Online Learning
Many organisations offer free online learning in a range of subjects and levels. Whether you’re looking to advance your career, explore new hobbies, or gain new skills, there is a wide range of courses tailored to your needs. For any online learning you do 1 hour equates to 5 points for the Lincoln Award Develop section. To evidence then please add it your Develop Evidence form which you can find below:
Digital and IT courses
Digital skills are an essential requirement for most graduate recruitment processes. According to job market analytics, 80% of jobs require digital skills. In this section, you will find a range of courses to improve your digital skills, including those to improve Microsoft Office skills to more technical and specialist skills focusing on, for example, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
Here are a few suggested providers to get you started
Skills Development and Lifestyle Courses
Discover a variety of online courses to develop new skills, pursue interests, or enhance Maths and English abilities. Please see below for The Skills Toolkit, which includes free government courses.
The Skills Toolkit
Free courses via the government website to help you learn new skills or get a new job. Learn about:
• Practical maths
• Computer essentials
• Personal growth and wellbeing
• Professional development
• Business and finance
• Digital design and marketing
• Computer science and coding
5 points
ScreenSkills– Improve your knowledge about all things media related with online learning modules. You can choose to complete courses on children TV, film and high end TV. This is great for anyone who would like to work in the film and TV industry, to view all the free courses available please click here
Mind Mental Health Course- This is a 90 minute course to make you feel more confident to talk about your mental health with others. This course has been created by people who have experienced a range of mental health issues. To start the course please click here
Springpod– Gain work experience from on demand courses based on a real workplace task. You can choose from a range of employers and sectors including Amazon, Barclays and AAT. Each course it one hour long and you receive certificate upon completion, to find out more please click here
Bright Network- is a free e-learning platform, full of expert advice to help you prepare for the world of work and stand out on graduate applications. To view all the courses available please click here
10 points
Fancy more of a challenge? These next online courses are worth 10 points towards your Lincoln Award
Dig Data- their online challenges connect you to relevant role models and sparking your interest in the breadth of data related careers. With a wide range of employers to choose from including ITV, BT and the NHS you can gain some great virtual experience. Simply click on the company that interest you the most on this page and then scroll down to the higher education challenge. Register your details with them and you be sent all the information required to complete the challenge. For more information please click here
Signature– this immersive course introduces BSL and deaf awareness through a range of informal clips, short quizzes and vocabulary support. Although this does not give you an accredited qualification it is a great foundation course and you have unlimited to access to all the resources. To buy the course please click here
Santander Academy
Santander Academy– register to Santander Academy for free and you will have access to a wide range of on demand training courses on subjects such as technology, financial health and sustainability. Here is how it can contribute to your Lincoln Award:
- 1 hour= 5 points
- 2 hours= 10 points
- 4 hours= 20 points
- 8 hours or more= 30 points
Here are some of the most popular courses:
Excel:
High performance leadership: Lessons from Formula one:
Effective communication:
Stress Management:
Mindfulness and work life balance:
PowerBi:
To register please click here
Virtual Work Experience page
Virtual work experience can be a fantastic opportunity to develop your skills and experience. As well as providing insight into job roles and organisations it can also give you access to some of the biggest global employers for future job roles. We have a couple of sites we recommend for you:
Forage: Work Experience
We have partnered with Forage to offer students a huge range of virtual work experience opportunities with some of the top global employers. There are around 100 virtual experiences to choose from- there is no cost, and you can complete as many as you like. Each program is around a 5-8 hour time commitment.
How does it work?
- Recruiters from global organisations create virtual experience programs to train and look for the best candidates to hire.
- Sign up with your University email address and complete any program at your own pace to gain real world work experience.
- If you apply for a job after completing a program, Forage data shows your chances of being hired are now 2- 5 times higher!
SpringPod: Work experience
We also recommend Spring Pod where you take part in a virtual to reality work experience challenge in a sector of your choice. There are 15 different challenges you can choose from and is a 6 hour time commitment.
How does it work?
- Global companies have created a virtual work experience challenge for you to undertake to help students gain an insight on what a typical task they would have to deal with in the work place.
- Sign up with your university email address and complete any programme of your choice in your own time.
- Not only will you develop key employability skills you will also receive a certification upon completion.
Open Learn
Produced by The Open University, a world leader in open and distance learning, all OpenLearn courses are free to study. They offer nearly 1000 free courses across 8 different subject areas. Access Open LEARN
Harvard University
Harvard University offers a diverse range of free educational courses. Topics covered include business, effective communication, and leadership skills. The content is designed to cater to various interests and professional needs, providing valuable insights and practical knowledge from renowned experts and professors. Access Harvard University