7 Best Upskilling Platforms for Workforces in 2024
Publié le 19 March 2024
Take charge of your career and upgrade your skillset with the 7 best upskilling platforms for workforces in 2024.
Recent months have seen unprecedented leaps in technology, from the mainstreaming of AI chatbots to exciting innovations in green technology. As society adapts to these changes, there’s an increasing demand for corresponding skills and job roles.
In fact, a WEF Future of Jobs report found that six in 10 employees will require upskilling or reskilling before 2027. Despite this, the study found that only half of employees today have access to adequate learning resources.
To ensure they stay agile and competitive, companies need to be proactive about investing in the continuous learning and development of their employees. Whether you and your team need to build on existing skills or develop entirely new skills, the 7 best upskilling platforms can help you achieve your goals.
1. DataCamp
DataCamp is a global leader in data science training and upskilling. They offer beginner to advanced courses, taught by industry experts, in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analysis and engineering, and programming.
The company has a focus on developing practical skills through active learning. In addition to more than 460 video-based courses, the platform features live code-alongs, competitions, interactive exercises, and step-by-step coding projects. Courses are self-paced, and with the mobile app, you can learn anywhere. You’ll also get access to a Slack community of fellow learners and an active job board with new data roles posted daily.
With DataCamp’s study tracks for in-demand positions like data analyst, data engineer, and machine learning scientist, you’ll come away well prepared for your chosen specialization. The company also offers industry-recognized associate and professional certifications.
Data-driven organizations looking to upskill their employees will benefit from the following additional features:
- Skill gap assessments
- Team performance reports
- Personalized learning paths
- LMS/LXP and data source integrations
Pricing: Individual and team plans start at $25 per month billed annually.
2. FutureLearn
FutureLearn is an online learning platform that partners with over 260 top universities and institutions to offer MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), microcredentials, and degrees. The platform gives learners an opportunity to study for free with some of the best universities around the world. Some of FutureLearn’s partners are the University of Oxford, King’s College London, Darden School of Business (University of Virginia), and the New York Institute of Finance.
Subjects taught on the platform span from business, science, law, and medicine to literature and the creative arts. Single courses range from a week to several weeks, and you can work through the activities at your own pace (excluding occasional live activities).
Lessons on FutureLearn include video, audio, reading materials, and discussions, as well as practical activities and assessments. You’ll also interact with course educators and other students in your course.
When you successfully complete a course or specialized learning track on FutureLearn, you’ll earn a digital certificate validated by the educating university or institution. The certificate has a unique URL that you can share with employers or add to your LinkedIn profile or resume as proof of your learning and academic success. Many of FutureLearn’s microcredentials are also eligible for university accreditation or professional certification.
With FutureLearn’s team plans, you can easily manage learning initiatives for different members of your team and keep track of employee progress.
Pricing: You can enroll in most courses on FutureLearn for free. To receive your certificate after completing a course or program successfully, you’ll need to upgrade with a one-off payment or subscribe to a monthly or annual plan to get access to over 1400 courses on the platform. A monthly plan costs $39.99, and an annual plan costs $28.19 per month.
3. Codecademy
Codecademy, founded in 2011, is one of the top upskilling platforms for coding. They have over 300 courses in AI, web development, computer and data science, web design, and cybersecurity. Many of the courses are designed for complete beginners, making Codecademy a great fit for companies looking to equip employees with digital literacy skills. Experienced developers can also use the platform to address skill gaps and stay competitive in the fast-changing world of tech.
Codecademy’s interactive coding platform is powered by OpenAI, giving you code and error explanations, hints, and suggestions for where you can improve. The mobile app lets you practice coding anywhere.
Course materials include videos, practice exercises, portfolio projects, code challenges, auto-graded quizzes and exams, and real-time feedback. If you get stuck, you’re in good hands – Codecademy has active community forums and a Discord server where you can get support from your peers.
As a premium user, you’ll get access to guided learning paths for specializing in specific skills or landing a job in tech. Certificates of completion and professional certifications for roles like full-stack engineer and data scientist are also available, along with technical interview prep and career support.
Codecademy’s team plans make it easy to manage multiple training programs for different departments within your organization. You can also track employees’ progress and understand how effectively different groups are learning.
Pricing: Codecademy has a limited free plan for individuals. Premium plans start at $14.99 per month when billed annually. Team plans start at $398 annually per user.
4. Coursera
Coursera is a MOOC provider that is partnered with over 275 top universities and organizations, including Stanford, Yale, Google, IBM, and Microsoft. Their catalog includes over 7000 courses, specializations, professional certificates, and degrees across a wide range of subjects.
Coursera also has “guided projects,” where you can learn how to do a specific job-relevant task step by step – for example, creating a financial statement using Excel – in less than two hours. These hands-on projects, which include a virtual workspace and video guidance from industry experts, are a great way to upskill employees without a huge time investment.
Coursework is flexible and consists of video lectures, readings, quizzes, and assignments, plus interactive elements like peer-graded assessments and discussion forums. Short courses can be completed in just a few hours, while degree programs take several months.
Coursera awards a certificate of completion for most courses and specializations. Certain groups of courses are also eligible for academic credit towards Coursera degrees.
Coursera for Teams is designed to help companies upskill and reskill employees with the help of customized learning paths, employee progress tracking, and analytics.
Pricing: Like other MOOC platforms, you can audit Coursera courses for free, but you’ll need to upgrade to access graded assignments and certificates. For individuals, Coursera Plus costs $78 per month or just $532 for an annual plan. Coursera for Teams costs $399 per user per year.
5. Springboard
Springboard offers industry-leading technology bootcamps in artificial intelligence, data analytics, software engineering, web development, and UI/UX design. The educational materials include videos, articles, practice exercises, and projects. Most courses take six to nine months to complete at around 15-25 hours of study per week, but you can finish them sooner if you’re ambitious.
Springboard’s learning programs are designed to equip you with a whole new skill set in as little as three to nine months and are backed by a job guarantee. You’ll be paired with an industry mentor to support you via regular video calls throughout the duration of your training. You can also meet and collaborate with other students in the Slack community, or get extra guidance from a career coach or student advisor.
Courses are flexible, so you can study while working your current job. If you’re just preparing to launch a new career in technology, you’ll gain a competitive edge in the job market with real-world projects and the creation of a portfolio. On completion of your course, you’ll receive a signed certificate that you can share with employers. The certificate integrates with LinkedIn, so you can showcase it on your profile.
Springboard also offers mentor-led upskilling and reskilling programs for technology-forward companies and employees of all experience levels.
Pricing: Tuition ranges depending on the bootcamp you enroll in. A variety of flexible payment plans are available.
6. Udemy
Udemy is one of the top online learning platforms for almost any subject, ranging from professional development to hobbies. At the time of this writing, they have over 11,000 online courses taught by over 4000 instructors. Some of the most popular learning categories are computer science and IT, management, sales, finance, graphic design, digital marketing, productivity, and health and fitness.
Udemy’s model is different from other top upskilling platforms in a couple of key ways. First, unlike platforms that only partner with universities and major organizations, anyone can create a course on Udemy. Second, Udemy relies on a user review system to help other learners gauge the quality of a course. This makes it simple to filter for the most popular courses on the platform.
Courses on Udemy are video based and can range from under an hour to 70+ hours long. Each class has its own Q&A forum where you can engage with other students and your course instructor. You can also send direct messages to your instructor.
Organizations in need of an upskilling solution for their entire workforce can subscribe to Udemy Business, which includes access to a library of over 25,000 courses, plus training for over 200 industry-recognized certification exams.
Pricing: Most courses on Udemy range in cost from free to around $199.99. Udemy offers custom pricing plans for organizations.
7. edX
edX, founded by MIT and Harvard in 2012, is a top online education and MOOC platform that is partnered with universities and institutions like Oxford, Princeton, Caltech, and Google.
The platform offers university-level classes, professional certificates, executive education programs, bootcamps, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in subjects like arts and humanities, business, computer and data science, and engineering.
edX classes include video lectures, interactive quizzes, assignments, hands-on projects, and discussion forums. The platform accommodates different time commitments and learning paces – some courses can be completed in a few weeks, while others take several months. You’ll receive a certificate of completion for successfully finishing a course or other learning program on edX, and in some cases you can also get academic credit.
edX For Business offers upskilling and reskilling in areas like leadership development, DE&I, business writing, finance and investing, supply chain, sustainability, digital marketing, and artificial intelligence. Companies can tailor learning programs to their specific needs, track employee progress, and measure the impact of learning initiatives on workforce development.
Pricing: You can enroll in edX courses for free. To receive your verified certificate, you’ll need to pay a fee, which varies depending on your class or program. edX’s professional development solution for organizations, edX for Business, costs $349 per user per year. Custom pricing is available for enterprises.
How to choose the best upskilling platform for your organization
Whether you’re searching for a professional development platform for yourself or your organization, keep the following tips in mind when making choosing from the 7 best upskilling platforms for workforces in 2024:
- High-quality content: Ensure the platform provides in-depth content that’s relevant to your learning goals. Look at course release dates and instructors to confirm that the material is up-to-date and delivered by knowledgeable experts in the field.
- Interactive learning experience: To boost understanding and retention, choose a platform that offers interactive learning experiences, such as hands-on projects, virtual workspaces, and assessments. Also check if the platform has a supportive community or mentorship options.
- Industry recognition: Consider platforms that provide industry-recognized certificates or other credentials.
- Flexibility and accessibility: Look for options that let you learn at your own pace – and on your mobile device, if necessary.
Closing thoughts
Upskilling is crucial for individuals and companies to stay competitive and adapt in a time when tech is moving faster than ever. For organizations, it also contributes to employee satisfaction and retention, creating a more resilient workforce.
Partnering with one of the 7 best upskilling platforms for workforces in 2024 will put you on the fast track to professional success, helping you achieve your career goals now and over the long term.
