Today, people can conveniently learn new skills by attending courses online. While live or in-school classes are still the primary means of instruction, web-based learning is steadily catching up in terms of popularity and enrollment. For many individuals, this means having more avenues to pursue new skills and better career opportunities online and in the real-world setting.
With that in mind, more companies are opening e-learning schools to meet the rising number of students. If you plan to offer online classes, you should focus not just on the number of courses but also on your modules’ quality. After all, as an online school, you don’t have buildings, laboratories, or entertainment facilities to help you attract enrollees. You can only rely on the features and quality of the courses you offer online.
That said, you must invest in a good website. It will be your main instrument for attracting students. Working with a reputable school website design agency is crucial if you want your online presence to address present and prospective online students’ needs effectively. Besides, a well-designed school website makes your content creation efforts a lot easier and stress-free.
Why Online Courses Make a Lot of Sense
Online learning has come a long way from short webinars to full-scale courses with certificates or even diplomas handed out to successful graduates. There are many advantages of online learning. One of the most obvious is being convenient. Students can learn new skills in the comforts of their own homes. Plus, learning via the web can be more affordable than taking in-school classes. At the very least, a student doesn’t have to spend time and money traveling to and from school.
Moreover, there was a time when online schools were being put down for having a user experience that is not at par with prestigious colleges and universities. Well, that kind of thinking is all obsolete now. Even top-tier educational institutions are now offering e-learning classes in their bid to reach a broader audience. These classes from famous universities are numbering not just in hundreds, but in thousands. The topics range from entrepreneurship to media technology. The best part is many of these high-quality courses are available for free.
Practical Skills to Learn from Online Courses
Armed with all the elements that make a school website effective, you can easily add courses and other content to attract more students who want to learn practical skills via the web. Below are some in-demand courses that you can offer:
1. Medical Transcription
Not everyone knows it, but medical transcription is a vital part of the overall healthcare industry. Sure, you don’t see a medical transcriptionist responding to emergencies or being at the doctor’s side during a challenging shift in the operating room. Nevertheless, transcriptionists are responsible for converting voice-recorded medical reports into electronic documents. In other words, this job is essential in ensuring accurate records, which reinforces accountability within the medical industry.
Medical transcription is now primarily done using computers and various software. Anybody who wants to follow this career path must learn industry-specific skills and transcribing styles. As an online school, you can offer comprehensive courses leading to medical transcriptionist certification.
2. Professional Pet Grooming
Some people are under the impression that all it takes to groom a dog, cat, or any other furry house pet, for that matter, is to know how to hold a pair of scissors and a claw or paw trimmer. Well, that isn’t entirely accurate. For one, pet grooming goes way beyond cutting dog or cat hair. To be successful in this job, one needs to know how to deal with animals, especially those with a more assertive nature. Also, basic knowledge of animal anatomy helps ensure a pet feels healthy and comfortable.
Anyone who wants to be a pet groomer would benefit from getting the relevant training and certification. You can offer pet grooming courses on your website to meet the growing demand for training in this field.
3. Carpentry or Woodworking
Carpentry or woodworking is one of the most well-respected trades around the world. No wonder many people want to learn the practical skills associated with this craft. Online carpentry diploma or certificate programs typically teach students how to identify wood types, understand building codes, and make different wooden fixtures, from doors to cabinets.
Most students who enrol in online carpentry classes aim to improve their skills to a professional level. But some take the course to enhance their skills in their woodworking hobby. By providing premium resources for this set of learners, your school will never run out of enrollees.
4. Photography Skills
Whether it is for commercial photography, photojournalism, or creative photography, knowing how to use the camera and take fantastic pictures can lead to business or high-paying job opportunities. Good thing, one does not have to attend a degree course to become a good photographer.
Many of the great photographers were self-taught. That said, many people do not have the time for a trial-and-error approach in learning good photography. They are much more amenable to enrolling in online courses to learn the essential skills of the trade. Your school can offer photography modules that can run from a few weeks to a full year.
5. Accounting and Bookkeeping
All businesses deal with numbers. So, there is no shortage of bookkeeping or accounting job opportunities. Even ordinary individuals would benefit a lot from these skills when dealing with taxes and personal finance. In other words, learning this expertise can open more job or business opportunities for an individual.
Sure, one doesn’t need to be a certified public accountant or financial manager to be good in this field. But having a good understanding of accounting or bookkeeping will help a person make sound financial decisions. Any online school that wants to cater to more students should include these courses in the curriculum.
6. Entrepreneurial Skills
There is no doubt that the pandemic has wiped out countless businesses and put numerous people out of jobs. For most countries, the economic situation can only be described as dire. But as the saying goes, in chaos lies opportunities. That said, more people are eager to learn how to put up and manage their own businesses. Moreover, even when the pandemic threat is over, the business sector, in general, will need a new breed of competent professionals equipped with the latest entrepreneurial skills.
Online courses associated with teaching these skills will always be in demand. Such training can be applied in working for a company or when running a business.
7. Professional Hairstyling
Hairstyling is one of the most rewarding careers around. After all, everyone wants to look and feel good. By providing clients with a great hairstyle, hairdressers make people feel happy while earning a livelihood. But just like with pet groomers, knowing how to hold a pair of scissors and a comb is not enough to make someone a hairstylist.
A would-be stylist needs to learn relevant skills. Your school website can provide training and certification leading to a career in hairstyling. Just make sure that your courses contain ample quality video materials to make the classes seem conducted via real-time, face-to-face workshops.
8. Yoga Instruction
Even during the months when lockdowns were implemented in various major cities worldwide, physical fitness remained one of the people’s top concerns. Fitness instructors found themselves shifting from gyms or studios to online sessions. The only problem is there are many fitness gurus online now, and the market has become more competitive.
For that reason, some fitness professionals have decided to learn specialized skills. Yoga instruction is one of the most popular subcategories of physical fitness. Training to become a yoga instructor can be done via distance learning. Your school can offer certification to those who want to acquire this in-demand skill.
9. Dressmaking and Tailoring
One of the easiest ways to find a job or set up a business is by designing or creating apparel. More than just fashion accessories, clothes are a necessity. There will always be demand for tailoring or dressmaking services. A person does not need to attend a 4-year course to start in this industry. There are online schools offering modules on clothing design and technology, and your school should also have these practical skills in your course program.
Conclusion
The practical skills listed above are by no means complete. There are many courses available to suit everyone’s career or personal goals. Learning via online courses is steadily gaining ground among those who seek to learn new skills or trade. Before, employers had a hard time recognizing e-learning certificates or diplomas. It’s no longer the case nowadays. Even top colleges and universities worldwide are offering online courses, many of which are free.
There has never been a better time to open your own e-learning or online school. Just remember to offer courses that are in high demand so that you can cater to more students. And since your school will be online exclusively, it makes perfect sense to make sure your website is well-designed to provide an excellent user experience for each student on your site. In a fast-paced world where people’s attention spans get shorter by the minute, having an impressive website is vital in making your school the go-to place for practical learning online.
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