How to use Skillshare to learn new skills and become a boss at everything
How much is too much learning? We take a look at the learning behemoth to see how much value you get for your buck.
Being a creative in the modern age means wearing many hats. No longer do we have the luxury of sitting in our ivory artist towers, focusing purely on our craft as we stroke our little goatees and smoke Gauloises. Of course, that image was pretty much always bullshit, especially when you consider that more than half the potential artists walking around on this here planet of ours can't grow goatees, and that Gauloises are absolutely rank. It has never been the case that artists could only focus on their craft. Even in worlds where artists had to be reliant on gatekeepers and publishing apparatuses, they still had to work out how to get past them.
But now, the gatekeepers are running scared, and the internet has enabled every creative mind to get their stuff out there in the world. Hooray! I hear you cry. (I hear you, sat there staring at your screen, calling out hooray to a half-packed commuter train. Did the person next to you give you a weird look? Don't worry about it. They're just a hater, and you don't need that kind of energy in your life.)
But while the internet makes it easier to get out there, it doesn't mean it's easy. Any creative today needs to be willing to either pay for someone to do all the stuff that the gatekeepers and systems used to do, or work out how to do some of it themselves. And that is where Skillshare comes in.
Skillshare is a platform that allows users to access a wide range of online courses from various providers. These can be from companies like Adobe, or just some kid in their bedroom who's worked out how to convey things easily. You can even upload your own courses and start teaching others. But while the quality of the courses is mixed enough that you sometimes need to do a bit of weeding, there are some truly excellent courses available. These can be a great way to learn new skills or brush up on ones you already know.
Tips to help you use Skillshare effectively:
Browse the courses offered by Skillshare and find ones that appeal to you. Okay, that sounds pretty obvious, but experimenting with specificity in the search engine is key. If you're looking for someone to teach you a specific trick in Photoshop, there's not much point just putting 'design' in the search engine. But searching around a subject can lead to some really interesting classes you might not have found. Check out how many viewers a course has, the reviews, and how many class projects have been submitted to judge your course.
Sign up for the course and start working through it. Some Skillshare courses are free, but the best value is in the premium area. But the good news is that the cost to access Skillshare Premium is extremely affordable. In the US it'll set you back $40/month billed monthly or $216/year ($17.99/month). And if you want to check it out first, they offer a free month's trial. When you first sign up for Skillshare, you’ll be given a list of courses that apply to your interests. When you browse the courses, be sure to choose skills that interest you. The more time you spend on the course, the better your chances of success. The best thing about Skillshare is being able to pause to take notes, practice doing something, or rewind to find something you might have missed.
Use the resources provided by Skillshare in order to boost your learning experience. The forums, chat rooms, and discussion boards are a great way to ask questions and connect with other students. There are also frequently updated videos that can help you understand the material better. And because the teachers are usually pretty normal people, they'll probably have their socials out there in the world where you can hit them up for more information, as long as you're not, you know, a douche canoe about it.
Use Skillshare as a supplement to your regular education or work schedule. The courses offered on Skillshare can be completed in short bursts, so they're perfect for when you have a few minutes to spare but don't want to waste time watching a long video. And if you're feeling ambitious, some courses offer graded assignments that can lead to real-world skills development. It's probably not going to work for you if you try to binge it all like it's Netflix, though.
What courses can you find on Skillshare?
Skillshare is a platform where users can access a variety of courses on different subjects. Courses are divided into categories, such as business, cooking, design, and more. Some of the popular courses on Skillshare include “How to Start a Business” and “How to Cook Like a Pro”. Some courses on Skillshare are focused on specific skills, such as Photoshop or gardening, while others are more general and cover a wide range of topics. Whether you're looking to learn new skills or expand your current knowledge, there's likely something on Skillshare that will interest you.
The best thing about using Skillshare as a creative is the range. Say you're a writer. Go on, say it. I'll wait. I told you, I've got all day. Good. Now don't you feel better? Anyway, there are loads of courses on writing craft on Skillshare, by the likes of Roxane Gay and Daniel José Older. But if you're a writer these days, whether you're traditionally published or indie (or any kind of creative really) you should probably know a bit about social media marketing, right? Well, you'll find some amazing courses on there (such as Andy J Pizza's incredible Social Media for Creatives course) for that, too.
The key to getting the most out of Skillshare is, well, to get the most out of it. Poke around under the hood and you'll find all sorts of courses, from art journaling to starting a YouTube channel to public speaking. Once you've paid your yearly membership, set yourself a new skill to learn every month, and pretty soon you won't need any of those gatekeepers, and you'll be able to boss this business they call creativity.
Learning new skills can be a daunting task. But with the right tools and resources, it can be easy! We hope that these tips have been helpful in helping you learn more through Skillshare. Do you use Skillshare? What course would you most recommend? What skills have you picked up? Drop your thoughts in the comments box below.