10 free or discounted tech learning resources

Although the Coronavirus lockdown is starting to come to an end here in the UK, there are still sectors that are feeling the effects. One of those areas is higher education, where students don’t know what will be happening for the next academic year. To try and relieve this pressure, dozens of great educational tech companies have made their learning resources free or are offering them at a discount while the uncertainty continues. We’ve scoured the net to bring you the best offers out there. Even if you’re not a student, you may find some cost-effective ideas to upskill yourself while you work from home. (All offers correct at time of writing. Some are only applicable to students and teachers. Please check individual websites for details.)

1 – Codecademy

Codecademy is helping millions of people across the world learn to code. Whether it’s web development, programming or data science, Codecademy has courses to give you the skills you need. Codecademy is currently offering its basic membership for free, with 25 courses including ones on gaming, web design and app.If you’re looking to learn new skills during the Coronavirus period, now’s your chance.

‍Find out more here.

2 – Coursera

Coursera is a world-leading ed-tech company specialising in online courses, from beginner levels up to university degrees. For the duration of the Coronavirus period, college and university students can access Coursera’s range of 3,800 courses, absolutely free. This offer is slated to last until the end of September.

‍Find out more here.

3 – Swift Playgrounds

Swift is the coding language created by Apple for Apple devices. If you have an Apple iPad or Mac and want to learn how to code in the Swift language, you can now download Apple’s Swift Playgrounds app for free. Even students with no prior coding knowledge can learn this desirable skill, starting with a series of interactive games then moving on to more serious exercises.

‍Find out more here.

4 – Open Textbook Library

The Open Textbook Library is run by the University of Minnesota and aims to give knowledge to every student in the world, regardless of their income. This isn’t strictly a Coronavirus offer, as it’s always been free, but it’s still worth knowing. The Open Textbook Library offers over 700 educational textbooks which you can download for free. The list of subjects is extensive, including business, mathematics and computer science. Want to learn the old-school way? Now’s your opportunity!

‍Find out more here.

5 – OpenLearn

OpenLearn is the Open University’s home for free learning. It now has more free courses than ever available across a wide variety of subjects. From business to languages, from technology to science, there are currently more than 900 free courses in the OpenLearn catalogue. You’re sure to find a class for you.

‍Find out more here.

6 – Pantone

For those interested in art and design, Pantone is the industry standard for colour palettes. During the COVID-19 period, you can get access to Pantone Connect for free. This tool allows you to build and share your own colour palettes, while interacting through Adobe Creative Cloud.Start building your portfolio today.

‍Find out more here.

7 – Digital Marketing Institute

The DMI is on a mission to upskill digital professionals wherever they are in the world. As a response to COVID-19, it is offering three months of ‘power’ membership absolutely free. With this free package, you get to take six modules from their catalogue of digital marketing courses, access to the DMI’s extensive knowledge base and much more.

Digital marketing will be a sought-after skill in the post-Corona landscape. Get learning now.

‍Find out more here.

8 - EdX

EdX is another leading online-learning platform that is open source. It was founded by Harvard University and MIT and provides courses on standard programming all the way through to cutting-edge technologies and theories.

‍Find out more here.

9 – Avaya

Avaya, the Silicon Valley-based telecoms giant, is offering 60 days of free access to its flagship Avaya Spaces product until the end of August. This is primarily aimed at business users who need a reliable system for communication between remote teams. Still, it’s also great for learners who want to collaborate with teachers and peers.

With video conferencing and easy collaboration, Spaces will help you communicate and share content, wherever you are.

‍Find out more here.

10 - ClassCentral

Over 1000 courses from universities, such as University of Michigan, which teach many programming languages and technical disciplines.

‍Find out more here.

Get to know Haystack

We hope you enjoyed our list of 10 free or discounted online learning resources. Which one will you choose? Remember, the post-Corona landscape could be extremely competitive in the job market, so anything you can do you boost your skills could pay dividends.If you’re looking for your next job in tech, it’s time to talk to Haystack.

To find out more, download Haystack today.