The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new reality for us: people all over the world are social distancing and are restricted to their homes for weeks to curb the spread of this viral outbreak.
Although this change in lifestyle is sudden, it has given many of us the opportunity to use this time to upskill. A great way to utilize this time is to do a certification or a course online, especially with many online education platforms offering courses free or at discounted prices in this period.
Doing a certification will not only help you expand your knowledge, but also add credibility to your portfolio and make you more marketable. Here are some certifications that are most popular in 2020:
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
With data fast becoming the new currency and enterprises worldwide using AI to transform business, the knowledge and application of AI and ML is high in demand. From voice assistants to drones, AI and Machine Learning are increasingly finding applications in our day-to-day lives. Here are some certifications in AI that you could do to gain a foothold in this area:
- Certificate Course on Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning by IIT Roorkee
- Machine Learning Certification by Stanford University
- Deep Learning Specialization by deeplearning.ai (Coursera)
Big Data
As the sheer size of data increases day by day, it is also becoming more varied and complex. Big Data professionals help with the storage, management and processing of this Big Data to facilitate analysis. Here are a few certifications that could help you in the field of Big Data:
Data Science
Data Science has taken the world by storm and is one of the most in-demand career choices today. A data scientist helps extract underlying patterns and key insights by analysing data. Certifications that can help you move ahead in the data science domain include:
- IBM Data Science Professional Certificate (Coursera)
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate
- Data Science A-Z™: Real-Life Data Science Exercises Included
Cloud Computing
This pandemic has made remote working the new normal and has brought to light the need to build Cloud capabilities for enterprises. Thus, with many businesses working at improving their Cloud capabilities in coming months, this is a great time to gain a certification in Cloud. These certifications can help you launch or advance a career in cloud computing:
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner 2020
- AWS Certification
- Google Cloud Certification
- Microsoft Azure Certifications
Project Management
Project management is critical because it ensures that the right kind of projects are taken up and that they are delivered on time and on a set budget. A project manager should be able to negotiate reasonable deadlines and milestones across teams, management and stakeholders. The following courses/certifications can help you move ahead in the field of project management:
- Cert Prep: Project Management Professional (PMP)®
- Cert Prep: PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®
- IT Project Management by ISB (Coursera)
- Cert Prep: Scrum Master
Business Intelligence
Not everyone needs to be at the level of a data scientist to help organizations put data to use. Professionals trained in Business Intelligence (BI) can play an important role in maximizing the use of data without requiring the full scope of training needed to be a data scientist. Certifications that can help you get started in BI include:
- The Fundamentals of Business Intelligence (BI)
- Microsoft Power BI - Business Intelligence for Beginners
- Tableau 2019, 2018 & 10: Certified Associate certification
Software Development
Technology is changing at a fast pace: many old technologies have become obsolete while new ones have entered the market. To stay relevant, software developers must ensure they update their skills time to time by learning the new trends in technology. Many certifications can help you transition into or move up in the software development field, including:
- The Complete Full-Stack JavaScript Course
- R Programming (Coursera)
- Google Developer Certifications
- Learn Python Programming Masterclass
Digital Marketing
Businesses only succeed when they have customers who are buying, which makes digital marketing a key part of any business’s operations. As the field of marketing has changed in the digital age, the need for professionals trained in new skills has grown dramatically. Digital Marketing certifications that can help you move into or up in this exciting field are:
- Digital Marketing Specialization
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization
- Social Media Marketing Specialization
It is a confusing situation and although we cannot be sure when it will subside, let us make use of this time on our hands to build on our knowledge and upskill. So that when this crisis is over, we not only come out stronger, but also more knowledgeable.
