The internet has been churning out fine students with its vast resources for online education like Coursera and Udemy which are free websites. Online learning is encouraged and even considered mandatory for students. Young professionals in Bengaluru tell us how online courses have played a significant role in their careers.
Online courses may not make you directly employable but they do give you substantial leverage. Meghana G, an executive human resource who has completed courses in human rights and corporate law, states that these courses came in handy when she began working. “When I got acquainted with human rights, I learnt to pick on the right things to say to an employee which can be a sensitive issue.
The online courses that I did gave me the knowledge for practical application which was a huge plus.” The responses that Aby Mathew, a business analyst got from his employers when he joined his job were positive as he says, “It matters that the certificate you get for the course you do is from a reputed university. My course in business analytics helped me understand business patterns and trends. Investing '4 lakh was probably a bit much since there are other alternatives courses that can help you.”
Students benefit from online learning that accompanies their college work. Gaurika Reddy a fashion and brand management student likes to keep herself updated about the industry. “I wanted to be familiar with the basics when I began my course. I have completed a course in creative advertising and I am working on a course for management and accounting basics”. Ekta Jain, a clinical psychologist says, “College curriculums include these online courses as part of assignments. I benefited as a student when I did a course on neuroscience and cognition, as I was being asked to get acquainted with technology while learning my subject.
Sachin Tantry, a college professor points out that an individual’s personal interest and integrity is highlighted when they join online courses. “As of now in India, doing online courses may not help you get a job but it definitely improves your skills and how you do the job. Online courses look great on a CV but it does not have the full power to get you a job, yet.” Online education gives individuals power when they choose to learn, but its real potential to be the most accessible teacher is yet to be discovered.
Indian universities like Manipal and IIM Bangalore offer valid online courses for interesting and diverse topics. Free online courses hosted by acclaimed universities such as University of Penn, John Hopkins, Michigan and Stanford are available on Coursera. Udemy, Alison and edX are also great websites!
