Building your skills with online courses and certificates
How to pick online courses and certificates that employers value: free platforms, a learning plan, how to show your results and what to avoid.
Short answer
Choose online courses that match a skill your next job or project needs, from a provider you can check. Several platforms offer free humanitarian courses, and some give certificates. Set a weekly study time, apply each lesson to real work, and keep proof. A certificate helps most when you can also show work that used the skill.
Key points
- Pick courses that match your next role, not just any course.
- Free platforms exist for humanitarian skills, some with certificates.
- Study at a fixed time each week and apply each lesson to real work.
- Check who issues the certificate and whether others can verify it.
- Show work that used the skill, not only the certificate.
Why learn online, and what can you get?
Many NGO staff in Myanmar cannot leave work for long courses, or travel may be difficult. Online courses let you study around your job. Some are free. Some give certificates you can add to your CV.
A certificate is not a goal in itself. The goal is a skill you can use. A certificate is a record of that learning. Choose courses with this in mind.
Which free platforms exist for humanitarian skills?
Two well-known platforms describe themselves on their own pages as follows. Check the current details on their sites before you enrol, because offers change.
| Platform | What its site says |
|---|---|
| Kaya (Humanitarian Leadership Academy) | Free online learning platform for humanitarians. Its page says over 900 free courses, content available from partners including UN agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, access from phones, tablets and computers, and some courses award digital badges |
| DisasterReady | Free learning platform. Its pages say more than 1,800 free training titles, a mobile app for offline learning, and certifications such as Project Management Essentials, MEAL Essentials, Financial Management Essentials and Grant Seeking Essentials |
An older Kaya news item also says coursework can be done offline and progress uploaded when you reconnect. Always check the course page for the exact options.
How do you choose a course?
- Start from the job. Look at three job advertisements for the role you want next. Note the skills they list most.
- Match one skill to one course. For example, a MEAL assistant who wants to become an officer may choose a MEAL course. Read skills every MEAL officer needs.
- Check the provider. Is it a known organisation? Does the page say who wrote the course?
- Check the certificate. Is it a certificate of completion, a certificate after an assessment, or a badge? Can an employer verify it?
- Check the time. Count the hours and compare them with your week.
- Check the language and format. Choose a version you can follow well, with an option for slow internet.
How do you build a learning plan?
Use this plan for one quarter.
- Set one goal. "Finish a course on project management and use it in my work plan."
- Choose one main course and, if you wish, one short extra.
- Block study time. Two sessions of 45 minutes a week is a good start. Protect them like meetings.
- Apply each lesson within a week. Draw a logframe, write a risk register or run a short training for your team.
- Share what you learned. Teach a colleague. This is the best test of understanding.
- Record the result. Note what changed in your work.
Our article on time and priorities can help you protect study time.
How do you show your learning to employers?
A certificate shows you finished. Evidence shows you can do the work. Use both.
- List the certificate on your CV with the provider and the year.
- Add a line of results. "Completed a MEAL course and designed a data quality check used in three townships."
- Keep a short portfolio of anonymised work samples, with permission from your organisation.
- Ask for a reference from a manager who saw you use the skill.
- Be able to explain it in an interview. Employers often ask: what did you do with it?
See how to write a CV for NGO jobs for layout ideas.
How do you check that a certificate is genuine?
- Prefer certificates with a number or link that anyone can check online.
- Be careful with sites that sell a "certificate" for a fee without real learning.
- Check that the issuer is a real organisation with a visible contact.
- Ask the issuer how an employer can verify your record.
EMPO Academy certificates, for example, are publicly verifiable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Collecting many certificates and applying none. Depth beats count.
- Starting without a goal. You will drop out.
- Studying only at night when tired. Use a fixed, realistic slot.
- Not telling your manager. They may support your time or give you practice tasks.
- Forgetting breaks. See self-care for humanitarian workers.
How EMPO can help
EMPO is a trusted, Yangon-based training and consultancy provider and one of Myanmar's leading names in practical NGO training, with 1,200+ people trained and 15 partner organisations. We offer live training over Zoom and in person across Myanmar, in English and Burmese, with a certificate of completion, and self-paced courses with publicly verifiable certificates on EMPO Academy. See our training services or contact us.
Sources
- Study online with Kaya — Humanitarian Leadership Academy
- Free certifications and free certificate programs for humanitarian and development professionals — DisasterReady
Questions people ask
Do employers value online certificates?
Many employers value them as evidence of learning, especially when you can also show how you used the skill. A certificate alone is weaker than a certificate plus a report, tool or result.
How many courses should I take at once?
One or two. Finishing and applying a course is worth more than starting many.
How do I study with poor internet?
Look for platforms with mobile apps or offline options, download materials when you have a good connection and study in short sessions.