Professional Development: Where to Learn New Skills

At fresh&easy, we believe that learning is a life-long endeavor and that building skills and knowledge creates opportunities and enriches both the professional and the personal life. We ensure that employees are both trained and empowered to do their jobs well and that they excel in our fast-paced environment. Further, we encourage our staff to take control of their individual development. For example, when an employee expresses an interest in learning outside our training programs, our human resources team typically offer the following tips.

Public Libraries & Community Centers

Bypass a formal class by checking out a book or two from your local public library, where you can check out books for free! The toughest part of this route is sticking to it, so you may want to dedicate a specific time every week to reading and practicing the new skill you’re working on. Don’t forget to check your library’s collection of DVDs, CDs, and digital materials too! And finally, visit your library’s website or bulletin boards to see if they offer any classes.
 Good for Learning: Languages, technology, strategic methods 
like libraries, your local community or recreation center probably offers classes. These range from basic computer skills to advanced painting courses, so you can really let your imagination go wild! Unlike the library, these classes usually have a fee, but they tend to be fairly affordable and you will also meet people with similar interests to yours as well. 
Good for Learning: Technology, CPR and practical certifications

Online
The beauty of online courses is they are most often self-guided and relatively inexpensive, so you can learn at your own pace and based on your own schedule. We love lynda.com: an online warehouse of over 1,300 video tutorials on subjects from general business programs, like Microsoft Excel, to specialty programs like Photoshop, to seminars on online marketing techniques and social media. Last time we looked, they offered memberships for as low as $25 per month. Good for Learning: Technology and business

E-learning, or distance learning, is extremely popular with those with difficult schedules and limited budgets. Most community colleges, trade schools, and many universities are now offering a variety of academic and personal enrichment courses online. Some courses are self-guided and can be started at any time, while others follow a schedule. So be sure to plan ahead. Good for Learning: Any academic subject, certifications,

Volunteer Your Time or Become an Apprentice
Typically, small businesses and non-profit organizations are in need of skilled volunteers to assist everything from special projects to ongoing business operations. Volunteer work of this type can give you deep, on-the-job experience, which is difficult to replicate in any other way. Good for Learning: Specific business skills, leadership skills

Your Friends and Family

Do you have a friend who is amazing with Photoshop or a sibling who has a knack for bookkeeping? You may be able to help each other! Offer to train them in something you’re particularly good at and in exchange, your friend will train you. This requires a bit of patience and flexibility as neither one of you are trained teachers, but it is a free and fun way to learn something new! Good for Learning: Languages, technology, business skills

These are only a few of the resources out there for building professional skills. Browse the Internet and you will likely find websites, local organizations, online tutorials, and more dedicated to the skills you want to learn about.