10 Best Free Learning Sites to Advance Your Career [2023]

Robert_Stark · February 2023

In the ever-evolving world of work, staying ahead of the curve means continuously investing in yourself and your skills. And in today's digital age, one of the most accessible and cost-effective ways to do that is through free online courses. And one of the most accessible and cost-effective ways to do that is by taking free online courses. From expanding your horizons and increasing your earning potential to learning new skills, these 10 free online classes will give you a competitive edge in the job market in 2023.

1) Best Ivy League Experience: Coursera

For those looking to elevate their career in 2023, Coursera offers a premier Ivy League education experience without the expensive price tag. The platform features over 7,000 free and paid online courses from some of the world's most respected universities and companies, including:

Standford University
Yale University
University of Pennsylvania
Google
Meta

With a diverse range of subjects, from computer science and business to humanities and social sciences, Coursera has something for everyone. And with the flexibility to learn at your own pace and no prior experience required, it's never been easier to gain new skills and advance in your career. Coursera also includes short one-day courses covering over 5,200 subjects, from Mindfulness to AI.

If you're looking for more in-depth learning and certifications, the platform's paid annual subscription Coursera Plus offers over 90% of their courses with job-ready credentials for around $399 per year. Start a new career with frontend developer skills from Meta or UX design from Google. And many of the systems are available for free without accreditation.

2) Best for Professional Development: FutureLearn

FutureLearn is the ultimate destination to advance your career and develop new skills. With over 1000 free and paid online courses from leading universities, organizations, and industry experts, including:

Cambridge
King's College London
Accenture
Bloomsbury Publishing

The platform focuses on professional development, offering a wide range of courses in subjects such as:

Leadership
Project Management
Business Management

FutureLearn is an ideal resource to gain the skills you need to succeed in today's competitive job market. But what sets FutureLearn apart is its partnerships with top UK educational and cultural institutions like the British Film Institute, offering you access to niche courses you won't find elsewhere. Whether you're just starting or looking to take the next step in your career, FutureLearn has something to offer.

3) Best for Prestige: Edx

EdX is the premier platform to access courses offered by the world's most renowned universities and institutions, including:

Harvard
MIT
University of California Berkeley

If you've always dreamed of studying at Harvard, here's your chance with an impressive array of free and paid online courses. With classes ranging from one to 12 weeks, you can find options that suit your schedule and level of expertise, and you can choose to pay for a verified certificate as an official course completion document.

With EdX, you can gain the knowledge and credentials you need to succeed in today's competitive job market while learning from the best in the field. With a diverse selection of subjects, from science and technology to business and humanities, EdX provides an unparalleled educational experience for those looking to boost their career in 2023.

4) Best to Learn How to Code: Free Code Camp

If you want to learn how to code, Free Code Camp is the ultimate destination. With over 3000 hours of coding lessons, the platform offers a comprehensive and in-depth learning experience for beginners and experienced coders alike. Certification is also free.

One of the key features of Free Code Camp is its integration with GitHub, allowing you to apply coding skills to real-world projects and work alongside a robust alum network. The platform has video hints to help users troubleshoot and improve their coding skills.

But the best part? Free Code Camp is completely free to use. Code Camp is an excellent resource if you're looking to break into the tech industry. Since 2014, more than 40,000 graduates have gotten jobs at tech companies like:

Google
Apple
IBM

You can find the right fit for your career goals with each certification taking around 300 hours of dedicated learning with certificates in:

Machine Learning with Python
Frontend Development
Backend Development
Data Analysis

Free Code Camp is a great place to start if you want to shift careers into programming.

5) Best for Real-World Experts: Udemy

Udemy is a global education marketplace that offers a vast selection of online learning with:

57 million students
213,000 courses in 75 languages
74,000 instructors
115 million minutes of video instruction

Unlike other education platforms driven by content from colleges and universities, Udemy allows content creators to curate their courses and teach them online, making it a unique and valuable resource for learning.

With over 500 free courses available, Udemy offers a wide range of subjects taught by real-world experts in their field, from programming and marketing to data science and more. You can develop new skills and achieve your goals by learning from the extensive library with the flexibility to learn at your own pace and with any device connected to the internet. And unlike other platforms, you don't need any prequalifications to take any course on Udemy, making it accessible to anyone looking to invest in their professional development.

6) Best for Language Learners: DuoLingo

Are you looking to add a new language to your skill set? Duolingo offers a convenient and effective solution with its bite-sized 5-minute lessons based on science. You can learn over 30 languages on the platform, making it a comprehensive resource for language learners of all levels.

The app helps you remember what you've learned through real-life communication in different situations and places and offers flexible grammar learning and more school-like sections to help you understand the language better. Duolingo's approach allows you to play more naturally with the new language, whether you're a beginner or aiming for fluency.

Duolingo offers free and paid options, with the free version providing more than enough for most people's needs. And to help you immerse yourself in the language and culture, the platform also offers person-to-person events, podcasts, and interactive stories.

With Duolingo, you can easily add a new language to your skill set and gain a competitive edge in today's global job market. Check out our round-up of the best language-learning apps.

7) Best for STEM Education: MIT OpenCourseWare

MIT OpenCourseWare is a top destination for those looking to advance their knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. The platform grants you free access to MIT's entire course catalog, including syllabi, lectures, and assignments from undergraduate and graduate-level classes.

With over 2,500 courses available, ranging from computer science and engineering to economics and biology, MIT OpenCourseWare provides an unparalleled educational experience for anyone looking to expand their knowledge in STEM fields. The platform's resources are perfect for professionals looking to stay current in their field, students seeking additional learning resources, and lifelong learners looking to explore new subjects.

MIT OpenCourseWare is an excellent resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of STEM-related subjects. The platform is more than just a resource for learning. It's a chance to access the same world-class faculty and resources that MIT students have, regardless of your location or financial status.

8) Best for Free Certifications: Alison

Alison is an online education platform that offers an extensive range of courses that will be immediately useful in your career. One of the most reputable e-learning platforms, with over 25 million learners over the past 15 years. With over 4000 free online courses, including certificates and diplomas, Alison has something for everyone.

The platform offers courses in various subjects, including personal development, human resources, health and safety, and more. Experts in their field teach, including instructors from:

Stanford
University of Cambridge
Microsoft
Google

Whether you're a professional looking to advance your career or a lifelong learner seeking new subjects, Alison has something for you. With Alison's mobile app, you can learn anywhere and anytime, making it easy to fit education into your busy schedule. And the best part is that all Alison's courses are 100% free, making it an affordable and accessible option for anyone looking to improve their skills and knowledge.

9) Best for Creative Learning: Skillshare

With Skillshare, you can tap into your creative side and learn new skills for personal and professional growth. With over 30,000 classes taught by industry experts and professionals, Skillshare provides an in-depth learning experience for anyone looking to develop their creative skills. However, Skillshare only offers a free 1 month's trial.

This online platform offers a wide range of video lecture series on creative and entrepreneurial skills in:

Graphic design
Photography
Writing
Business strategy

Unlike traditional education, Skillshare's classes focus on practical applications, allowing you to apply your new skills to real-world projects and build a portfolio. Each course is usually a few hours long and breaks into bite-sized video chunks between 3 and 15 minutes. The platform also offers additional materials like worksheets and readings and interactive community spaces where students share their work and give each other feedback.

The platform's resources are perfect for professionals looking to stay current in their field, students seeking additional learning resources, and lifelong learners looking to explore new subjects. Build a portfolio and jumpstart your career.

10) Best for Course Discovery: Class Central

Are you tired of searching multiple online education platforms to find the perfect course? Class Central helps by aggregating courses from over 1000 universities, 70 providers, and over 600 organizations to make it easy for you to discover the best classes on almost any subject, all in one place.

Class Central allows users to rank and review each course, giving you an inside look at what to expect before you enroll. You can explore different learning options and find one that best fits your needs by filtering by free course or certificate, duration, and learning level.

Class Central helps you make an informed decision as you save time and effort by quickly finding and comparing courses from various providers, making it the ultimate destination for course discovery.

Don't wait for someone else to give you that promotion or sidestep opportunity. Take charge of your career development. Enroll in one of these classes today and start your journey toward professional success in 2023.

*The opinions reflected in this article are the sole opinions of the author and do not reflect any official positions or claims by Acer Inc.

About Robert Stark: Robert is a Taiwan-based writer and digital marketer at iamrobert design. He has a passion for helping people simplify their lives through tech.