What courses should you consider in 2022?

Looking to advance your career in 2022? Education is always a good investment – and there’s never been a greater choice of options to suit all learners.

“You don’t have to do a particular course that involves a one-year postgraduate, or an online course that lasts for a week,” says Jean O’Brien, founder of Digital Charity Lab, which provides training, resources and support to charities, as well as a number of e-learning courses. “You’ll find free online courses alongside those offered by Solas, you can learn through short online videos or professional and industry podcasts, or you can go for a one-year postgraduate that’s delivered through blended learning.”

But what course to consider? There are skills shortages in areas including arts, business and finance, construction, engineering, ICT, health, logistics and supply chain, science, sports and tourism, while anyone with a second language is a valuable asset.

Employees should also consider courses that develop their broader skills by looking at courses that improve, for instance, their creativity, analytical and problem-solving skills, research abilities and leadership skills.

David Magee, head of sales and corporate membership at the Irish Management Institute, says that there are now additional demands on employees now to be aware of and to actively search for opportunities to enhance their knowledge in a competitive market.

“Short programmes such as those we offer at IMI are ideally suited to address this, blending theory and practice to provide a comprehensive yet focused learning experience.”

IMI courses

Magee says that the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated trends that were already in progress, creating a more dynamic and faster-evolving market.

“It is essential that employees think about cross-functional skills that enable them to add value for their employers. At IMI, we provide leaders with a wealth of options in this regard, delivering high-impact short programmes that are results-focused.

“With change the only constant in the current market, our two-day Change Management programme provides a blueprint to navigate, plan for and position change.

“The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report in 2020 identified problem-solving as a crucial skill going forward, and IMI’s Think on Your Feet programme is uniquely equipped to meet that need, empowering leaders with the knowledge to influence, improvise and solve complex problems quickly.

“Our Management Bootcamp programme, run over five days, is built to expand leaders’ knowledge of business functions, inspiring them to find new solutions and collaborate more effectively across the organisation.

“For those looking to challenge themselves and be more assertive, our Communicating for Performance programme lays out a roadmap for mastering the skill of concise and powerful communications that will transform your impact within your business.

“Leadership and social influence are among the World Economic Forum’s top 10 skills for 2025. With our Managing People programme, participants learn how to improve interpersonal skills, enabling them to get more from their working relationships and boost their effectiveness.

“Developing managers can take their skills to the next level with our Essential Skills of Management programme. Throughout this six-day programme, leaders can strengthen their managerial skill set, from people skills to business management to general business skills.

“For those who are just starting their journey into management, our Frontline Management programme is custom-made to streamline the transition, equipping participants with a set of tools to delegate, plan effectively and hit the ground running as a frontline manager.

“Our immersive Virtual Learning Environment allows participants to access our cutting-edge programmes with one click, while a selection of our programmes will be available face to face. Whether our programmes are online or in person, they are always interactive, engaging and experiential, allowing participants to assimilate new knowledge, techniques and skills, and apply them in their own business context.”

Solas courses

Ecollege.ie, an online flexible learning initiative from Solas, the further education and training agency, opened up access at the start of the Covid pandemic, and has delivered training to over 35,000 people since then. Courses are focused on business, computer programming, data science, databases, IT, web and graphic design and office productivity.

“There is high demand for computer skills, including Java and Python,” says Mary Lyons, director of enterprise, employees and skills at Solas. “Outside of eCollege.ie, we are also providing courses to help upskill craftworkers to deliver retrofitting, we’re providing courses on infection control, and patisserie chef training is also a new programme.”

Solas's courses range in terms of the time and commitment involved, including three hours a week over ten weeks or one day a week over 50 weeks, but what they all have in common is that they're tailored to equip workers with the skills they need to succeed and advance in the workplace, and to provide employers with the right staff for their needs. See ThisisFET.ie for more details.

Postgraduate courses

Universities, technological universities, institutes of technology and colleges all offer postgraduate courses which can help workers retrain and upskill.

While a one-year course can be a greater commitment than those offered through the IMI, Solas or other bodies, postgraduate courses generally lead to a level nine qualification which can provide crucial knowledge and skills for people looking to advance their careers.

In the recent past, doing a postgrad, even part-time, required physical attendance. Today, however, postgraduate courses are more likely to acknowledge that participants have to juggle learning with families and work, and to deliver the learning through a blended model. Search postgraduate courses at Qualifax.ie.

Other options

Sometimes you don't necessarily need the piece of paper or formal qualification: you just need to learn the particular skill. With this in mind, GoHighbrow.com avoids a time commitment and delivers a new five-minute lesson, on any one of your preferred 300 topics, to your email inbox every morning. KhanAcademy.org has about 7,000 free online videos and lectures on a wide range of topics.

Coursera.org is a database of massive online open courses which allow learners take a full course, for free or at a low-cost, from third-levels worldwide. Meanwhile, Galway-based company Alison.com features more than 1,000 free courses from around the world.