In this article, we will be covering all the important bits relating to Linkedin Learning that you need to know if you are considering using this premium subscription as your go-to online learning platform.
Among many online learning platforms, LinkedIn Learning (previously Lynda.com), takes the lead as a professional development e-learning platform. With over 20,000 courses, and a wide variety of topics, such as design, business, and tech, you will be able to grow or refresh your current knowledge of a certain topic or explore a new field and gain in-demand skills, while being taught by the top industry experts.
What do LinkedIn Learning courses have to offer? 💭
What we love most about the LinkedIn Learning experience is that it provides learners with either introductory or in-depth information on certain topics.
Some of us have had the luck of not having to touch Excel in years, but if we suddenly needed to, the basics can easily be reviewed with Excel Essential Training 2021 but you also have the access to become a master with their Excel: Advanced Formulas and Functions.
This applies to other topics as well:
- Photoshop: Photoshop one in one: Fundamentals (beginner) Photoshop One-on-One: Advanced (advanced)
- Python: Python for beginners (beginner) or Advanced Python: Working with Databases (advanced)
Moreover, you can give your career a fresh start by specializing in new fields, such as:
- Digital Marketing: Becoming a Digital Marketing Specialist
- Video Editing: Become a Video Editor
You could also acquire Soft Skills with the following courses:
- 10 Ways to Stay Motivated While Job Hunting — much needed this year
- Working with Difficult People because there is always that one person that makes us want to risk it all.
- The one we would like our managers to watch themselves Zoom: Leading Effective and Engaging Calls
It is worth noting that there are two different ways of learning, by courses and learning paths.
What are Learning Paths? 🚶♀️
Learning paths are collections of different courses relating to a similar subject or specialty. Naturally, they tend to be substantially longer than your average course.
Another huge pro is being able to learn on the go, with offline viewing. With the LinkedIn Learning mobile app, you can download tutorial videos from your courses and view them anywhere at any time. One con of this feature is that it is only available for mobile, not for desktop.
Click either option to view the relevant mobile app: AppStore, Google Play Store
With their personalized suggestions, which take into account your topics of interest on your Linkedin Account (if any), you can see the course content that is most relevant to you and your goals easily.
Does Linkedin Leaning Offer Certificates of Completion? 📜
Yes! Certificates of completion are awarded when you have completed watching all the course content.
These certificates of completion are awarded per course or learning path. And, you can display them directly on your LinkedIn profile. This gives you a competitive edge during the application process since you can display these specific skills and certifications often needed for roles easily on your profile.
Additionally, there are also different types of certifications available. At the moment, Linkedin Learning offers Professional Certificates, Certification Preparation, Continuing Education, and even Academic Credits.
Types of Certifications in Linkedin Learning 📝
- Certifications Preparation: take your business or technical exams with ease. There are over 700+ courses to help you ace your certification exams, from Microsoft, Six Sigma, AWS, and many more.
- Continuing Education (CEU): this helps learners get credits to keep an existing license or certification. The available CEU courses as of writing this article are:
- Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA)
- Human Resources Certification Institute (HCRI)
- International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA)
- National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
- Project Management Institute (PMI)
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
If you want to learn more about Continuing Education with Linkedin Learning, including the compatible courses, how to submit your completion certificate to the relevant institution, and more here.
- Academic Credits: Certain Universities listed here count specific courses towards your university credits. You can easily preview what University Course each Linkedin Learning course credit can be applied to easily by clicking “Linkedin Learning Paths”. For example, Northumbria University in Newcastle UK has credit 4 credit-qualifying learning paths: Becoming a Data Analyst, Becoming a Data Scientist, Master R for Data Science, Become a Bussiness Analyst Expert. The credits from these courses can be applied to Master in Data Science and other programs (not specified).
- Professional Certificates: Specialised courses are made in collaboration with the providing company to prep and showcase your skills easily to said, employers. Currently, there are very few professional certificates available in Linkedin learning.
In the future, we hope that Linked in learning partners with more universities and expands the pool for their professional certificates since it is pretty limited at the moment.
Pricing: How much does Linkedin learning cost? 💵
As of writing this article, there are two billing cycles available for Linkedin learning:
For Individuals 👤
- $39.99 as a monthly subscription
- $239.88 as an annual subscription ($19.99/month).
The first month of both subscriptions is free and unfortunately, there aren’t any free courses.
This full access one-month free trial allows you to discern if this is the right platform for you and your current learning needs since they have a 30-day refund policy. Additionally, if you end your subscription before the next billing cycle, you will still have access to the course library until the original trial period date is reached and can retain access to your completed courses to add to your Linkedin account profile.
Linkedin Learning Cost UK
In the UK, Linkedin Learning costs:
- Annual plan: £203.88 Per year (£16.99/month)
- Monthly plan: £29.99 per month ( £359.88 annually)
For Teams and Organizations 🏢
There is also special pricing in Linkedin Learning for Teams & Organizations:
- $379.99 per license /year for 2-20 Licenses.
- 21+ licenses for enterprises, you must reach out directly for a quote. You can get in touch by clicking here.
Although Linkedin Learning is at the higher end of the spectrum of online courses (Masterclass: $15/month billed annually. Udemy: $26.99/month. And, about the same as Coursera: $39/month ), it also provides unlimited access to Linked in Premium
So, if you aren’t already subscribed to Linkedin Premium, and are trying to gain access to expert-led courses, this Linkedin learning subscription would be the best-suited and most economical choice.
Note: LinkedIn Premium provides access to Linkedin Learning. If you would like to give the one-month free trial a go, you can do it here!
I don’t like having a Subscription Plan. Can I buy individual courses? 👤
Yes! You can purchase individual courses in LinkedIn learning.
Pricing varies between courses though. The pricing range for individual courses is around: $25 – $49
Any individual courses you buy will come with lifetime access. Whereas with the subscription plans, you will only have access to the courses you have completed to add to your profile.
How is my performance graded in LinkedIn Learning? 💯
Your progress will be measured in two ways:
- Quizzes: questionnaires on the content you have just learned.
- Exercise Files: Practice content made by the course professor/organization to help you with the course. These files are private and only you can view them.
Not all courses have assessments. You can preview the content of each course from its content column in each course in the main page.
Does LinkedIn Learning help you get a job?
According to Linkedin themselves, “Applicants with LinkedIn Learning certificates have a 9% higher chance of getting hired compared to those that don’t. “ (Poague, 2021)
So, it does give you a boost among the crowd of applicants. It definitively demonstrates initiative and eagerness to learn and polish new or existing skills.
Plus, how many people add certain tools such as Figma, Photoshop, Indesign, and After Effects, but don’t have some sort of certification to back it up?
Let’s be honest, we have all added secondary skills needed for a job that we really didn’t know how to use just for the sake of landing an interview. Therefore, certifying your proficiency in a tool, software, or topic to employers definitively makes you stand out.
So… is LinkedIn Learning worth the money?
Use that free trial!
The one free month trial gives you a chance to opt out if you find yourself not really using it as much as you thought you would.
If you still aren’t fully convinced, check out some of the popular courses:
- Ethical Hacking: Mobile Devices and Platforms — Mobile devices play a key role in our lives and they have your personal and private information. This makes them a great target for hacking, especially if we have our guards down. Malcolm Shore, a cybersecurity expert, explores and explains the weak spots of mobile devices and how to prevent them.
- Server Administration Essential Training — Ideal for passionate entry-level IT students, you’ll be introduced to the fundamentals of server architecture, user administration, virtualization, storage, security, networking, disaster recovery, problem-solving, and troubleshooting theory.
- Part-time Real State Investing — Aspiring to become a real state agent but don’t really know much about it? This course is right for you. Learn how to invest in real state when you already have a 9-5.
- Social Media Marketing Tips — Nowadays social media plays a key role in any business or company. Learning social media marketing has never been as relevant as it is today, and knowing how to effectively manage a social media presence to effectively convert into sales. From Google analytics to Facebook marketing, this course is a must for anyone who is thinking of running a social media page professionally or is already doing so.
Personal Recommendations 📚
And last but not least, our personal course recommendations:
- How Design Makes Us Think — learn how good design is key to any product and how it allows you to effectively connect to the user.
- Negotiating Your Job Offer — improve your negotiation skills and make your job offers meet your demands, not the other way around.
- Financial Accounting — learn to interpret and communicate financial statements effectively.
In conclusion, Linkedin Learning represents good value with features such as learning paths, certificates of completion & their mobile app, albeit at a higher price point when compared to Masterclass at $15/month billed annually, Udemy at $26.99/month, and about the same as Coursera: $39/month.