and employers will value any qualifications you have that demonstrate a willingness to improve them.

Some fundamental soft skills for the workplace include creativity, persuasion, emotional intelligence, and collaboration. We’ll look into each in more detail below. 

Why are soft skills important? 

Soft skills are vital to employers, so much so that a 2018 survey by LinkedIn found that 57% of senior leaders thought that soft skills were even more important than hard skills. In part, this is due to their versatility.

Effective communication under high stress, empathising or encouraging a team member who might be struggling, and working collaboratively to meet a deadline are all examples of soft skills that carry the highest importance to any organisation. 

Soft skills also represent many abilities that can’t be replicated by artificial intelligence (AI), which will only increase their importance in the future. 

By understanding what soft skills are and discovering how you can develop your soft skills, you will strengthen your CV or resume, which is especially useful if you’re thinking about changing roles or careers.

To get you started, we’ve put together a list of soft skills below and how you can develop them. We’ve also signposted to relevant soft skills courses you can take for free on FutureLearn. 

The most important soft skills

Creativity 

What is creativity? 

According to LinkedIn’s 2019 skills survey, creativity is the most important skill in the workplace. But creativity as a soft skill doesn’t mean you need to be an artist or designer. It’s about learning to think in a creative way and finding innovative solutions to solve problems for your organisation.

As repetitive working tasks are increasingly automated, it’s the creative employee who will be highly valued as they can not only complete the work but also think about how to improve the process itself. 

How to be more creative

Learning to approach your work in a more creative, even unorthodox, way is something that you can learn to do.

Simple things like keeping an open mind when confronted with ideas rather than immediately shutting them down or utilising creative techniques like mind maps, role-playing, or provocations can be extremely helpful. 

Join:

Using Creative Problem Solving – Learn how to solve everyday problems using creativity and gain a competitive edge in the workplace.

Get Creative with People to Solve Problems – Discover the principles of human-centred design — a creative approach to problem-solving.

Communication

What are communication skills?

Effective communication in the workplace is based on your ability to converse productively with others. If you’re able to speak to people clearly and politely, whilst at the same listen empathetically to what colleagues, customers or clients have to say, you will be more productive and achieve better results.

Successful communication involves verbal, nonverbal and written skills, coupled with an understanding of active listening. 

How to improve communication skills 

Communications are a key aspect of almost all jobs and are utilised every day, so learning how to communicate effectively is a crucial skill.

You can take steps to improve your communication by focusing on the basics, like simplifying your message or doing a quick check of how your body language might be affecting your communication skills. Plus, make sure you’re fully engaged when you’re listening to others as this will lead them to be more attentive when you’re speaking. 

Join:

Communication and Interpersonal Skills at Work – Improve your communication skills at work and learn how to navigate positive collaboration in the modern workplace.

Business Fundamentals: Effective Communication – Gain a practical grounding in communication to boost your personal effectiveness, save yourself time, and reduce your stress levels.

Emotional intelligence

What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is your ability to understand and control your own emotions, whilst at the same time recognising and empathising withthe emotions of those around you. 

Emotional intelligence in the workplace is a highly sought after soft skill. Being able to harness your own emotions whilst understanding your colleagues’ motivations and feelings will lead to more harmonious and productive relationships. 

Emotional intelligence is also a highly prized soft skill in high pressure roles, when remaining calm is key, or those that involve negotiation, when you need to understand the other side’s position.

How to be more emotionally intelligent

Taking the time to work on your emotional intelligence may seem a little unusual, as many of the key facets, such as empathy or self-awareness can seem like innate qualities. However, these are all skills that can be developed with the right training.

For example, think of a workplace situation where your emotions may have worked against you, and think about how this affected the outcome. Use that as a starting position for developing your self-awareness, which is the first step to improving emotional intelligence.

Join:

Emotional Intelligence at Work – Discover why emotional intelligence is such an important workplace skill, and learn how it can be used to resolve conflict and build better relationships.

Critical Thinking

What is critical thinking? 

Critical thinking is the ability to reason and analyse information effectively. In the workplace, critical thinking involves the process of taking information or problems and processing them in the most logical way to extract value and find solutions.

It’s a highly valued soft skill, in part because it works so well in tandem with other soft skills. For example, if you have strong critical thinking skills, it will improve your time management because you can solve problems quicker. 

How to improve critical thinking

Being able to demonstrate situations where you have employed critical thinking to employers is a valuable asset. The first step to thinking more critically is to consider thoroughly the information you’re presented with.

Ask questions, explore motivations on all sides, and don’t take anything at face value. By rigorously evaluating information, you’ll be better placed to make informed decisions, which is the essence of critical thinking. 

Join:

Logical and Critical Thinking – Improve your logical and critical thinking skills and demonstrate to employers that you understand the key concepts of the subject. 

Adaptability 

What is adaptability?

Adaptability, or flexibility, is the ability to embrace change and challenges with a positive, resourceful attitude.

We all face unexpected problems in the workplace, but those with strong adaptability skills are able to approach these calmly and find solutions quicker than those who might be less flexible. 

Also, as the modern workplace is constantly evolving, having a level of resilience to these changes and an ability to view them as opportunities rather than obstacles is an attractive asset to employers. 

How to improve your adaptability 

Adaptability means being resourceful, curious, and persistent. Learning how to add this to your own skill set takes practice but it’s worth the effort. 

Try studying colleagues who you perceive as being especially flexible or whose workplace attitude you’d like to replicate. You could take notes on their behaviours or ask them directly for guidance.

If you’re facing a particularly difficult challenge, try and find the positives  – there will usually be some, even if it’s just the opportunity to show how you’ve overcome a problem. 

Join:

Wellbeing and Resilience at Work – Discover how to boost your adaptability and resilience in the workplace. 

Collaboration 

What is collaboration? 

Collaboration – or teamwork– is the ability to work effectively with your colleagues. It encompasses and requires a variety of other important soft skills, such as emotional intelligence, adaptability, and communication. 

Working collaboratively means you can solve problems quicker and better understand your own strengths and weaknesses. Working together also fosters a healthy work environment of learning and sharing between colleagues. 

How to work more collaboratively

Working together with others towards a common goal is a crucial and common aspect of many roles, so being able to do it effectively is a skill worth investing in. 

Learning how to work more collaboratively first requires a self-analysis of where you feel you work well in a team and where you think you could improve.

Next time you find yourself in a collaborative working situation, try and take on a role you’re not used to. This will help you develop a full spectrum of collaborative working skills. 

Join:

Career Credentials: Evidence Your Expertise in Teamwork – Showcase your collaborative working skills and use this course to progress in your career.

Collaborative Working in a Remote Team – Learn how to work effectively and collaboratively with your team, whether you’re at home or on the other side of the world. This skill will be key as many are forced to work from home due to coronavirus.

Browse our full list of soft skills courses

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