Digital, numeracy and employability skills are among those that are most sought after by employers, and can help you progress in work and boost your job prospects. Digital skills can be anything from using social media and staying safe online to coding, programming or digital marketing.
These are a small selection of free courses to boost your skills from The Open University. Many others are available by exploring OpenLearn.
You might like to visit The Skills Toolkit from the National Careers Service, where you can find many more courses to help you learn new skills or change jobs. Once you’ve finished studying, the National Careers Service can help you decide your next steps.
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Returning to STEM
This free badged course, Returning to STEM, offers useful skills and solutions to help you get back into a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM).
Learn moreReturning to STEMLevel: 3 Advanced
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Everyday maths 1
This free course, Everyday maths 1, is designed to bring your learning to life, inspiring you to improve your current maths skills or helping you to remember any areas that you may have forgotten. Working through the examples and interactive activities in this course will help you to, among other things, run a household or make progress in your career.
Learn moreEveryday maths 1 -
Learn to code for data analysis
This free course will teach you how to write your own computer programs, one line of code at a time. You'll learn how to access open data, clean and analyse it, and produce visualisations. You will also learn how to write up and share your analyses, privately or publicly.
Learn moreLearn to code for data analysisLevel: 1 Introductory
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Introduction to cyber security: stay safe online
This free course, Introduction to cyber security: stay safe online, will help you to understand online security and start to protect your digital life, whether at home or work. You will learn how to recognise the threats that could harm you online and the steps you can take to reduce the chances that they will happen to you.
Learn moreIntroduction to cyber security: stay safe onlineLevel: 1 Introductory
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Introduction to bookkeeping and accounting
Learn about the essential numerical skills required for accounting and bookkeeping. This free course, Introduction to bookkeeping and accounting, explains the fundamental rules of double-entry bookkeeping and how they are used to produce the balance sheet and the profit and loss account.
Learn moreIntroduction to bookkeeping and accountingLevel: 1 Introductory
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Discovering computer networks: hands on in the Open Networking Lab
Have you ever wondered how the internet gets into your home, school, college or workplace? How do all the computers, phones, tablets, printers and other devices connect and work together? In this free course, Discovering computer networks: hands on in the Open Networking Lab, you can explore how computer networks operate, discover how data is sent around the internet, put your understanding into practice using an inbuilt network simulator to create your own – simulated – computer networks.
Learn moreDiscovering computer networks: hands on in the Open Networking LabLevel: 1 Introductory
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Numbers, units and arithmetic
Do fractions and decimals make you apprehensive about maths? Do you lack confidence in dealing with numbers? If so, then this free course, Numbers, units and arithmetic, is for you. The course will explain the basics of working with positive and negative numbers and how to multiply and divide with fractions and decimals.
Learn moreNumbers, units and arithmeticLevel: 1 Introductory
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Entrepreneurship – from ideas to reality
This free course, Entrepreneurship: from ideas to reality, is about starting and running your own business. Using case studies it will take you through the decisions from generating initial ideas through to deciding what you will do and how to establish your business and grow it. It will guide you through business models, funding options, business types and the influence of location and importantly assessment of your own skills, values and attitudes to risk. It is focused on practical advice from real entrepreneurs, and will signpost learners to where they can find additional support and how they can further develop their own capabilities.
Learn moreEntrepreneurship – from ideas to realityLevel: 2 Intermediate
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Digital skills: succeeding in a digital world
This free course, Digital skills: succeeding in a digital world, will develop your confidence and skills for life online, whether study, work or everyday life. It explores a range of digital skills and practices, including digital identity, digital well-being, staying safe and legal, finding and using information and online tools, and dealing with information overload. The importance of developing a critical approach to life online is emphasised throughout, whether consuming or creating information. You'll be encouraged to reflect on your own situation and to apply what you learn to real-life scenarios, using a digital skills plan to keep a record of progress.
Learn moreDigital skills: succeeding in a digital worldLevel: 1 Introductory
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Digital thinking tools for better decision making
Ever since the very beginning of humanity, tools have played a pivotal role in who we are and what we do. Tools for recording, processing and communicating information have a time-honoured history – from the clay tokens used in Mesopotamia to mechanical calculating machines. The invention of the digital computer has boosted the scale, speed and reach with which thinking tools extend our natural capabilities. This free course, Digital thinking tools for better decision making, starts by placing thinking tools in their historical context and concludes with an examination of their future. During the course, you’re introduced to a wide variety of digital thinking tools. You will apply these tools in many practical activities and case studies, solving problems that involve finding and evaluating information, performing calculations and drawing reasoned conclusions.
Learn moreDigital thinking tools for better decision makingLevel: 1 Introductory
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Personal branding for career success
This free course, Personal branding for career success, considers what a personal brand is and whether you currently have one. You’ll look in detail at theories and examples of personal branding, and relevant marketing processes and practices. You’ll identify the values, skills, knowledge and expertise that you want to promote to employers, and consider different ways to build and present your own brand.
Learn morePersonal branding for career successLevel: 1 Introductory
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Leadership and followership
This free course, Leadership and followership, will help you to explore what makes a good leader, recognise common leadership challenges, and identify the skills you need to develop if you want to enhance your own leadership experience.
Learn moreLeadership and followershipLevel: 1 Introductory
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Working in diverse teams
This free badged course, Working in diverse teams, will help you consider your experience of working in teams and the different roles you play in them. It will increase your confidence in marketing this key skill to employers as well improve your ability to perform well in teams you are currently part of.
Learn moreWorking in diverse teamsLevel: 1 Introductory
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Exploring career mentoring and coaching
This free course, Exploring career mentoring and coaching, will explain what mentors and career coaches do and how a colleague or expert who can ask the right questions, challenge assumptions, and help an individual to find the best solutions for themselves, can make a significant difference in a wide range of situations and contexts.
Learn moreExploring career mentoring and coachingLevel: 1 Introductory
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Effective communication in the workplace
This free course, Effective communication in the workplace, explores the importance of communication as a skill in the workplace. It aims to increase your understanding of communication skills and to help you to consider how your communication could be perceived by others. You'll cover areas such as verbal and non-verbal communication, written communication and using your communication skills to overcome challenging situations.
Learn moreEffective communication in the workplaceLevel: 1 Introductory
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Internships and other work experiences
In this free course, Internships and other work experiences, you’ll begin by learning more about what an internship is and how it might differ from other forms of work experience. You’ll find out what you can gain personally and professionally, and consider the practicalities of obtaining work experience, from how to choose what’s right for you, to making strong applications. You’ll explore the virtual internship and why more employers are starting to use them, and finish by looking at how to maximise your experience and make it work for you as your career progresses, considering your next steps and setting yourself SMART goals.
Learn moreInternships and other work experiencesLevel: 1 Introductory
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Developing career resilience
This free course, Developing career resilience, will help you to understand the factors that influence career resilience and offer examples and tactics for you to develop your own resilience further.
Learn moreDeveloping career resilienceLevel: 1 Introductory
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