Learning digital skills with SkillsFuture
It’s clear that we’re living in an age where literally everything is digitised. Just think back on your past week, and you’ll realise that most things you interacted with – from robot vacuums to online shopping apps – are all products of a tech-based society.
As such, it’s only natural that employers are looking for people who possess digital skills and knowledge in related fields. Especially in uncertain times like these, we want to have the relevant skills to remain employable and keep ourselves future-ready. To get ahead of the game, we’ve sussed out 10 of the most sought-after digital skills, all of which you can learn using your SkillsFuture Credit.
1. Master the basics of Instagram marketing
Most businesses from home bakers to F&B establishments have taken to Instagram to showcase their goods. But to truly stand out from the crowd, you’ll need skills that extend far beyond taking photos and posting them on your feed.
Handling an IG account also requires knowledge of the in-app analytics and relevant marketing strategies. Essentially, it’s all about turning your interested audience into cha-ching – so if you’re keen to get in the know, the Tapping Into The Power Of Instagram For Selling course will give you the necessary basic skills within a day.
Tapping Into The Power Of Instagram For Selling
Training duration: 7 hours
Course fee: $260
Sign up for the course here.
2. Protect yourself online with knowledge in cyber security
Online threats have become a lot more sophisticated over the years. While scam emails are still a thing, you might also unknowingly fall prey to viruses and spyware simply by clicking on harmless-looking links or websites.
Such danger can lead to hacking or leaks – and for businesses, that could mean heavy monetary losses. Knowing how to prevent this is incredibly essential to any company, and you can learn more about the different threats and protection methods from this Cyber Security for Non-IT Professionals course.
Cyber Security for Non-IT Professionals
Training duration: 16 hours
Course fee: $420
Sign up for the course here.
3. Apply UX skills for website building
Image credit: UX Collective
Accessibility and speed are the name of the game in this age, so having a user-friendly website is crucial to any company. A laggy or confusing web page can be pretty annoying, and most of the time, we’d just exit the page instead of waiting for it to load as users ourselves – which means that the business will lose potential customers.
That’s where UX designers come in. They’re the ones who make the customers’ online experience seamless, and with many businesses adapting to online sales these days, this skill is in hot demand. Although it takes a little bit of coding knowledge, you can pick up the basics relatively quickly through the UX: Human Centered Design for Digital Experience course.
UX: Human Centered Design for Digital Experience
Training duration: 12 hours
Course fee: $420
Find out more about the course here.
4. Learn website coding with Java programming
If you’re a detail-oriented person, chances are you might have a knack for digital programming. Almost every business has their own website these days, and knowing your way around the necessary backend coding is an asset to any employer.
Fundamentals in Java Programming a.k.a. one of the most popular programming languages in the world will equip you with the basics. By the end of it, you’ll know what it takes to build a website and write your own basic computer programmes.
Fundamentals in Java Programming
Training duration: 24 hours
Course fee: $330
Sign up for the course here.
5. Understand customers better through digital marketing
We’ve since moved away from the era of newspaper ads and telemarketing, but if you’re struggling to wrap your head around the ways of modern-day digital marketing, no worries – the Effective Digital Marketing and Sales course has got you covered.
Over 2 days, you’ll gain an understanding of the ins and outs of consumer psychology, as well as new strategies to cater to it. It’s a valuable skill to have for any related job, but it would be particularly valuable for companies transitioning from brick-and-mortar stores to digitised platforms.
Effective Digital Marketing and Sales
Training duration: 14 hours
Course fee: $450
Sign up for the course here.
6. Learn about artificial intelligence for increased productivity
Most of us would picture artificial intelligence (AI) as the robots we’ve seen in movies like i, Robot. In reality, however, there are more practical examples – like the self-driving room service robots in hotels and robot vacuum cleaners we see in malls.
AI by itself is an extensive field, and having a firm grasp on the fundamentals can give you an edge in the job market. The CoC in Introduction to Machine Learning (AI) course will teach you how to set a machine up for AI technology and use simple machine learning tools. The best part: absolutely no coding or prior knowledge is required, so feel free to dive right in as a beginner.
CoC in Introduction to Machine Learning (AI)
Training duration: 7 hours
Course fee: $240
Find out more about the course here.
7. Master search engine optimisation to rank your business on Google
Whenever we’re Googling something, we tend to only browse the first page and rarely ever go to the pages beyond that.
Having a website that ranks highly in search results is important for businesses as it’s more visible to the public, which increases the potential to bring in new customers. However, achieving a high ranking isn’t a cakewalk, as it requires an understanding of search engine optimisation (SEO).
Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to pick up. Search Engine Optimisation for Beginners introduces you to the basics, and also highlights different strategies you can take to outrank competitor brands.
Search Engine Optimisation for Beginners
Training duration: 16 hours
Course fee: $500
Find out more about the course here.
8. Equip yourself with data analytics skills through Excel
Image credit: Campaign Creators
Data may seem like it’s just about complex numbers and charts, but if you’ve got data analytics expertise under your belt, you’ll also be able to spot crucial patterns underneath all those raw digits.
The research and discovery of data trends help companies make better decisions. Be it to cater to their current customer preferences or evaluating the efficiency of old policies, this skill prevents decision-makers from going in blind for future campaigns and strategies.
You don’t even need fancy software to master data analytics. With the Basic Business Analytics @ Work course, good ol’ Excel is more than enough to pick up this new skill.
Basic Business Analytics @ Work
Training duration: 7 hours
Course fee: $300
Find out more about the course here.
9. Create and develop your own mobile app
There’s an app out there for almost every purpose – from video-calling apps to investment platforms. Businesses have also taken to making brand-centric apps to boost engagement with their consumers, which puts this skill high on an employer’s priority list.
To create a functional app, you’ll need a little bit of programming knowledge, but nothing too advanced. The Mobile Apps Development and Deployment for Your Organization course will give you the rundown on app-making basics, and by the end of it, you’ll be able to craft a simple app for your usage.
Mobile Apps Development and Deployment for Your Organization
Training duration: 14 hours
Course fee: $500
Find out more about the course here.
10. Learn to produce short-form digital videos for social media
These days, we simply don’t have the energy to stay tuned to long, boring videos. As far as our attention spans go, short and sweet videos are the best ways to keep us engaged.
But producing such clips involves more than just pressing the record button on your camera. Everything from camera work to video editing need to be top-notch if you want to convert viewers into profits. If honing these skills is something you’re interested in, the Digital Video Production course will train you in the art of making a short-form video for social media platforms.
Digital Video Production
Training duration: 14 hours
Course fee: $450
Find out more about the course here.
Digital skills you can learn with your SkillsFuture Credit
With a recession in our midst, most of us are fearful about our jobs – whether it’s sustaining the one we’re in or securing a brand new position. If your SkillsFuture Credit balance is still untouched, well, now is the best time to equip yourself with any of these in-demand digital skills.
Take advantage of the Bookmark button during your course search
Image credit: MySkillsFuture
While course-hunting, you may lose track of the many courses you’d be interested in. But rather than scramble to keep track of everything, you can easily save them by logging into your SingPass account and clicking the Bookmark button.
The Self-Assessment Tools on MySkillsFuture
Image credit: MySkillsFuture
There are also several other resources available on MySkillsFuture – such as the Self-Assessment Tools. These are a series of tests that help you understand your career interests, strengths, and work values, which are great for providing insights into suitable jobs for you.
Image credit: MySkillsFuture
You can also view a map of all your skills and qualifications on the Skills Passport. Upon learning something new, add it to your Passport simply by clicking on the relevant button – it will appear under the year you earned it, which you can use as a reference when applying for new jobs.
We live in a time where change is the only constant, so if you want to stay ahead of the curve and receive useful updates, be sure to follow SkillsFuture’s Telegram channel too. You’ll see regular posts on career-related trends as well as courses you can enrol in to spiff up your resume and expand your professional skill set with.
Find out more SkillsFuture Credit-eligible courses you can take here
This post was brought to you by SkillsFuture Singapore.
Cover image adapted from: Campaign Creators (bottom right)