Online learning platforms have become incredibly popular in the last ten years, and it’s not just universities and other schools that are using them. You can find specialty and niche online learning platforms for just about anything you’d ever want to learn.
For example, you can learn to knit, repair your car, make root beer, or become a software engineer entirely online.
Being able to learn a variety of skills online is highly beneficial. The biggest benefit is that you don’t have to leave your house to develop a skill you can use to generate income.
While the benefits to the individual are clear, society also benefits from the existence of online learning platforms – here’s why.
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Medical personnel can earn CEUs online
Perhaps the biggest benefit to society is the fact that medical personnel can earn their CEUs online. For instance, respiratory therapists can even earn CEUs through live courses online, as long as the platform abides by the new AARC guidelines that define what a “live class” entails. This is a big deal because many medical professionals are overworked and too busy to take their required live courses.
When online courses are available, and they meet the requirements for live classes, medical personnel can spend more time focusing on their patients and other job-related duties without feeling stressed.
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Important professions can be learned stress-free
Fifty years ago, the world could survive without computer programmers, social media managers, content marketers, and online customer service representatives. Today, that’s not the case. In fact, these are just a handful of essential professions that run our contemporary world.
Businesses require a larger number of positions than they did fifty years ago, and most of those positions are now entirely digital. While direct mail marketing is still used, most marketing takes place online because that’s where most people spend the majority of their time. Without a variety of digital tech positions, businesses wouldn’t survive.
Some of today’s most important digitally-based professions include:
- Website designer/developer
- SEO specialist
- Content writer
- Software programmer
- Graphic designer
- PPC ad manager
Unfortunately, many people trying to get into these professions have to keep their regular jobs while they study and learn. When classes are only available in person, it makes it hard or impossible to get into these professions. Since many of these necessary skills can be learned online, just about anyone can get into these professions, which keeps a steady supply of talent available at all times.
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Less debt
It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to earn a degree through an accredited university. Those same skills can be attained through online courses for far less money, while skipping the general education classes required by universities.
When people don’t need to go into serious debt just to learn a new skill, it benefits society in several ways. Not only can that person put their money back into the economy rather than spending it all on bills, but they won’t contribute to the growing amount of student loan debt that has spiraled out of control.
Less debt is automatically better for the economy in a roundabout way. Massive student loan debt hits the economy like a recession by reducing consumer spending and business growth. With an additional $78.7 billion in new student loan debt appearing each year over the last decade, the existence of online learning platforms has the potential to alleviate many of the issues caused by overwhelming student loan debt.
As with any other debt, massive student loan debt negatively impacts housing markets. People in debt generally are unable to buy a home. Some can barely afford rent, and end up renting rooms from homeowners or sharing a home with several other people.
When people can learn their professions entirely online, they’ll still need to pay for their classes, but they won’t have to go into deep debt to make it happen. This benefits both the individual and society.
Not all professions can be learned online
While there are certainly many professions that can be learned online, there are some that still require formal schooling to earn a degree. For example, you need a degree to become a medical doctor, a lawyer, or a psychiatrist. However, most tech-centered professions can be learned online through a specialty platform.
In the end, everyone benefits from these platforms.
