Techblog
Top 5 Learning Websites for SMEs to Upgrade their Skills
Learning websites help you to upgrade skills, discover completely new ways of working, engage with other creative entrepreneurs, enhance your knowledge and more - discover our top five online learning resources for SME Owners.
The web is a powerful tool for learning. It is easily accessible to anyone, requires minimal costs (often, it's completely free), and above all, it is an unparalleled resource of education and learning opportunities. Reliable learning websites offer not only key business lessons, but also keep users updated with useful information that is both current and relevant to their needs.
SME owners and employees can continue to improve their skills and to cover any gaps in their knowledge. Self-improvement and upgrading of skills helps with making oneself more appealing to customers and clients. Staff who have new skills can be a more valuable asset to companies...the benefits are of e-learning are indeed numerous.
Here are the top five learning websites that SME owners and their staff can benefit from:
1. Coursera
Coursera offers quality courses through partnerships with top universities and organisations across the world. Courses are available online for free and cover a wide range of languages and topics. Coursera Courses are deliberately planned, right down to a science (based on Pedagogical Foundations, which aim to help students learn quickly and effectively) - making it easier for you to master material through well-designed course structures and interactive exercises.
Sample Articles:
Financial Markets with Bob Shiller (Yale)
Startup Engineering with Balaji S. Srinivasan & Vijay S. Pande (Stanford)
2. UX Magazine
User experience (otherwise referred to as UX) - which simply describes how a person interacts with and feels about an online (or app-based) product - is becoming increasingly relevant for online and mobile businesses. Whether you are just exploring the online platform or you are looking to further enhance your existing online or mobile presence, UX is key to connecting with your consumer. UX Magazine is an incredible (and credible) resource for everything UX-related, with informative, up-to-date articles shared by UX professionals from across the web.
Sample Articles:
How To Get The Most From Digital Customer Experience Investments
Three Lessons Learned Doing Content Strategy For A Startup
3. CreativeLive
CreativeLive connects the world'souchers, tax incentives, grants and loans. With only five options to choose from, it will be much easier for companies to zero in on the type of support they need.
Less hassle, however, does not mean reduced assistance from the government. The newly introduced Capability Development Grant (CDG) offers a wide range of productivity and capability upgrading support for SMEs - from branding, business strategy and human capital development to technology innovation, service excellence and the enhancement of quality and standards.
To supplement the streamlining efforts, the application processes for these programmes have also been simplified. For example, an 11-page application form has been cut down to two pages. It will also soon be possible to make and track
applications online, with templates and "how-to" guides to assist SMEs in the submission.
The streamlining efforts have already met with approval from SMEs and industry associations as a step in the right direction. "The business community welcomes the streamlining, which should make it easier to navigate the support offerings available to SMEs. In addition, the flexibility enables businesses to apply for these schemes with relative ease," says Mr Tay.
Reproduced with permission from SPRINGnews March 2013 Issue. Published by SPRING Singapore.