Comprehensive Learning Paths with LinkedIn Learning

Today, an investment in skill development is one of the most powerful ways professionals can future-proof themselves against change adaptions and workforce disruptions. 

"Over the past two years, we have seen a drastic shift in how working professionals think about and live out their values," said LaTrese Ferguson, director of Workplace Learning & Professional Development. "And as a result, these professionals are seeking more opportunities to learn and grow than ever before." 

With a commitment to meeting this workforce demand, Georgia Tech strategically works across the Institute to offer skill-building training, learning, and development opportunities for career growth and satisfaction -- with the latest investment being LinkedIn Learning. 

"At Georgia Tech, we strive to build a healthy and vibrant environment that helps every member of our community grow holistically and develop the self-awareness, knowledge, and practices necessary to pursue healthy, purposeful, fulfilling lives," emphasized Ferguson. "The commitment to our community's professional development, through LinkedIn Learning, is one way in which the Institute is living out this strategic value every day." 

Across a digital library of more than 16,000 courses taught by industry experts, the LinkedIn Learning platform refines and develops professional skills through a wide range of technical and business-related topics. Georgia Tech currently offers all faculty and staff access to this premium educational platform at no cost. 

"Topics range all experience and skill levels, varying from technical aptitude like Microsoft Excel and Tableau, to soft skill development like effective listening and personal effectiveness," noted Ferguson. "Additionally, there are modules specific to personal development such as stress management, mindfulness, and self-compassion." 

The journey to skill development starts within your LinkedIn Learning homepage, which you can access directly at linkedinlearning.gatech.edu. Your homepage will automatically populate with recommendations based on your job title or role, skills popular among people in your industry, and other featured content. These insights will become more fine-tuned as you search for and take courses or manually add desired skills to your profile. 

In addition to course content, you'll find additional tools to help you maximize your experience, including quizzes to help you gauge your understanding of the material, a place to take notes, and a Q&A section where you can communicate with the instructor and others taking the course. You'll also find a searchable transcript that can quickly take you to the point that most interests you. 

With most courses running for an hour or less, you don't need to invest a lot of time to benefit from development opportunities using the platform. Best of all, you can take your learning anywhere. Courses are accessible 24/7 from a desktop or mobile device, allowing for self-paced and on-demand learning. 

In addition to individual courses, LinkedIn Learning also offers a curated collection of sequenced courses known as learning paths. These preset pathways help guide you through more in-depth topics from diversity and inclusion to project management and leadership development while seamlessly integrating into your overall performance and career development plans. 

"No matter what level you're at in your career, there's always more skills to learn and more knowledge to obtain," said Ferguson. "With personalized, data-driven recommendations, LinkedIn Learning not only meets the skill-building needs of our campus professionals but also is a powerful tool for increasing employee retention and engagement." 

While it can be challenging to find time to pursue learning, the Workplace Learning & Professional Development team has highlighted a few suggested learning paths to best accommodate the professional development needs of Georgia Tech's faculty and staff. Within each learning pathway, you can either complete the entire series or select one or more unique courses that best fit your interests and skills development. 

Recommended learning pathways include: 

• Hybrid Work (Individual Contributors) 
• Hybrid Work (People Leaders) 
• Leadership and Management 
• Career Management 
• Mindfulness & Well-Being 

Once you've completed a course or a learning path, you'll be able to add a certificate of completion and the skills associated with the courses to your LinkedIn profile, allowing you to share this accomplishment with your personal network, colleagues, and people leaders while celebrating an important career growth achievement. Happy Learning!