Between the digital nomad trend and the effects of the global pandemic on office culture, opportunities to do stuff online are growing. This is especially good news if you’re looking for a career change, and you want to complete most or all of your training online. Here are nine careers you can train for remotely.
#1: Teaching
Teaching credentials help you transform your existing degree into a career in education. You’ll likely need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to enroll in an online teaching credential program, but through global campuses, you can get your degree online, too. Once you have an undergraduate degree, you’ll have the opportunity to enroll in specialized credential programs for the state you wish to teach in.
#2: Web Developer
While many developers hold traditional degrees, the field is full of people who came to their positions along a more DIY path. You can learn web development through websites like Free Code Camp, Lynda, Codecademy, Learntocodewith.me, Udemy, Khan Academy, Treehouse, and others. The challenge is typically to hurdle the learning curve from coding basics into practical application, and then again into production level. You may do well to supplement your online coursework with a hands-on boot camp, a tutor, or an experienced mentor.
#3: Filmmaker
Yes, you can attend a film school online. The Los Angeles Film School, for example, offers fully online degree programs. The popular MasterClass platform includes classes in directing, acting, and screenwriting from such teachers as Ron Howard, David Lynch, Jodie Foster, Werner Herzog, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, Ken Burns, Mira Nair, Spike Lee, Judd Apatow, and Helen Mirren.
#4: Novelist
Along the same lines as number three above, the MasterClass platform includes classes from such novelists as Neil Gaiman, Dan Brown, Margaret Atwood, R. L. Stine, Judy Blume, James Patterson, Joyce Carol Oates, and David Baldacci. That should be enough novelist training to get you started on your first draft.
#5: Bookkeeping
Aspiring bookkeepers can learn financial accounting foundations, bookkeeping basics, payroll, accounts payable, balance sheets, financial statements, QuickBooks, and other critical skills online. You can piece together coursework from various training platforms to save money or try a “complete package” career-preparation curriculum that comes with personalized coaching and a diploma.
#6: Plant-Based Nutrition Coach
If you have discovered first-hand the power of a whole-food, plant-based diet and you want to help others do the same, try one of the online plant-based courses from some of the most respected names in the industry. T. Colin Campbell’s Center for Nutrition Studies (Dr. Campbell co-authored The China Study) offers a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate through eCornell. Other online courses are available from The College of Natural Health at Kingdom University, Rouxbe’s Plant-Based Nutrition Course, the AFPA Holistic Nutrition Certificate, Main Street Vegan Academy, and the Food Over Medicine Certified Instructor course.
#7: Computer SysAdmin
Much like option number two, web developer, the system administrator field is full of practitioners who learned their craft through books, online courses, and hands-on experience. Learning platforms with system administration courses to help you grasp the fundamentals include Coursera, Udemy, Lynda, and Cybrary. Professionals typically hold a certification such as Red Hat Certified Engineer, Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert, Oracle Linux System Administrator, or CompTIA Server+.
#8: Language Interpreter
The primary qualification to be a language interpreter is to be able to demonstrate fluency in multiple languages. A college degree may help your job prospects but is not always required. If you are fluent in any language beyond English, you might enroll in online training for medical interpreters and other specialties, many of which provide certifications.
#9: Reiki Practitioner
Students can find a variety of online courses to study Reiki, the Japanese stress reduction, and healing techniques that can be performed from a distance. Part of the popularity of Reiki is that the practitioner doesn’t need to be in the same room as the patient; this really comes in handy during a global pandemic.