Online university courses for upskilling

[KCLenny]

Hi all, asking for some for advice on potentially trying to upskill (as discussed elsewhere).
However, I don't have a lot of time and especially don't have a lot of money to just casually do a full time uni course for the next 2+ years. So was thinking of courses online, something in the vain of the UK's Open University. That's the extreme end, but then there are things like Udemy or other such online courses.
Does any one have any suggestions for something like that? Both in terms of cost-benefit, but also the power of the end result (degree/certificate etc).
I'm thinking something like a teaching course (because I'm an English teacher).
But also something that might get me out of teaching, like something in computing or online work.

Thanks in advance.

[mitch]

I can only speak to the particular field of IT, but there are many options. There are indeed online university degree programs and expensive boot camps that vary in quality, but there are also tons of high-quality free and inexpensive options as well. IT is very broad, so trying to list them all here might not be helpful. If there's a particular subfield within IT that interests you (software development, network, cloud, security, etc.), let us know and we might be able to suggest some specifics. You mention Udemy, which has some great stuff, and LinkedIn Learning is similar. They frequently have heavily discounted sales on content, or sometimes you can come across other deals. Membership in my local public library in my home country, for example, confers free access to LinkedIn Learning, which is just a tremendous value. In IT, at least, spending a few hours a week with self-study and incremental certifications can be a great way to get into the field or continue to develop your skills.

All this being said, if you're interested in getting into IT, and have a decent baseline education and communication skills, getting an entry-level job might not require any upskilling at all. Here in Tokyo, there is a huge need for IT workers, and many companies are willing to hire people who are willing to work hard and start from the bottom. Much of the quality learning happens on the job.

[RetireJapan]

For teaching jobs in Japan there is not much point in doing any qualifications below an MA from a reputable university. The only benefit would be personal development.

[eyeswideshut]

Also check out https://www.london.ac.uk/. I took some courses through it - it was challenging but a really positive experience and helped me get a qualification that enhanced my career. You can sit many of the exams in Tokyo at the British Council.