Wake up, get dressed, get to the office, and then work. Remember those days? Ever since the lockdown, the joy of getting a seat on public transport, the banter over chai during a break, and the hustle of meetings, have all become distant memories. But there’s a silver lining. Time! That’s right, that precious out of reach “me time” is now in your grasp. And what do we say to the king of knowledge when we have extra time? Let’s start today! 

In fact, working professionals and students around the world have started using this opportunity to upskill already. As per a recent report, a 45% hike in online course queries were recorded during the last 3 weeks from working professionals. Curious about what’s keeping them engaged? Here’s a list of courses that have gained the most popularity.

Data Science

Data analytics is the new kid on the block. Studies predict that it will evolve to at least one-third of the global IT market in the next few years. So if you want to advance your career, data is probably your best bet. But the lack of knowledge required to understand data leads to lots of misinterpretation, false conclusions, and general embarrassment. On the other hand, correct knowledge of data could turn you into a wizard who can glean game-changing information out of a chunk of data. This information could shake markets, topple industries, and solve the age-old mystery of customer psychology.  So partaking in a good data science course that teaches using practical cases is the best way to use this free time generated due to the lockdown. 

Blockchain for Senior Managers

While Data Science has become an essential part of the corporate world, Blockchain is an upcoming sector that could revolutionize the very way industries function. Initially, blockchain is complicated, but once a company adopts it, it can bid goodbye to transparency and credibility issues forever. According to data, blockchain can reduce 30% of banks’ infrastructure costs and save up to $12 billion a year in financial companies. So if you want to be your company’s growth hacker, this course is for you. 

Business Analytics 

According to a report by Forbes, about 90% of data in the world today was created in the past two years. Imagine how beneficial it would be to use that combination of numbers to power your management decisions. Learning business analytics would take you many notches above regular business leaders. It can help you moonlight as a statistician, a computer whiz, and an operations expert!  When you come up with clear insights and can predict policy results and customer behavior, this fun learning during quarantine will also immensely benefit your company and hike your reputation at work.

Transformational leadership

“Anyone can lead when the plan is working, but only the best lead when the plan falls apart.”

COVID-19 has brought out the worst of the economy and in these stressful times, the burden of boosting employee morale and promoting efficiency lies in the leader. It is now the survival of the fittest, most flexible leaders. A transformational leadership course, which offers a combination of neurosciences, management, sports, behavioral sciences, and psychology to create healthy organizational cultures, could aid in pulling your teams through these trying times. 

HR Management 

HR’s may be mocked for decorating the office and organizing birthdays, but it is undeniable that they’re the core around which company culture and teams are built.  A company’s success is completely credited to the people behind it. However, if human capital is not managed well, then a lot of opportunities present to the company are wasted. As HRs are responsible for managing the human capital, they should keep updating their skill sets to learn about human behavior and unleash the best out of the employees. An HR management course would give them the skills to build the capability of HR professionals. This skill becomes even more important during the lockdown as businesses struggle to manage employees while working remotely. 

Conclusion

The future has no room for mediocrity, and those embrace innovation first will emerge as victors. With the competition grabbing every opportunity to enhance and upskill, the best way to stay in the game is by learning constantly. While COVID-19 has restricted movement across places, learning should never stop. And thanks to ed-tech it never has to. In fact, it presents an excellent opportunity for everyone to refresh their skills and learn new ones. So don’t let coronavirus scare you. Let it inspire you into becoming the best version of yourself.