LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform that helps individuals develop skills and knowledge through a series of expert-led course videos.
Online learning has multiple benefits as more and more people are working from home or are looking to improve their skills in their spare time. This can be done individually or as part of a team.
Read this complete article to know what is LinkedIn learning and how you can use LinkedIn to improve your skills.
How Does LinkedIn Learning Work?
Opening An Account
Creating a LinkedIn Learning account is easy to do, and you don’t have to have a standard account with the company to join.
If you do have a regular account then you can use your login information to sign into the platform.
Navigating LinkedIn Learning
Using the information on your LinkedIn profile you can explore course suggestions based on your experience.
With a library of on-demand instructional videos that are personalized to your skills and interests, there is something for everyone.
These videos can be watched whenever is convenient for you, all you need is access to a computer or other mobile device and some internet connection.
The LinkedIn Learning homepage allows you to explore the different courses available in four different ways, by filtering them into different categories such as recommendations, skills, and topics.
You can also use the search bar to locate courses with specific keywords.
Using The Player
When you’ve selected the course you’d like to take, you’ll be taken to the player screen which is how you watch the videos.
There are many ways to personalize your learning experience in order to get the most out of your learning.
Adjusting the playback speed allows you to slow things down or speed things up, which can help if you’re taking down notes.
Closed captioning is useful for those that are hard of hearing. Transcripts are available underneath the videos, these are particularly useful if you misunderstood a word or phrase or simply need to go over the lesson.
The player itself follows a simple layout that is formatted like any other video player, with buttons to pause/play, forward, and adjust the screen and sound settings.
Using A Mobile Device
If you’re using mobile to undertake your learning, you can do this on any iOS or Android device, perfect for those learning on the go.
The Learning app works seamlessly with the desktop experience, but when using the app you can save the videos for later learning and download them for offline viewing.
To download the course material to your device, go to the course page and click on the three-dot menu which appears in the upper right corner of the page, click ‘Download entire course’.
Consolidating Your Learning
Once you’ve watched the videos you can measure your progress with chapter quizzes and exercise files.
Comprehension-style and multiple choice questions are incorporated into the quizzes. These can be taken directly after a chapter has been completed or learners can come back to this later.
What Courses Can You Take?
There are over 13,000 courses on LinkedIn Learning. Courses span all the skills and knowledge relevant to business and management, technology as well as the creative industries.
Courses can teach you anything from how to use certain software programs to speaking confidently and effectively in public.
The most popular course on the platform in 2022 was ‘Goal Setting: Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).
Other popular courses surrounded Excel training (see also ‘How Long Does It Take To Learn Excel? Tips and Hacks‘), project management skills, and learning how to use software like Python.
Can You Learn As A Team?
LinkedIn Learning can be really handy if you need to get a team up to scratch with new skills or any changes in the industry landscape.
There are two different subscription types, for teams of 2-20 and those for organizations that have over 21 seats. With the team’s subscription, you can receive a free trial.
Increasing employee engagement is another reason companies use teams, this helps with employee satisfaction and helps them to develop professionally.
Research found that 94% of employees will stay at a company longer if they feel they have meaningful development opportunities.
Do You Have To Pay For LinkedIn Learning?
LinkedIn Learning (see also ‘How To Cancel LinkedIn Learning‘) offers users a one-month free trial which gives them access to the 13,000+ courses and other resources available on its platform. After this time, you’ll be automatically charged.
If you’re looking for free online courses, there is a variety available on the standard LinkedIn page.
Both monthly and annual subscriptions can be purchased on this platform. Regardless of the subscription type you sign up for, you still receive a free trial with both.
- Annual Fee: The annual fee is $323.88 ($26.99/month)
- Monthly Fee: A monthly fee costs $39.99 a month
Paying for an annual subscription does save you around 50% of the full year compared to a monthly version.
Consumers are given a 30-day refund guarantee when they purchase individual courses via LinkedIn Learning.
However, certain rules and regulations apply to this depending on the country you live in so make sure to read the fine print before you purchase anything.
What To Do When You’ve Completed Your Learning
After finishing a LinkedIn Learning course you receive an online certificate to demonstrate you’ve completed the relevant learning and developed new skills.
These are great as they can be added to your regular LinkedIn profile which can be shared with your network and can be great for those who are looking for new job opportunities.
To add a certificate to your profile, click on your profile photo and select ‘Learning History’, then ‘Add to Profile’. A pop-up window should appear for you to upload the certificate and other relevant information.
Final Thoughts
LinkedIn Learning is one of the most popular online learning platforms, subscribing to the platform allows you full access to all the course content you desire along with other helpful learning materials.
We hope you found this article interesting and informative, and have answered all your questions about LinkedIn Learning. See the full LinkedIn Learning review here for a more in-depth guide.
