LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — Motlow State Community College now offers an option for Moore County residents who want to up-skill or change careers without ever enrolling in college. Through a partnership with Coursera, Motlow has thousands of credentials available for anyone, regardless of educational background, to use.
Coursera is an online course provider that offers certifications designed by top-tier companies such as CVS, IBM, and Google. These certifications pave the way to careers such as Human Resources, Cybersecurity, Customer Service, IT, and Social Media Marketing. Coursera’s agreement with Motlow removes almost all costs for those who register, making it a more affordable option than most collegiate programs.
Coursera courses never expire, so users can complete the classes on their schedule and at their own pace. Upon completion of only one credential, users are eligible to apply for new jobs. These online training tools teach marketable skills that are highly valuable to many companies. Motlow students who want to earn a certificate in addition to their two-year degree can inquire as to how some Coursera courses count for college credit.
Motlow is proud to offer opportunities to everyone in its 11-county service area, not just its students. The College believes that great educational and career opportunities should be available to all, and this partnership with Coursera is a key way of accomplishing that mission. College does not always align well with busy schedules, but Coursera is a flexible, affordable option for any busy adult.
Current Motlow Student and 2023 SkillsUSA award-winner Mariam Tanas enrolled in a Google IT certification course and has already put it to great use.
“I was interested in this course because I could go at my own pace without worrying about deadlines as I did it, all while being a full-time college student. I can confidently say I feel like I know a lot more of the background behind many IT concepts that I did not previously know,” she said.
“After completing my first part of the IT professional course, I added it to my LinkedIn profile. In combination with this course, I was also taking computer science classes and competed in IT competitions through SkillsUSA. With the knowledge that I learned in this course, I did well in my competitions and got hired by the University of Alabama in Huntsville as a Cybersecurity Research Engineer Assistant and Intern. I hope to eventually go from Cybersecurity Research Engineer Assistant to Cybersecurity Research Engineer one day. I also hope to find purpose and fulfillment within my new role, and I would recommend Coursera courses to anyone wanting to be able to learn what they feel passionate about at their own pace.”
To see the full list of Coursera course offerings and find a career you will love, visit Motlow’s website at Motlow.edu/academics/programs/coursera. Interested parties can sign up or learn more information by contacting Workforce Development at [email protected].•