What are the best personal assistant courses?
There is no single starting point on a personal assistant career path, and successful PAs can find their way into the role in very diverse ways. However, for those people…
Free online courses for furloughed workers
The coronavirus pandemic has brought with it many challenges for businesses, including a pause on a number of regular business activities. To help, the government created the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help employers furlough employees. This has resulted in many employees in business support roles finding themselves on furlough (paid leave) for the first time.
If you’re in this position and find yourself at home with a lot more time on your hands, why not take a free online course? We’ve put together five of the best free online courses for furloughed workers.
The Skills Toolkit
https://theskillstoolkit.campaign.gov.uk/
The government has launched the Skills Toolkit site in response to the current crisis. It features a range of free online courses from leading providers like Open University and FutureLearn, complete with certificates, that UK workers can take to improve skills.
Digital and numeracy skills are the main focus for these courses, which are grouped into beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Developing these skills is a great way to boost your CV, as many support roles – from administrator through to personal assistant jobs, require these skills.
Inbound Marketing
https://academy.hubspot.com/courses/inbound-marketing
Hubspot Academy is offering this free certification course to help you acquire inbound marketing skills. Covering everything from blogs and social media to developing the buyer’s journey, it’s a complete course for someone interested in honing their entrepreneurial skills.
Many businesses use inbound marketing to attract new customers, and this one is a straightforward course with short video lectures and a final exam. Many employers will see this marketing and business knowledge as an asset, especially those working in growing companies. Learning the business terminology taught in this course will also boost your interview skills.
Social media strategy
www.alison.com/course/social-media-strategy-for-small-businesses
Social media has become a crucial skill for many jobs, especially those working in SMEs where there’s a greater likelihood of working across different divisions. By including this course on your CV and demonstrating knowledge of the field at interview, you’ll pave the way for standing out from the crowd.
Alison is offering its social media strategy program as a free online course during the coronavirus pandemic. The best thing? It only requires two-three hours to complete in full. That said, keep in mind that while the course is free, you do have to pay for the diploma at the end.
Business Management
www.oxfordhomestudy.com/courses/business-studies-online/free-business-course-online
The Oxford Home Study Centre offers a variety of business courses online, with this free program designed to help you take the first step into business management. Whether you’re interested in taking your career to the next level, or want to explore a completely different opportunity, this free business management course is a great start.
The course covers everything from human resource management to marketing fundamentals, so taking the time to complete it will demonstrate you’re determined to keep developing your skills and have the ambition to learn something new.
Meditation
www.headspace.com/covid-19
It doesn’t just have to be about CV-building skills during this time of crisis – you can use the time to improve your mental health too. The stress of the unknown, as well as finding yourself on furlough unexpectedly, might be negatively impacting your mental health. If you find you’re experiencing an increased level of anxiety, meditation is a great way to stay calm and check in with your mind.
Headspace has a considerable choice of guided meditation and practices to handle stress. Right now, they’re offering a number of these mini-courses for free to help you through the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Ultimately, there are hundreds of online courses for workers that will help you make the most of any free time you have, as well as contribute to your career progression in the future. So, if you have the time, make the most of it and start learning!
If you’re currently looking for a new role or need help finding the right candidate to fill a position, Tiger Recruitment can help. Contact us today to find out more.
