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Best Upskilling Platforms for NoCode Techies — Not just for courses!

Jess Armooh
9–14 minutes
Best Upskilling Platforms for NoCode Techies — Not just for courses!

In this upskilling guide, I did a deep dive into its importance, why you should upskill, and how to do it. I also shared resources to support your upskilling journey. But there’s a last part I’m yet to address — upskilling platforms.

Usually, people only discuss online platforms for courses when talking about upskilling platforms. But there’s more than that.

There are also platforms — avenues — for apprenticeships, mentorships, internships, bootcamps, and more!

In this article, I share specific platforms under each of these categories to help you get the right resources and support you need to upskill.

Courses are a great way to upskill, but they’re not the only way.

Here’s a comprehensive list of upskilling platforms, starting from the most popular — online learning and upskilling platforms for courses.

Top 11 Upskilling Platforms for Courses

⚠️ Attention: Under the fields section for each platform, you’ll find broad buckets like Business, Humanities, Arts, etc. However, there are specific courses and degrees in these fields. So for instance, under a field like Business on Coursera, you’ll find courses that cover areas like Project Management, Marketing, Product Management, Human Resources, Operations, and many more!

Coursera

Coursera is an online learning platform that partners with 275+ leading universities and companies. They seek to bring affordable and job-relevant online learning to individuals and organisations across the globe.

edX

edX was founded by Harvard and MIT. It partners with 260+ institutions to provide job-relevant programmes to give you a path to achievement.

Udacity

Udacity is an upskilling platform for career-oriented training in tech fields. They offer a unique combination of project-based learning, industry collaboration, and potential job placement assistance.

Udemy

Udemy is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform with a vast library of over 213,000 affordable, instructor-created courses.

SkillShare

Skillshare is a learning community known for creative and project-based learning. You can also apply to teach.

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is a learning and upskilling platform integrated with LinkedIn. It partners with universities, institutions, and LMS providers to offer professional development courses relevant to various industries.

Grow with Google

Grow with Google is a free online initiative by Google. It partners with government and local organisations to offer training and resources to help you develop career and business skills in digital domains — to succeed in today’s job market.

FutureLearn

FutureLearn is a learning platform that provides online courses and degrees from 260+ leading universities and institutions worldwide.

Alison

Alison is a free online learning platform offering a wide variety of beginner and intermediate-level courses to help you learn and upskill.

Google Skillshop

Google Skillshop is a free online training platform by Google. It offers courses and certifications on Google workplace tools and digital marketing.

HubSpot Academy

HubSpot Academy is a free online learning platform from HubSpot. On HubSpot Academy, you’ll find extensive introductory, intermediate, and advanced training classes in marketing, sales, and customer service.

Semrush Academy

Semrush Academy is the online learning platform by Semrush. It offers free online courses in digital marketing curated by professionals. You’ll learn proven tactics and strategies tried and tested by the best-in-class marketing experts.

Axia Africa

Axia Africa offers programmes in the tech space to enable talent in Africa learn tech skills in demand.

5 Learning and Upskilling Platforms for Certifications

Courses will help you learn, grow, and build your skills (training) — you’ll get better at what you do! Certification will authenticate and validate your skills (credentials) — you’ll get recognized for what you do! — Career Professionals of Canada

Here are 5 platforms offering industry recognized certifications:

Product School

Product School provides courses for beginners looking to land their first role and existing product managers seeking a promotion. The courses at Product School are taught by Silicon Valley’s top Product Leaders.

CXL Institute

CXL offers 150+ specialized skill-building courses to professionals of all levels. You’ll learn from the top 1% of marketing practitioners.

PMI (Project Management Institute)

PMI is a non-profit professional association that seeks to advance the profession of project management through certifications, resources, and research.

Product Marketing Alliance (PMA)

Product Marketing Alliance is the go-to place for 1000s of product marketing professionals — beginners and advanced PMMs alike. PMA offers online courses and certifications for product marketing professionals.

Datacamp

Datacamp is an online learning platform that offers certifications, courses, and bootcamps in data-related fields and AI.

Note: Not every field requires or has a certification. However, this certification list is also not exhaustive.

Search Google or ask GenAI tools like Gemini if there are certifications for your field. You’ll get examples to explore.

Always ask professionals in your field to validate your findings so you enroll in the right programmes.

Bootcamps

Bootcamps provide intensive, accelerated training programs designed to equip you with the skills needed for specific careers or roles. Here are some noteworthy bootcamps:

Treford Africa

Treford Africa offers online cohort-based bootcamps in tech and digital skills for non-coders transitioning into tech.

Nabeltech Consulting

Nabeltech offers UK-based online training in several non-coding fields to enable non-coders to get tech skills.

TEMSI Africa (Tech Marketers Support Initiative)

TEMSI is an initiative to help tech marketers in Africa transition into tech with all the support they need. They seek to help marketers gain access to resources and support needed to thrive in the industry. To do this, they partner with communities, educational organisations, and others to provide the needed support for the marketers passing through them. Their support includes a:

…and many more!

Applications into their programs are on a cohort basis; follow them on socials or frequently check their website to stay updated.

Design Labs

Design Labs offers industry-leading cohort-based bootcamps in digital design for both aspiring and experienced designers.

ALX Africa

ALX aims to equip young Africans with in-demand tech skills and prepare them for successful careers in the digital economy. They empahsise on a blend of theoretical and practical knowledge through projects, workshops, and mentorships.

Springboard

Springboard offers online bootcamps (backed by job guarantees) and career services to help you learn and launch a new career.

Africa Agility

Africa Agility is a nonprofit social impact organsiation that runs cohort-based bootcamps for African females to enable them to learn digital and agile skills.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships offer valuable hands-on learning opportunities, allowing you to gain practical experience while working alongside experienced professionals. Here’s a list of platforms offering apprenticeships in various fields:

Acadium

Acadium connects individuals with apprenticeship and internship opportunities in various digital marketing fields.

Google

Through “Build your future”, Google offers apprenticeship programmes in various fields to help you “gain real-world experience and get paid in the process”.

Kindly note: You must have authorization to work in the country where you are applying.

Other companies that offer Apprenticeships include Microsoft and Accenture.

Internships and On-the-Job Training

Internships and on-the-job training programs offer valuable opportunities to gain practical experience, develop professional skills, and build your network within a specific field. Here are some resources to help you find internship opportunities:

Outreachy

Outreachy is a nonprofit organisation offering remote internship opportunities for underrepresented groups in open source and open science. Their internships run from May to August, or December to March each year. Check their website for application dates!

Find Internships on Search Engines

Use this search string to find internships on Google and other search engines. These will lead you to company websites or job boards with internship opportunities.

Mentorship

The Freelance Coalition for Developing Countries (FCDC)

FCDC is a nonprofit organisation offering free mentorship and training for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) freelancers to help them upskill.

ADPList

ADPList is a global online platform that facilitates mentorship connections between experienced professionals (mentors) and individuals seeking guidance and career development (mentees).

Conclusion

Upskilling platforms go beyond platforms for courses, and depending on the skill you’re learning you may need one or more of these other avenues (organisations offering bootcamps, mentorships, etc) to help you acquire the skills you need to excel in your career.

Haven’t read the guide on upskilling yet? Read it here.

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Jess Armooh