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Benefits of online short courses (2021)

Online short courses in 2021

Will a short course take your career to the next level?

The job market is becoming increasingly more competitive regardless of the industry you are in, this means that having a certain expertise is no longer sufficient and to truly thrive in your career it is recommended to take an approach of continuous learning.

There is nothing employers seek more than employees who are committed to self-improvement. If you are adamant to take your career to the next level, there is no better way to do it than online short courses.

What is a Short Course?

A short course is a learning programme that gives you combined content or specific skills training in a short period of time. Short courses generally are more practical of nature and have less theory than a university course. Short courses therefore leave you with more practical experience within your specific field. The duration of the short courses depends on the discipline, the workload and the aim of the programmes, but are not longer than one year.

Short courses play a pivotal role in developing South African job seekers and those already in the workspace. They are generally affordable, easy to take, and provide a way people can become skilled, upgrade their current skills if they need to, or acquire different skills.

Why should you do a short course?

Short courses are designed to teach you a new skill that you can easily apply in your working life, short courses can be a great help to anyone who wants to upskill themselves. Short courses give you the opportunity to learn a new skill that you can apply to your work or use to find a better job. You will also receive formal recognition upon completion of a short course, which can bolster your CV.

It can be disheartening to think that if you want to pick up a skill you must complete a whole 3–4-year degree or diploma just to get started. Fortunately, short courses are the solution to this problem. Short courses will help you upgrade your skills and knowledge and help you ensure that you have chosen the correct field of study.

Education is one of the fundamental building blocks to success by way of broadening your skillset and expanding your knowledge. With many different institutions now offering an array of online courses, it provides people with exciting opportunities to expand their knowledge and expertise, in the process making them more employable in South Africa’s competitive workforce.

Short courses allow you to continue your current lifestyle while improving your skills and your CV.

What are the benefits of taking an online short course?

Affordability

Education is expensive and not many people can afford longer expensive programmes. Online short courses take care of these issues as they allow professionals and students to learn in the most affordable way. Less costly does not mean that these courses do not offer quality education. They are developed and delivered by experts of their field.

Flexibility

Online short courses are conducted via correspondence which does not require you to be physically present. One of the main benefits of online short courses is that it provides flexibility where students can access their course materials and the lessons as and when they need it. Students also have an array of different mediums through which they can communicate with their lecturers and fellow students.

Mobility

Physical education requires that you commute every day and, in some cases, even have to relocate in order to study. An online short course only requires a stable internet connection and offers mobility, which means you can browse study material on your laptop, tablet or phone even while on the go.

Variety of options to choose from

There are short courses suited to everyone’s needs, budget and fields of interest. Ranging from anything between 1 and 12 months, at different costs and in any subject you might be interested in, short courses are definitely the way to go when looking at options to upskill yourself and further your knowledge.

Short Courses are for everyone

Whether you’re already in the working world trying to improve on your skills or you’re fresh from high school, everyone could benefit from short courses.

For individuals who just completed matric, doing a few short courses is a great opportunity to determine what field of study you want to enter.

Instead of not doing anything during a ‘gap year’, short courses are the best way to help you move forward without losing your momentum. During a gap year it’s easy to forget how to study, write exams and do assignments – short courses keep your mind working, and improve your knowledge simultaneously.

Short Courses make you more valuable

Even though short courses are not always accredited, they do show your employer or prospective employer that you are proactive and that you value continual learning and you don’t allow yourself to become stagnant.

Courses that focus on self-development, leadership, workplace communication and conflict resolution could show your potential employers that you are in fact ready for a more important role in the workplace.

Conclusion

While the idea of partaking in University education is merely a dream for most and not possible, there are other viable alternatives. The most practical way in which one can build on their skills or learn something entirely different is through online short courses.

Doing a short course is the smartest move to make to improve your knowledge, skills, and marketability within a specific field. A short course primarily develops and enhances your skills. While also helping you to continue your education and become a lifelong learner, someone that is consistently growing and developing.

Persons who rely on experience alone oftentimes learn by making mistakes before learning how to correct it, and in a corporate or business environment mistakes can be extremely costly. When climbing the ladder to a management or leadership position without preparing yourself to make the move will leave you short-sighted, as even if you have a good understanding of your current position, the lack of formal input may mean that you lack the necessary knowledge needed to excel. A short course can be the perfect option to help you close that gap if you feel like you might not have the necessary skills to progress your career.

IMM have developed an array of online short courses across a wide variety of subjects including marketing, project management, international trade and more. Reap the many benefits that online short courses offer you and take your career to the next level with our industry leading short courses.

Follow the link to browse our variety of short courses, sign up, or utilise our try before you buy option to ensure the short course contains the content you are looking for. https://shortcourses.imm.ac.za/