Digital skills for alumni

The Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award, known as iDEA is an international programme that helps you develop digital, enterprise and employability skills for free. Pick and choose from topics such as blockchain, coding, cloud computer, ethical hacking, digital ethics and social media set-up to earn badges and complete awards. 

With almost 3,000 modules and learning paths on various Microsoft technologies, Microsoft Learn offers a comprehensive collection of training options and a wide array of role-based certifications to help you pick up new skills or brush up on old ones. You can select courses by roles, products and subjects. Courses vary from short introductions to in depth all-day training sessions.

There is series of 15 short courses from FutureLearn and the Institute of Coding, covers a range of digital skills that are key to the modern workplace. Courses include: Computer programming for Everyone, Learn to Code for the Web, Learn about Current Digital Workplace Trends, Essential Skills for your Career Development, Collaborative Working in a Remote Team, Communication and interpersonal skills at work, and Evidence and Data Collection for Problem Solving. 

Learn how to tell compelling stories with data with the Makeover Monday weekly data visualisation challenge. Work with a different data set each week and get feedback and inspiration from data visualisation people from around the world.

Codecademy are offering free basic courses in a range of languages including HTML & CSS, JavaScript, Swift, SQL and more. They also offer a Pro subscription that gives you access to additional exercises, practice packs and real-world projects that will help you apply the skills you are learning in a realistic scenario. They also have a handy quiz to help you figure out where to begin your learning journey. For more info visit codecademy.com.

Learn how to write your own computer programs, one line of code at a time. Find out how to access open data, clean and analyse it, and produce visualisations, and how to present your analyses, privately or publicly. You'll be coding in Python, a widely used programming language across all disciplines. Learn to code for data analysis is one of many free courses provided by OpenLearn.

Want to understand AI, but not necessarily create it? Microsoft’s AI business school offers a series of learning pathways and case studies exploring topics like Responsible AI in business and Defining an AI strategy.

This series of 10 short courses from FutureLearn and the Institute of Coding, covers a range of technologies for accessibility, usability, gaming, and artificial intelligence. Courses include: Design a Feminist Chatbot, Introduction to UX and Accessible Design, Introduction to Physical Computing, Introduction to Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality, and Create Expressive Video Games.

The course covers topics like creating a website and getting it known, marketing your business locally and internationally and advertising using social media. There are modules covering how to sell online as well as how to analyse the success of your marketing plan.

Does your social media presence reflect who you are as a professional? Build your online presence to boost your employability.

Learn to plan and launch a successful social media marketing campaign with the Institute of Coding and the University of Leeds.

Discover what makes online content a success and learn how to create engaging content that's in line with your business goals.