Wednesday is "Learn from Home Day," an initiative started by several online platforms to offer a series of free, online classes for people looking to pick up a new skill.
From learning a new language to cooking a delicious dish to adding to their professional skill-set, Zach Sims said the idea came about because he and his partners wanted to provide an educational spark at a time when people most need it.
Sims is the co-Founder and CEO of Codeacademy, an online-learning website that teaches people computer coding skills.
“I think it’s really easy now to get stuck with unfortunate habits and hobbies,” he said. “Picking up a new hobby or a new habit, learning something new, gives you something to look forward to,” Sims says.
While many of the "Learn from Home Day" classes teach students things that could be considered hobbies, Sims said most of Codeacademy’s new users are trying to learn skills that can help them professionally.
Perhaps that’s no surprise, given record unemployment numbers that continue to rise.
“More so than ever, with today’s economy, learning new skills is the gateway to employment when it’s harder to find a job,” Sims said.
Sims adds that the goal of the day is to be fun. Learning is a habit, he said, and by giving users so many free classes to choose from, they can easily sample a topic that might interest them. If they don’t like it, they can simply try another.
“I think, even if you’re just dropping in to pick up one new hobby or one new habit, worst case, you don’t like it. And you can go back to your routine. But best case, it can change your life."
To see a list of sample classes and sign up, visit Codeacademy.com.