Popular Self-Paced Online Courses

Post by Open Colleges on June 5th, 2020

Aiming to switch careers or upskill in your industry? Or maybe you’re looking to move into a job that allows you to work more easily from home?

Open Colleges offers a variety of courses across a wide range of industries. From business administration to social media marketing to accounting and bookkeeping, you’ll find a wide and comprehensive range of educational courses.

The best thing about Open Colleges courses is that they can be completed online at your own pace. This flexibility allows you to pursue your career dreams while managing your life’s other commitments. You can study wherever, whenever.

Take a look at some of OC’s most popular courses below.

1. Certificate III in Education Support

Open Colleges’ Certificate III in Education Support is designed to fully prepare you for a career in the classroom, supporting teachers and working with students. If you’re looking to become a Teacher’s Aide, Learning Support Assistant, or Support Worker assisting children with special needs, this is the course for you.

Learning Outcomes

Communication and collaboration skills in a classroom environment
Ability to help children learn and develop numeracy, literacy, and oral language skills
Training to manage behavioral issues and support those with special learning needs
Learn how to implement planned education programs and manage community education centers
Choose your own area of specialization, from small group learning to supporting ESL students to working with families

How Does the Course Work?

You’ll learn at your own pace online in addition to 120 hours of work placement in a real classroom of your choosing.

Subject areas covered in the curriculum include Facilitating programs and behavior, developing literacy and oral language skills, developing numeracy skills in education, health and safe practices in education, diversity in the workplace, contributing to student development, legal and ethical practices in education, resource planning in education, and a number of electives.

Potential Career Outcomes

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander education worker
Education Assistant
Education Assistant (special needs)
Education Support Officer
Education Support Worker
Home Tutor
Homeland Teaching Assistant
Language Worker
Literacy Worker
School Learning Support Officer
Support Worker (working with children with disabilities)
Teacher Aide
Teaching Assistant

2. Professional Communications Short course

This course is for those looking to improve their communication skills in the workplace. Whether you’re entering a business environment for the first time or a seasoned employee wanting to build your rapport with colleagues and management, this course will help you stand out from the crowd. Professional communication skills are equally important whether you work in an office or remotely from home, and they’re the kind of integral skills employers are on the look out for.

Learning Outcomes

Communicate verbally and professionally with your boss, peers and anyone else
Interpret body language–yours and others to read any situation and present the right message
communicate positively and manage emotions
Actively listen for meaning and move forward with confidence
Use formal and informal language for in-person, phone and email scenarios
Get your written message across in the right way to various audiences
Become a better communicator and understand how to best avoid common communication pitfalls
Learn specific, practical skills such as how to write better emails, get interview ready and speak professionally
Stand-out effectively among your peers and develop more meaningful workplace relationships
Earn your certificate (for sharing, further study or career pathway options)

How Does the Course Work?

Completing this course at your own pace, you can study whenever it’s convenient for you whether that means every day or a few hours a week. You’ll have 3 months’ access to the course. The average time spent completing the course is 20 hours.

You’ll be provided with interactive video scenarios, practical activities and must-have resources, and you’ll learn interview preparation and gain the skills to speak to any audience. Whether you’ve just left school, are entering the workforce for the first time, or are in the early stages of your career, this course will meet you where you’re at.

3. Diploma of Business

One of Open Colleges’ hottest courses, the Diploma of Business is an online business course designed collaboratively with industry experts to bring you the most current knowledge and most in-demand skills in the business world.

Learning Outcomes

Studying online over a maximum of 18-months, you will cover all the essentials of business administration, including risk management. You will also master effective communication, and project and meeting management.
Elective streams in the online business course let you choose which area you would like to specialise in: e-commerce or human resources.
Future-proof your career by getting a skillset that can be used across many industries, including logistics, marketing, administration and finance.
With Open Colleges’ Diploma of Business, you will graduate with a nationally recognised qualification.
You will be supported through your study by industry professionals who have years of experience in the business sector.

How Does the Course Work?

Once you are enrolled in the course, you will receive access to the first Module, which contains the first set of units for the course. When you have successfully completed those units, you’ll be given access to the next Module.

Subjects covered include managing business document design and development, managing risk, undertaking project work, managing meetings, developing workplace policy and procedures for sustainability, managing the recruitment selection and induction process, and a number of electives.

Potential career outcomes

Business Coordinator
Business Development Manager
Business Unit Manager
Department Manager
E-Commerce Manager
Online Entrepreneur
Project Consultant
Team Leader

4. Diploma of Human Resources Management

If you’re hoping to move into HR or step up into a senior HR role, this course is for you. Entirely online, the Diploma of Human Resources Management covers advanced HR principles and prepares you for a successful career in the field.

Learning Outcomes

managing human resource services
workforce planning
performance management
recruitment, selection and workplace induction
remuneration and employee benefits
separation and termination
workplace learning
change management

How Does the Course Work?

Subjects covered include learning to manage human resource services, managing employee relations, managing recruitment selection and induction, developing and managing performance management processes, developing a workplace learning environment, managing workforce planning, and managing renumeration and employee benefits.

Potential career outcomes

Change Manager
Human Resource Advisor
Human Resources Consultant
Human Resources Manager
Talent Management Consultant

5. Diploma of Social Media Marketing

You don’t need any marketing experience to complete this course—just a passion for helping businesses grow through social media. Become an expert in the field through this Diploma of Social Media Marketing, developed in tandem with Forbes’ listed Top 50 global social media experts.

Learning Outcomes

The fundamentals of social media marketing
How to create engaging and effective marketing content
How to develop a social media network strategy featuring both organic posts and paid advertising on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat and more
The art of mastering your own personal brand on social media
How to convert your social media marketing followers into customers
How to implement and manage a highly effective email marketing strategy
Develop an extensive online portfolio, which means you’ll have a body of quality work to show potential employers once you graduate.

Potential career outcomes

Communications Assistant
Content Marketing Manager
Social Media Community Manager
Social Media Consultant
Social Media Coordinator
Social Media Strategist

How Does the Course Work?

Once you are enrolled in this course, you will receive access to the first Module, which contains the first set of units for the course. When you have successfully completed those units, you’ll be given access to the next Module. Open Colleges may make changes to the course from time to time to reflect changes introduced to the relevant Training Package or other regulatory requirements.

Subjects covered include intro to social media marketing, social media strategy and implementation, growing social media channels, mastering your personal brand online, social media marketing conversion and email marketing, ROI of marketing strategies, and project management.

6. Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping

For those considering a career in finance, why not try accounting and bookkeeping? You may be in the early stages or your career or a seasoned business owner—either way, this Certificate in Accounting and Bookkeeping will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need.

Learning Outcomes

The fundamentals of accounting and bookkeeping
How to prepare financial reports and manage operational budgets
How to set up and operate accounting systems (including cloud computing practices)
Managing payroll and preparing business activity statements (BAS)
Customer service standards in the financial industry
Designing and producing business documents
Small business planning

You’ll also gain a range of financial skills from how to prepare operational budgets and financial reports to setting up and operating accounting systems, managing payroll and preparing Business Activity Statements (BAS).

How Does the Course Work?

The course is entirely self-paced, online. Once you are enrolled in this course, you will receive access to the first Module, which contains the first set of units for the course. When you have successfully completed those units, you’ll be given access to the next Module.

Subjects covered include foundations in accounting and bookkeeping, preparing ledgers, financial reporting, requirements for non-reporting entities, cloud-based computing, computerized accounting systems, managing payroll, managing business activity statements, working effectively in financial services, designing business documents, and small business planning.