These three online courses should be top considerations for those looking to stay relevant

17th May 2019

While it might be true that automation and machine learning threatens the job market to a certain degree, there are a number of careers out there for students to consider.

Most of these careers involve tech but that’s the world we live in. The good thing is, with the state of our universities and the dangers involved with students being away from home, many of these careers can be pursued via online courses.

At first, it might be something to scoff at – obtaining a degree worth anything online? However, the fact of the matter is, students can now get a masters degree online these days.

And with the cost of education not going down, being able to live at home while studying for a meaningful degree can save a family a lot of money over time.

If you’re a parent considering online college for your child or if you’re someone who wants to go back to school, here is my pick of the best courses to take for the future.

1. Online Masters in Data Science

American computer scientist Jim Gray said that data science would become the “fourth paradigm” of science, which includes empirical, theoretical, computational, as well as data-driven.

The field of data science is a multi-disciplinary one which uses scientific processes, methodologies, algorithms, and systems to draw out insights and knowledge from various forms of raw data, much in the same way as data mining. Such data could be structured, while most of it is unstructured.

Some of the biggest trends in this field lie in the following:

Blockchain
Persistent memory servers
Commercial AI and ML
NLP/ conversational analytics
Data fabric
Graph analytics
Explainable AI
Continuous intelligence
Augmented data management
Augmented analytics

To pursue a career along these lines, one would have to obtain a data science masters.

To qualify for this course, one would need to have a Bachelor degree. However, possessing senior levels in mathematics skills such as algebra and elementary differential calculus is also sufficient.

If one doesn’t have a Bachelor degree or the required mathematical skills, then five years in a data science-related industry or as IT is also sufficient. Such industry experience should include some computing, data analysis, or programming experience.

2. Online Bachelors In Digital Marketing

Look in the jobs section of any classified and it becomes clear to see what industry is always looking for fresh, new faces: marketing.

However, marketing isn’t exactly what it used to be a decade or so ago. Companies aren’t looking for someone to do hundreds of cold-calls a day or go door-to-door. Today’s marketer is required to be tech-savvy and to know the ins and outs of social media.

To better understand what consists of digital marketing, let’s take a look at the official definition:

“Digital marketing is the marketing of products or services using digital technologies, mainly on the Internet, but also including mobile phones, display advertising, and any other digital medium.

This means that anyone who obtains a Bachelor degree in digital marketing has the capability of choosing numerous career paths dealing with digital marketing.

Some of the 2019 trends surrounding this sector include:

Consumers are the currency for brands
Martech is the new buzzword floating around
Brands will be spending more on web-based video advertising
Generation Z is poised to be online nearly 50 percent of the time
Big Data will become a marketer’s best friend
AI will be increasingly adopted by marketers
Digital advertising will become a more “in-house” operation
Voice and visual technology will become more of a mainstay

3. Bachelor Degree In Computer Forensics

More criminal behaviour is taking place over the Internet than ever before.

As each generation becomes more tech savvy than the previous, this trend of cybercrime will only escalate. If you want to read about cybersecurity and hacking, you can check out hackingtutorials.org.

Law enforcement agencies from around the world are looking to fill positions related to computer forensics in astounding numbers.

Those working in this field are usually referred to as a computer forensics specialist. They can either work for law enforcement, private investigative firms, or for tech companies.

When someone obtains a degree in computer forensics, they’ll be qualified to do the following jobs:

Recover information from computers and storage devices
Assisting law enforcement officers with cyber crimes by retrieving digital evidence
Investigate cyber-related embezzlement, identity theft, fraud, and hacker activities
Track cyber criminals using various digital tools and methods

If you’re both tech-savvy and love the idea of investigating cybercrime, you could very well find a computer forensics job fulfilling and rewarding.

The Great Thing About Taking a Course Online

The awesome thing about living in this day and age is how technology has inundated nearly every aspect of your lives. One of those aspects on top of the list is education.

Whether you’re someone who works a regular job and want to pursue a degree in your spare time or you’re someone who doesn’t want to go to a campus, taking an online college course is a great solution.=

Lastly, you can find all kinds of online course available from all around the world offering numerous degrees, so you don’t have to settle for just one.