Contents
Introduction
What is LinkedIn Learning?
LinkedIn Learning is an online educational platform for learning various skills.
LinkedIn Learning was originally Lynda: Online Courses, Classes, Training, Tutorials. It then got acquired by LinkedIn and renamed to LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn then got acquired by Microsoft.
LinkedIn has over 16,000 courses in 7 languages with 60+ courses being added weekly. Earn a certificate at the end of each course.
The most popular courses on LinkedIn Learning generally are software development, leadership and management, business software and tools, and data science which makes sense since there’s a lot of demand for skills in these areas.
LinkedIn Learning vs Lynda?
There’s no difference. They are the same company now.
In an age of automation and AI, it’s more important than ever to get up-skilled and make sure you have the necessary skills to navigate the tech powered age.
LinkedIn Learning for Career
The advantage of using something like LinkedIn Learning compared to Udemy and Skillshare is that it has a bit more respectability when you add it to your LinkedIn Profile.
Getting certifications in soft skills generally I think is wise if you’re job hunting and shows initiative. It’s certainly not going to guarantee the job you want but your application is much more likely to be looked upon favourably.
I think one of the important skills in the future when everything will be digital is some level of programming fluency.
LinkedIn Learning Python
One of the areas where LinkedIn Learning really excels is in Python, especially at the introductory level. Python seems to be a very popular course on LinkedIn Learning generally.
I read on Reddit that the very advanced IT courses are just meh so if you’re at that level, it’s probably better to look elsewhere.
There are 700+ courses in data science and by the time you’re reading this, there will probably be a lot more.
In addition to taking the LinkedIn Learning course, I’m also doing the exercises on ProjectEuler which is free and highly recommended. It’s also a bit challenging.
Getting Started
The most popular topics on LinkedIn are:
- Programming
- Project Management
- Design Thinking
- Leadership Skills
- Spreadsheets
- Creativity
- Data Analysis
For soft skills and courses about writing fiction and digital marketing, I like to watch the courses at 2x speed so I can get through them faster.
They don’t have the Roku app anymore though you can watch on the couch from your Apple TV or Chromecast.
After you finish the courses, you can get your LinkedIn Certificates of Completion to add to your resume or your LinkedIn Profile. In order to get the certificate, you only need to watch all the videos in the course.
For programming skills, I’ll watch at a slower pace to give myself time to understand the concepts.
LinkedIn Learning Pricing
Is LinkedIn Learning Free?
No, it’s not free. You can try it free for 30 days here to see if you like it. After that it’s a monthly subscription fee of $29.99 or a cheaper price with the annual subscription.
3 Essential Courses To Take
These are of course personal preferences but I would start off with one of these 3:
- Any Programming Language — just the introductory course so that you can get the general gist
- Critical Thinking for Better Judgment and Decision-Making — I think everyone can benefit from better thinking skills to make better decisions. There are a few critical thinking courses on LinkedIn
- Communicating with Confidence — the ability to communicate effectively remains an important skill to have