Flexible Certificates & Upskilling Courses

Flexible Certificates / Upskilling Courses

• Coursera – Take a class, learn a skill, or earn a professional certificate
• edX – Take a free class from top universities, or work towards a degree or certificate
• LinkedIn Learning – Courses on business, technology, or creative topics, plus career development (OCC students get free access until March 2022 by entering their school email address here)
• OCC Career Education – Over 50 career-focused certificates preparing for in-demand fields like Immersive Media (AR/VR), Drones (UAS), Animation, and more
• Skillshare – Online learning for creative and curious people. Explore new skills, deepen existing passions, and get lost in creativity. Topics include illustration, design, video, crafts, gaming, entrepreneurship, and much more.
• CSU Fullerton Certificates – Offered in a variety of areas such as Human Resources, Game-Based Learning, Computer Forensics, Lean Six Sigma, and much more
• UC Irvine Certificates – Offered in a variety of areas such as Paralegal, Healthcare Analytics, Blockchain, eSports Management, TESOL, and much more
• Udacity – Nanodegrees for digital and tech career paths

Local & Online Tech Bootcamps

• CSU Long Beach Digital Skills Bootcamps – Immersive, short-term training in Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Full-Stack Development, UI/UX Design, and Data Science & Analytics
• UC Irvine Boot Camps – Immersive, short-term training in Coding, Data Analytics, UX/UI, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, and Tech Project Management
• Best Coding Bootcamp Programs – Opportunities for quick and intensive training in programming and coding, or even data science, cybersecurity, web design, and more

Technology Training and Certifications

• Grow with Google – Earn a Google Career Certificate in high-growth fields like IT Support, Data Analytics, UX Design, and more
• Microsoft Learn – Become Microsoft-certified for many in-demand technical job roles
• Amazon Web Services (AWS) – Complete training and get certified for a variety of AWS Cloud jobs

Micro-Internships

• Parker Dewey – Paid, short-term, project-based micro-internships
• MindSumo – Help real companies solve challenges with the potential to earn cash

"Earn and Learn" Programs

• Year Up – 1 year job training program to develop in-demand skills with top companies (tuition-free, earn an educational stipend, and complete a full-time, paid internship)
• Apprenticeships – Industry-driven, high-quality career pathways that offer paid work experience, classroom instruction, and a portable, nationally-recognize credential

Volunteering / Shadowing

• VolunteerMatch – Volunteer opportunities across numerous "causes" such as Youth, Hunger, Homelessness, Animals, Environment, Health & Medicine, and more
• WorkAway – Cultural exchanges, working vacations, and volunteering around the world
• Pre-Health Shadowing – Satisfy your shadowing requirements for health programs while learning about numerous health professions

Gigs / Side Hustles

• Drive for Uber or Lyft
• Freelance on Fiverr or Upwork
• Babysit or nanny on Care.com or Sittercity
• Run errands or help around the house/yard with TaskRabbit
• Deliver food with DoorDash or Postmates
• Rent out your home/property with Airbnb or Vrbo
• Sell your used things on eBay, OfferUp, Bonanza, Mercari, or Decluttr
• Sell your used clothing or accessories on Poshmark or The Real Real
• Sell your arts and crafts on Etsy
• Start a dropshipping business via Shopify
• Complete micro-jobs on Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform
• Be a pit sitter on Rover and/or walk dogs on Wag!