Free online classes now available through Coursera partnership
Missouri workers who have been displaced by the economic disruption can now enroll in online classes for free. The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development has partnered with Coursera, an online learning platform, to help Missourians skill up and get back to work.
Through the Coursera Workforce Recovery Initiative, unemployed Missourians will have free access to 3,800 courses that will help them develop the knowledge and skills to become re-employed. Users who sign up before Sept. 30, 2020, will be able to take courses and earn certificates until the end of the calendar year.
Coursera partners with 200 of the world’s leading university and industry educators to offer courses teaching job-relevant skills across business, technology, and data science. Through this partnership, Missourians can also earn professional certificates from leading companies like IBM and Google that are designed to prepare people for entry-level careers like IT.
“I truly believe education changes lives,” said Zora Mulligan, commissioner of higher education. “Coursera provides another avenue for Missourians to learn new, marketable skills and, even during this period of economic uncertainty, advance their careers.”
Missourians will be able start most classes at their own convenience and set work deadlines that accommodate their other commitments.
“We’re proud to partner with Coursera to offer this free resource to Missourians,” said Gov. Mike Parson. “Now, more than ever, it’s important for people to focus on learning new skills.”
To register, Missourians need to have an account in the MoJobs system. Anyone without a MoJobs account can create a login at jobs.mo.gov. MoJobs users will have access to a link within the site to receive an invitation from Coursera. The process should only take two business days to get registered and start on the path to learning.
Missourians must be registered within Coursera by Sept. 30, to take advantage of this offer. Courses need to be completed by Dec. 31, 2020, in order to receive the credential or certificate at no cost.
“The unemployment crisis brought on by the pandemic has affected the jobs and livelihoods of many hard-working Missourians,” said Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera. “Coursera is honored to partner with the state of Missouri to provide free access to job-relevant online learning so that unemployed Missourians can gain skills needed to get back into well-paying jobs.”
The partnership with Coursera is a part of the Return Strong initiative launched in May to help Missourians skill up and get back to work. It works in conjunction with Gov. Parson’s “Show Me Strong” recovery plan.
Learn more at jobs.mo.gov/coursera.