We see many students who complete online lessons for Python, get a passing grade on a quiz for a badge, and are then unable to complete simple tasks for class. In Technology careers, we look for proof of work, i.e. code that runs, systems that are up and running, data that clearly tells a story, security practices that hold up under pressure. Watching videos to learn to use online courses for Technology careers is only the beginning.

When people talk about online education, they often speak of the many opportunities available to study for a career in technology such as software development, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data analytics, UX design and IT support. And they are right. For the first time in history, online education offers serious opportunities for people all over the world to study for a career in technology. However, freedom also has its disadvantages. While a campus schedule, a lab partner or even online learning can help prepare you for the work of a software developer, information security specialist, cloud computing specialist, data analyst or other technology worker but only if you treat online learning as you would actually working at a job.

Online Learning Needs To Be Treated Like A Real Job

The first step in taking online classes is to create a very realistic study schedule for yourself (i.e. outlining specific classes and specific tasks within those classes, and then specifying a time and date for the task to be completed). For example, study Linux file permissions and complete the corresponding lab for that lesson, then write up a few sentences describing what commands you used and how you used them.

Many people think to complete online learning in chunks, i.e. watching 3 hours of video after a long day of classes or work, but this can lead to lots of poorly used cognitive capacity. Working in short but focused blocks, i.e. 45 minutes of coding followed by 10 minutes of note taking, is far more effective.

Also, the issue of competing coursework needs to be addressed. While a computer science student is studying Java for instance, he/she will also have to complete papers for other subjects such as history, sociology, or even composition. This means that students need to manage their academic workload with the same level of care and attention they would apply to managing version control or planning a project sprint. When academic responsibilities become difficult to balance, students may also explore options such as using a service to do my paper while staying mindful of their academic responsibilities.

Choose Courses By Outcomes, Not Hype

The online learning market is awash with hundreds of different courses, all promising to teach the same set of “job ready” skills. They often have very impressive-sounding names, with corresponding-sounding instructor profiles and large numbers of equally impressive-sounding student testimonials, each describing how the bootcamp they attended gave them the skills they needed to get the job they wanted. Slow down.

When choosing to sign up for an online course, first read the full syllabus and ask yourself one question: What am I going to be able to build/write/fix after this course? Look for online courses with projects, up-to-date tools, frequent and meaningful assessment, and some connection to how things are done in “the real world”.

Looking at projected job growth for the next decade, many computer and information technology jobs are looking very promising. And keep in mind that “tech” is not one job. A help desk technician has very different foundational skills than a front-end developer, for example. Data analysts and engineers in cloud computing require different sorts of skills as well. Harvard CS50, MIT OpenCourseWare, and resources from IEEE Computer Society offer many programs with durable skills to learn such as algorithms, networks, systems, and problem solving.

Here is a practical way to turn online lessons into portfolio material: Read the new instruction material (e.g. for a new class or lesson) in 2 sittings. Two sessions of class to work on hands-on projects without following the step-by-step answers in the tutorial. 1 session for Reviewing Mistakes & Organizing Notes & Building a Portfolio. Reading the documentation for a software package or an online service and then searching for other technical articles online to learn more.

Build Projects That Show Judgment

A certificate can demonstrate to an applicant tracking system that a candidate has taken initiative to learn about technology, but to a hiring manager, nothing demonstrates work capability more than being able to do the work of the job. Remember, a portfolio does not have to consist of a lot of projects. A few thoughtful and honestly made projects are sufficient.

So, try to come up with solutions to the everyday problems like for example: managing expenses, collecting and organizing study material, visualizing data about local weather, automating backup of files, setting up a small inventory system for a family business etc. One of the simplest ways to create a portfolio from online learning is: Start building the tutorial project from scratch again (without watching the tutorial again). Build another project that solves a slightly different problem. Add a feature that requires reading official documentation. Document the project in a good README. Record what broke and how you fixed it.

Beginners hide their mistakes. Professionals document them. The notes that a recruiter or even a mentor reads with interest include descriptions of how one worked around a problem, how one debugged, and even the ways in which one decided to go in a different direction.

As a non-technical student, you can use GitHub to add projects to your portfolio. This could be a home lab configuration for Cybersecurity students, a notebook with explanations for Data students, and architecture diagrams with deployment notes for Cloud students. Remember to not include any sensitive information such as credentials.

Learn How Professionals Actually Solve Problems

Technology work is almost never a black-and-white case of right vs. wrong. Professionals search documentation for solutions. They read error messages for clues. They compare alternatives. They consult with other professionals. They test hypotheses. And they revise their approaches as necessary.

Once you have worked through the online lesson, re-implement one of the tutorials for a different purpose. This is a great way to practice problem-solving, as well as to become more familiar with different tools and ways of working. As you go through the process of problem-solving and implementation, keep a small notebook to record what happens as you go through the process of debugging and problem-solving.

Most of the research on how people learn has been done by the people at Stanford, so that is what we go with. In terms of technology education, the key point is that there is a lot of hard work to do, and it is best that you do it yourself, as opposed to reading someone else’s solution to a problem that you were trying to solve.

Online communities to get help, such as discussion boards for a course, a school’s online forums for students, Discord channels for people who do similar work, and Q&A sites like Stack Overflow for programmers, can be a good resource. The way you ask a question is important, however. Instead of asking “My code doesn’t work”, for example, provide details about what you tried, what you were trying to achieve, what happened instead, and include a small code snippet that is relevant to the problem.

Do Not Ignore Communication Skills

Technical ability gets attention. Communication keeps careers moving. Even a junior developer is going to have to explain to someone why a particular development task can’t be done. A data analyst has to explain to a manager what numbers mean. Cybersecurity incident response analysts have to write clear notes that can be read by legal staff, by operational staff and by senior management.

Online students can demonstrate skills in many ways. For example, students can write short summaries of their projects, keep clear comments for their commit messages, make diagrams, record a 2 minute walkthrough of a program, participate in a peer review and write good feedback (instead of good, keep specific instead of general). It’s not necessarily the most technically gifted person that stands out. Rather, it’s someone who can explain to you the business value of the technical details that they’re working with.

Use AI Tools Carefully

AI-powered coding tools are part of the learning environment nowadays, so denying their existence is futile. They can explain the meaning of strange syntax or even help generating some exercises to practice. As with everything in life, however, they can also be used in a wrong way: students become spectators instead of active participants in their learning process.

One thing to remember is to never submit a piece of code that you cannot explain in detail. Work with AI to help explain the strange syntax of a language, to generate study problems for you, or to help compare two different methods of completing a task. Just remember to test everything that you work with, and especially be cautious of security-related code that you might copy and paste, as it could potentially harm your system or be in violation of your school’s policies. You want to be able to evaluate output of such tools. Employers want to hire graduates that have some basic understanding of how things work.

Keep Your Learning Tied To A Career Direction

Early on, in the initial stages of online learning, it’s good to explore different areas of interest, e.g., web development, databases, network administration, data analysis, programming in various languages. However, as time goes by, it’s advisable to focus on a particular area in which one wants to develop skills in order to reach a certain level of proficiency within a few months.

The most important thing is to have a “focus area” for the next 3 months. For cloud support that would be Linux, basic networking, one cloud provider and scripting. For front-end development that would be HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Accessibility and one framework on top of the basics. For data analytics that would be spreadsheets, SQL, one programming language (e.g. Python), statistics and data visualization.

The online courses and training can lead to real jobs in technology if you follow a winning strategy of deliberately practicing a set of skills, publicly displaying your growing abilities, clearly writing about what you have learned, and thoughtfully reflecting on what worked well and not so much in your efforts to acquire technology skills. Learn, build, explain, repeat.