5 Free (Or Almost Free) Ways to Advance Your Education

How do you advance your education without putting yourself in the poor house – just in case you can’t find a job right away? Here are 5 free ways to advance your education.

Today, more than ever, there is a push for higher education. In fact, if you’ve dropped out of high school it’s almost impossible to land a job; not a ‘good’ job, but any job.

Realistically, even people with Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees are finding it difficult to locate work.

Although attending a university may be the first thing that comes to mind when you consider adding to your knowledge base, you do have other options. Options which are free or very close to it.

That means that you’re able to learn more in the field that you’re in (which makes you more valuable to your employer or prospective employer) without having to break the bank to do it.

Here are five extremely inexpensive educational avenues that you just may want to check out:

#1: Webinars

No matter what field you’re in, you’re likely to find many experts who would love nothing more than to share their information with you free of charge.

Certainly, they’re probably going to try to sell you something at some point, but that doesn’t mean that you have to buy. Just take in the information that they’re willing to give away at no cost and add it to your educational toolbox.

When I first started out as a life coach, I listened to free webinars all the time (and still do, as a matter of fact).

From each one I am usually able to get 3-5 new pieces of information that help me be a better coach. And, when they try to sell their products, I listen. Sometimes I buy; sometimes I don’t.

If I think that their product is worth the amount of money they are asking in that it will benefit me in the long run, then it is worth the investment. If not, then I pass on the deal and look for my next free webinar.

You can go online and search for these taped and downloadable sessions or there are some you can sign up to attend them live.

Take advantage of the information that other experts are willing to give away and use it to get you closer to where you want to go in your own career.

#2: Seminars

Seminars
Seminars

The next step up from webinars is seminars. Some are offered free of charge, but a majority of them do charge a fee (usually one that is fairly nominal considering the information you learn).

The benefit to seminars is that some people learn better when engaged in face to face contact versus what you get if you’re just watching someone on a computer screen.

Plus, it is a great chance to network with others in your field. For instance, you may meet someone that has a connection that you would like or may be able to advance your career with their own personal knowledge.

Often, this is the best part of attending seminars as some life-changing contacts are made during the course of them.

#3: Trainings

The difference between seminars and trainings is that most training sessions provide detailed information and give the participants an opportunity to practice what they’ve learned.

Think of trainings like classroom work whereas seminars are more similar to lecture halls.

Very few trainings are free but, again, usually the cost is pretty minimal (normally it isn’t over a few hundred dollars, but some that are offered range into the thousands).

And, if you get a large group of people together to attend the training, you may get a lower and more affordable rate.

You could possibly even get the trainer to come to your place of work and have your employer pay for it. It’s worth asking as all they can do is say no and then you were no worse off than before.

The hands-on approach of trainings is what sets them apart from webinars and seminars where you’re expected to just sit and learn.

So, if you digest information better when you’re actively engaged, this is probably going to be the best setting for you.

#4: Books

Books
Books

Another perhaps old-fashioned way to learn is via books. You can study most any topic in your field on your own for pennies on the dollar.

And, you can learn at your own speed and pace which can be a huge advantage if you have a lot of other obligations that you’re trying to work around.

It’s fairly easy to find books (paperback or eBooks) by people in any genre that will teach you a thing or two about your trade.

You can also search for old textbooks that people are trying to sell and pick up knowledge that way too (just make sure they aren’t too outdated as that isn’t going to help you much).

#5: Online courses

You’re probably wondering how online courses could be an alternative that is free or almost free as most cost you several hundreds if not thousands of dollars to take.

However, if you’re frugal like me (some call it cheap, but I like to think that I am just super protective of my hard earned money), you’ll find any way you can to take a course without having to pay for it.

And, that is just what I did so I’d like to pass this information on to you, my budget minded friends.

At Open Culture, they have over 750 pre-recorded free online courses from which to choose. You can find educational lectures in biology, political science, economics, business, and more.

Some are older and a little outdated, but they may still be able to provide you with a foundation upon which you can build by finding newer and more relevant information on your own once you have a thorough understanding of the topic or subject area.

Another option is Coursera. You can sign up for upcoming courses and learn the latest and greatest from professors associated with several different U.S. based universities (such as University of Minnesota and University of California).

They even offer courses in seven different languages and some provide certificates of completion once you’ve finished the course.

There are many ways to learn even if you don’t have the money to go back to school. Try one of these today and push yourself to reach new levels in your career, and in life.

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About the author

Christina DeBusk

Changing careers mid-life from law enforcement to writing, Christina spends her days helping others enrich their businesses and personal lives one word at a time.

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