We are all aware that obtaining an educational certificate is a surefire method to capture the attention of recruiters and hiring managers when looking for a new job, or that of your employer when looking to advance up the corporate ladder.
Unfortunately, due to the cost of living crisis, not everyone can afford to attend a three-day conference or business training event, obtain a certificate from a higher education institution, or even pay for some of the relatively inexpensive distance learning courses available online.
If you’ve been laid off, you know how important it is to watch your pennies and make them last until your first paycheck at your new work. However, while completing a course is an accomplishment, it is even more impressive when you have a certificate to prove it. This implies that many professionals like you, who have been let off or are struggling to make ends meet on their current wage, are in a difficult situation.
The good news is that you don’t need to sacrifice your certificate if you are tight on cash. You can still learn a new skill, totally for free, with a reputable provider—some of them being big name employers such as Meta or Google—and come away with a certification at the end.
The five courses with certificates below are just a sample of online courses that will not only help you improve and learn new skills, but will give you something to show for it—all without you having to spend a dime.
1. IBM—Python for Data Science, AI, And Development
This comprehensive foundational course is provided by Coursera and taught by IBM instructors. It is self-paced and very much hands-on, including 22 assessments or assignments. The course teaches you the fundamentals of the programming language Python, and how to apply Python to read and write files and work with data. Upon completion, you can obtain a certificate. The entire course and certificate (which you can also share to LinkedIn) is free if you require financial aid
2. Google IT Support
Another popular free online course with a certificate, that teaches you in-demand skills is Google’s IT Support certificate, also offered by Coursera. This is a fantastic certification to add to your resume if you are applying for an entry-level IT role. When you finish your studies and earn a certificate, you are able to utilize their career and job search resources, including access to an employer consortium of major tech companies, such as Google and Salesforce.
3. Google Project Management Certificate
If you’re launching your project management career, you might have the goal of obtaining your PMP certification. This is a worthy endeavour, but it might be out of reach if you cannot afford to expend money on your professional development right now. Google’s project management certificate, which covers the foundations of project management, is available via Coursera, and you can get a free certificate upon completion as well.
This is a great way to get your foot in the door and obtain recognition from employers while on your journey towards advancing your project management expertise with a certificate from the Project Management Institute.
4. CompTIA Security+
Alison offers courses within cyber security and information technology such as Comptia Security+. With all of Alison’s courses, you can be eligible for a certificate if you pass the final assessment with a minimum of an 80% score.
Unlike some of the other course providers listed in this article, Alison’s certificates do come with a small fee—their lowest being their digital certificates priced at $22 at the time of writing. However if you are unable to afford this, they state on their website that you can still use and share your learner record which works just as well for the purpose of proving your professional development.
5. Excel For Beginners
If your role requires the use of Microsoft Excel and you’re not feeling confident with it, Great Learning offers a free course covering the basics such as cell referencing, and sorting and filtering data, and a free certificate of completion is also included.
These courses offering free certificates are a mere handful of the thousands that are available on these and other platforms, covering a wide range of subjects, from tech, to sales and business development, to marketing, leadership, and finance. With so many options available, there is nothing holding you back from reaching the next level in your career development journey.