Are Free Online Public Health Courses Worth It?
By Sam MacArthur

Given that the world is facing one of the worst global health crises we have ever seen, people are finding ways to learn about public health in order to not only protect themselves and their loved ones but also to help them further their career. Fortunately, taking free online public health training is an excellent method of achieving these things and much more. Indeed, if you are questioning are free online courses worth it, on the whole, they typically are. However, if you find yourself wondering if the concept of a free online course is too good to be true, the following is a list of the benefits of free online courses.

What Can I Get Out of a Free Online Public Health Course?

If you are interested in enrolling in free online public health training, you will gain access to the following benefits:

Continuing Education: Given the present COVID-19 pandemic, many employers are searching for employees who are already trained in public health. However, if you are not yet trained in public health, it is not too late to learn. Especially if you are working from home or have been laid off, this is a great time to take free online training courses in public health to not only educate yourself but to help you become an invaluable employee moving forward. No matter which sector you work in, becoming certified in public health will make you a well-respected candidate in the job market.

Keeping Updated: As we have seen with this global pandemic, things change from day to day and sometimes, moment to moment. Therefore, staying updated on new developments will not only help you to maintain gainful employment but it will also help you to keep yourself and those around you as safe as possible.

Extra Training: Even if you have already taken a public health course in the past, now would be a great time to update your training. As mentioned, many things within the public health sector have changed in just a few short months. This means there is much to be learned by those who already possess certificates in public health.

Free Certifications: Perhaps the best benefit of taking free public health training courses is that they are free. Certifications can help upgrade your resume and make you a prospect for higher-paying jobs. For this reason, many are willing to pay for these courses. However, by enrolling in free online public health training, you can get all these benefits free of charge.

Greater Career Options: By taking free online courses on public health you will become eligible for more job opportunities as well as better paying careers. Some potential jobs in the public health sector are microbiologists, research analysts, data coding operators, health officers, community health workers, epidemiologists, health policy advisors, disease investigators, and many others. Moreover, you will also gain the ability to work in the local, state, and national government, nonprofit organizations, insurance companies, colleges and universities, faith-based organizations, and more.

Learning Specialized Skills: One great reason to take free online public health courses with certificates is that you will be learning new specialized skills. Having specialized skills and certifications makes you a more attractive candidate and can also make it possible for you to leverage your knowledge to help you earn more money.

Can a Free Online Public Health Course Help My Career?

If you are wondering can a free online public health course can help your career, in general, the answer is yes. However, if you are taking a course that offers a legitimate certification, this will make you a much more viable candidate overall. This is because free online certificate courses in public health show employers that you are taking public health seriously enough to take the time to earn a certificate in the subject.

These certificates show potential employers that you are interested in helping people stay safe and are dedicated to helping to end this global pandemic. Employers prefer those who are certified because this means that they have learned knowledge that is in compliance with government agencies like the CDC and organizations such as the WHO. This makes you appear to be much more knowledgeable and trustworthy overall. However, in some cases, even if you are not certified, you may still be able to gain employment based on possessing knowledge in relation to the public health sector in general. At this time, many employers are simply seeking candidates who are knowledgeable on viruses, such as coronavirus, as this can help keep a company and employees safer during these uncertain times.

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