Top 13 'Public-Library-Pass' Premium Courses to take for leveling up your skills from home this year - Goh Ling Yong
Hey there, and welcome back to the blog!
Have you ever found yourself scrolling through premium online course platforms, your eyes lighting up at titles like "AI for Everyone" or "Mastering Digital Marketing," only to have your enthusiasm deflated by a hefty price tag? It's a common story. The desire to learn and grow is strong, but the investment can feel daunting, especially when you're just starting to explore a new field.
But what if I told you that you might already have a free, all-access pass to thousands of these premium courses? It's not a secret society or a limited-time offer. It's your humble public library card. That's right! Many public libraries, including the National Library Board (NLB) in Singapore, offer free access to incredible platforms like LinkedIn Learning (formerly the legendary Lynda.com). It’s a game-changer for anyone committed to lifelong learning, a topic I've often discussed with Goh Ling Yong. This pass unlocks a universe of knowledge, taught by industry experts, right from the comfort of your home.
So, dust off that library card (or sign up for a new one online!) and get ready to supercharge your skills. To help you navigate this treasure trove, I’ve curated a list of 13 top-tier courses that are perfect for leveling up your career, exploring a new passion, or simply becoming a more well-rounded individual this year.
1. Project Management Foundations
In today's fast-paced world, everything is a project—from launching a new product at work to planning a family vacation. Understanding the fundamentals of project management is no longer a niche skill for certified managers; it's a core competency for anyone who wants to deliver results efficiently and effectively. This skill teaches you how to organize chaos, manage resources, and bring ideas to life on time and within budget.
Courses like Project Management Foundations by Bonnie Biafore are the perfect starting point. You'll learn the complete project lifecycle, from defining goals and objectives to planning, executing, and closing the project. It demystifies concepts like scope, scheduling, risk management, and stakeholder communication. You’ll walk away with a structured framework you can apply to almost any task.
Actionable Tip: After taking the course, apply the principles to a small personal project. Plan a weekend trip or organize a closet clean-out using a simple project plan. Define your goal, list the tasks, set deadlines, and track your progress. This hands-on practice will solidify your learning immediately.
2. Excel Essential Training
Let’s be honest: Microsoft Excel is the unsung hero of the modern workplace. From simple data entry to complex financial modeling, its power is undeniable. Gaining true proficiency in Excel can dramatically boost your productivity and make you an invaluable asset to any team. It's the difference between spending hours manually manipulating data and creating an elegant, automated report in minutes.
The Excel Essential Training series (often available for different versions) is a must-take. It guides you from the absolute basics, like navigating the interface and entering data, to more advanced functions like VLOOKUP, PivotTables, and conditional formatting. These courses are designed to build your confidence layer by layer, so you never feel overwhelmed.
Actionable Tip: Create a personal budget spreadsheet. Use formulas to calculate your monthly savings, create charts to visualize your spending categories, and use conditional formatting to highlight overspending. This is a practical way to master essential functions while also improving your financial literacy.
3. Digital Marketing Foundations
Whether you're a small business owner, a budding entrepreneur, or a professional looking to expand your skill set, understanding digital marketing is non-negotiable. It’s the engine that drives modern business growth, encompassing everything from social media and email to search engines and content creation. Having a foundational knowledge allows you to understand your customers and reach them where they are.
Look for a comprehensive course like Digital Marketing Foundations with instructors like Brad Batesole. These courses provide a 30,000-foot view of the entire digital ecosystem. You’ll learn about the core pillars: Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), social media marketing, email marketing, and analytics. It’s the perfect primer before diving deeper into a specific area.
Actionable Tip: Pick a small local business you admire (or your own side hustle) and perform a mini digital marketing audit. Check their website's SEO title, look at their social media engagement, and sign up for their newsletter. Try to identify one strength and one area for improvement based on what you learned in the course.
4. SEO Foundations
If digital marketing is the engine, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the high-octane fuel. SEO is the art and science of getting your website to rank higher on search engines like Google. It’s a powerful, cost-effective way to drive organic traffic and attract qualified leads. In a world where the first page of Google gets over 90% of clicks, being visible is everything.
Courses like SEO Foundations by David Booth break down this complex topic into manageable pieces. You'll learn about keyword research (understanding what your audience is searching for), on-page SEO (optimizing your content), off-page SEO (building authority through backlinks), and technical SEO (making sure your site is search-engine-friendly).
Actionable Tip: Use a free tool like Ubersuggest or Google's Keyword Planner to do keyword research for a topic you're passionate about. See what questions people are asking and what related terms they use. This simple exercise will give you a real-world feel for the first and most crucial step in any SEO strategy.
5. Communicating with Confidence
You can have the most brilliant ideas in the world, but if you can't articulate them clearly and confidently, they'll never see the light of day. Strong communication skills are the bedrock of professional and personal success. Whether you're presenting in a meeting, negotiating a contract, or just having a difficult conversation, confidence can make all the difference.
Jeff Ansel's Communicating with Confidence is a fantastic course that feels more like a personal coaching session. It goes beyond just "what to say" and focuses on the "how"—body language, vocal tone, and mindset. You’ll learn practical techniques for managing anxiety, structuring your thoughts, and projecting a sense of calm authority.
Actionable Tip: The next time you're in a low-stakes meeting (even a virtual one), set a small goal for yourself. It could be to speak up and ask one question or to share one well-thought-out opinion. Practice the breathing and posture techniques from the course right before you speak.
6. Learning Python
If you're looking to dip your toes into the world of programming, Python is the place to start. It’s renowned for its clean, readable syntax, making it one of the most beginner-friendly languages out there. But don't let its simplicity fool you; Python is incredibly powerful and is used by giants like Google, Netflix, and NASA for everything from web development and data analysis to artificial intelligence.
A beginner course like Learning Python is designed to take you from zero to "hello, world!" and beyond. You’ll learn fundamental concepts like variables, data types, loops, and functions. The best courses use practical examples and coding exercises to ensure you're not just watching, but doing.
Actionable Tip: Once you've learned the basics, challenge yourself to write a simple script that automates a boring task. It could be a program that renames a batch of files on your computer or one that scrapes the headlines from your favorite news website.
7. Graphic Design Foundations: Layout and Composition
In our visually-driven world, an eye for design is a massive advantage. You don't need to be a professional graphic designer to benefit from understanding the basic principles of layout and composition. This knowledge can help you create more professional-looking presentations, more engaging social media posts, and more effective reports.
Courses like Graphic Design Foundations: Layout and Composition taught by industry veterans like Sean Adams are invaluable. They teach you the "why" behind good design—principles like hierarchy, balance, contrast, and alignment. You’ll learn how to arrange elements on a page to guide the viewer's eye and communicate your message effectively.
Actionable Tip: Take a screenshot of a website or advertisement you find visually appealing. Open it in a simple image editor (like Canva or PowerPoint) and draw boxes around the key elements. Try to identify the design principles at play. Is there a clear visual hierarchy? How does it use negative space? This reverse-engineering is a fantastic way to train your design eye.
8. Time Management Fundamentals
Do you ever feel like you have too much to do and not enough time to do it? You're not alone. The ability to manage your time effectively is one of the most impactful skills you can develop. It's not about working harder; it's about working smarter. Good time management reduces stress, increases focus, and helps you achieve your most important goals.
Dave Crenshaw's course on Time Management Fundamentals is a classic for a reason. He provides practical, actionable strategies for gaining control of your day. You'll learn how to identify your most valuable activities, minimize distractions, manage your calendar effectively, and develop a system for processing tasks so that nothing falls through the cracks.
Actionable Tip: For one week, try the "time blocking" technique from the course. Schedule specific blocks of time in your calendar for your most important tasks, rather than just relying on a to-do list. Treat these blocks like appointments you can't miss. At the end of the week, reflect on how it affected your productivity and focus.
9. Critical Thinking for Better Judgment and Decision-Making
We are bombarded with information every single day. The ability to think critically—to analyze information objectively, identify biases, and make reasoned judgments—is more important than ever. It's a "meta-skill" that enhances every other skill you possess, helping you solve complex problems and make better decisions in all areas of your life.
Look for a course like Critical Thinking for Better Judgment and Decision-Making by Becki Saltzman. These courses equip you with mental models and frameworks to approach problems logically. You'll learn to recognize logical fallacies, evaluate evidence, and avoid common cognitive biases that can lead to poor choices.
Actionable Tip: The next time you read a news article or a compelling opinion piece online, consciously apply a critical thinking lens. Ask yourself: What is the author's main argument? What evidence do they provide? Is the evidence credible? Are there any potential biases at play? What information might be missing?
10. UX Foundations: Prototyping
User Experience (UX) design is a booming field focused on making technology intuitive, enjoyable, and easy to use. Even if you're not a designer, understanding UX principles can be incredibly beneficial. Prototyping, a key part of the UX process, involves creating mock-ups or early models of a product to test ideas before investing heavily in development.
A course on UX Foundations: Prototyping will introduce you to the tools and techniques for quickly visualizing ideas. You'll learn about different fidelity levels (from simple paper sketches to interactive digital mock-ups) and how to use tools like Figma or Adobe XD to create clickable prototypes. This skill is fantastic for anyone involved in product development, marketing, or even just presenting new ideas.
Actionable Tip: Think of a simple app or website feature that you wish existed. Grab a pen and paper and sketch out the basic screens and user flow. How would a user navigate from screen A to screen B? This simple "paper prototyping" is a core UX practice.
11. Leadership Foundations
You don't need a formal title to be a leader. Leadership is a set of skills and attitudes—like inspiring others, communicating a vision, and empowering your team—that can be applied at any level of an organization. Developing these skills is the surest way to advance your career and make a greater impact.
Courses on Leadership Foundations are designed for aspiring and new leaders. They cover essential topics like motivating teams, delegating effectively, providing constructive feedback, and navigating challenging conversations. It’s about shifting your mindset from being an individual contributor to being a force multiplier for your team.
Actionable Tip: Identify one small opportunity in the next week to practice a leadership skill. You could proactively offer help to a swamped colleague, take the lead on organizing meeting notes, or make a point of publicly recognizing someone else's good work. Leadership is built through small, consistent actions.
12. Premiere Pro Essential Training
Video is the dominant form of content online, and its importance is only growing. Knowing how to edit video is a powerful and highly marketable skill. It can be used to create compelling marketing content, engaging educational material, or simply to make your personal travel vlogs look more polished.
Adobe Premiere Pro is the industry-standard software, and a course like Premiere Pro Essential Training is the best way to tackle its learning curve. Led by experienced editors, these courses walk you through the entire workflow, from importing and organizing footage to trimming clips, adding titles and music, color correcting, and exporting your final masterpiece.
Actionable Tip: Film a short, one-minute video on your phone—it could be a simple "how-to" of you making coffee or a tour of your workspace. Then, use the skills from the course to edit it. Add a title, trim the unnecessary parts, and add some background music. Completing a small project from start to finish is the best way to learn.
13. Financial Wellness: Managing Personal Cash Flow
This final one is a skill for life. Understanding how to manage your personal finances is the foundation for achieving long-term goals, reducing stress, and building a secure future. Financial wellness isn't about being rich; it's about having a healthy relationship with money and a clear plan for it.
Courses like Financial Wellness: Managing Personal Cash Flow provide clear, jargon-free advice on the fundamentals of personal finance. You’ll learn about budgeting, saving, debt management, and the basics of investing. These courses empower you to take control of your financial life with confidence. This is a topic that Goh Ling Yong and I believe should be essential learning for everyone.
Actionable Tip: Use the principles from the course to calculate your net worth (assets minus liabilities) and track your monthly cash flow (income minus expenses) for one month. Just the act of measuring and seeing the numbers clearly is often the most powerful first step toward financial improvement.
Your Library Card Is Your Power-Up
There you have it—13 incredible courses you can take right now to level up your skills, all for the price of a free library membership. This is just a tiny glimpse of what's available. The real magic happens when you start exploring on your own.
The journey of self-improvement doesn't require a huge budget, just a commitment to learning and the knowledge of where to find the right resources. Your local library is one of the most powerful, yet underutilized, tools for personal and professional growth.
So here's your call to action: Dig out your library card or apply for one today. Log in to your library's e-resources portal and find their link to LinkedIn Learning or other platforms. Pick one course from this list that excites you and spend just 15-20 minutes on it today. You'll be amazed at how quickly small, consistent efforts can lead to massive growth.
What amazing courses have you discovered with your library pass? Share your favorites in the comments below—let's build an even bigger list of resources for our community
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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