Before, whenever you wanted to learn a new skill, you couldn’t do so without getting a degree of some sort. You had to go through several years of school and college, undergoing training from professionals in the field, gathering all of the theory. You needed to go for that degree if you wanted to learn something worthy of a high income.
Still, with the Internet blooming, learning new skills has never been easier. Online courses are everywhere, and you can easily learn how to make money without going through endless college courses. Plus, times are changing; employers are not looking just for the degree anymore. They need the skill itself.
With that in mind, here are 15 valuable skills that you can learn without going to college. You just need a good database and the will to learn things on your own.
Table of Contents
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Computer Programming
Did you know that many IT students often don’t even get their degree, simply because they are immersed in their work? Very often, IT companies will reach out to students with potential in computer programming, offering them an internship while they are still in college.
After that, they learn the skills that they need – so, the degree they get at the end of college is just a formality. This proves that these employers don’t care about the degree itself, but about whether you can actually do the job they are paying you to do or not. You can do anything, from building computer software to creating apps.
The Internet is packed with places where you can learn these skills – one of the easiest available platforms being YouTube. Also, if you don’t want to learn from that random guy on YouTube, you may buy or access certain online classes. Depending on the training course, they may even have different exercises or teaching methods.
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Web Development
People often mistake web development with website development, but while they are related, they are not the same. It’s like comparing apples to pears; both are fruits, but they are completely different.
With website development, you learn to create a website. However, as a web developer, you come up with online solutions, conduct security testing, maintain the website, and make web-based apps. Just like with computer programming, you can easily find classes for this online.
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Copywriting and Content Writing
Did you know that you don’t need a degree in writing to be a copywriter or a content writer? It’s just like you don’t need to finish a literature major to write a book. These days, anyone can write and have their book published, provided they have a way with words and a good editor.
To be a copywriter, you have to learn compelling content to attract potential clients. You will need to learn how to use keywords to your advantage and how to properly format the text. There are countless articles on how to become a copywriter on the Internet – all of them written by copywriters as well.
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Digital Marketing
Every business needs some good marketing; otherwise, it won’t be able to survive. It needs the right strategies to increase the reach of the brand, as well as the visibility. Hone your skill so that you may use Google to your advantage. Also, don’t forget to give Facebook a shot as well; this platform has its own marketing package, so you may as well take full advantage of it.
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Graphic Designer
Did you know that most graphic designers don’t even go through college to learn what they know and to sharpen their skills? No, they are often self-taught. A graphic designer often starts by putting things on a paper at an early day, drawing to their heart’s content, and then moving up to fancier software.
Many use Photoshop as simply a hobby – something to kill some time with as they are unleashing their passion. However, this can be used to your benefit as well. More and more people are looking for freelance graphic designers, and all you have to do is get yourself accustomed to programs such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, or CorelDraw.
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Internet Research
We spend a lot of time researching the Internet, but more often than not, we are barely brushing the surface. That often happens because we don’t know where to look for that information.
With that in mind, it takes skill to do proper Internet research – to find resources from reliable areas, in the hidden corners of the Internet. Some individuals pay high cash for people to find them the right information – so, you might want to do some research on how to do research. Yes, the Internet has information on that as well.
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Trading
Nowadays, it’s all about being a trader. Foreign Currency Exchange Trading has made so many people rich over the years that you certainly shouldn’t miss the opportunity. It does require a bit of startup capital, but most of the information can be found online. Plus, many trading apps allow you to observe professional traders as well and mirror their trading until you learn enough to do it yourself.
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YouTuber
Yes, nowadays, being a YouTuber is actually a skill. Did you know that the highest-paid YouTuber earned about $26 million in 2019? Also, did you know that said YouTuber is a kid – an eight-year-old at that time, for the matter?
This proves that you do not need a degree to make some hard cash. All you have to do is gather your guts, get over your fear of cameras and start talking. These days, it’s all about the influencers – so, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to join into their ranks.
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Proofreader
Ok, so maybe you are not good enough to write full papers from scratch. Or maybe you enjoy reading and editing – just not the actual “putting together from scratch” part.
In that case, you may want to try getting into proofreading. Read texts, check for errors, correct them, and get paid for these tasks. Who knows, you may even get to read some nice pieces of literature before they get published. And the advantage of it is that you won’t need any degree to do this.
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Tutoring
Sure, some people feel more assured when they know you have a degree in tutoring. However, most clients looking for a teacher are searching for skills. They know how easily you can get a degree, and that degree does not necessarily mean that you know what you are teaching.
In the end, if you enjoy working with kids and have a strong hold over a particular subject, tutoring might be just right up your alley. There are plenty of class management articles on the Internet that will teach you the best ways to share your knowledge with the students.
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Photographer
Now, here is a skill that will have you moving and seeing different places if that is what you are looking for. Indeed, it will take a bit of an initial investment – mostly because you can’t be a high-earning photographer without a fancy camera. It’s easy to teach yourself this skill through online tutorials – and the rest can be learned “on the field,” while you are taking pictures.
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Languages
The skill of learning a foreign language can significantly set you apart from other people. And not just for tutoring and translating – but for other jobs as well. The simple fact that you know, say, German aside from English can make you seem valuable in front of a potential employer, particularly if you are interviewing for a customer support role.
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Online Course Creation
Remember how we mentioned that you can learn a certain skill just by looking up a course online? Well, in that case, you might want to hone a new skill – one that merges content writing, Internet research, and teaching. Creating online courses is one of the hottest trends today because more and more people are looking to buy courses and learn a skill by themselves. Just like you are right now.
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Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is all the rage nowadays, mostly because it leads to a fair amount of passive income. With affiliate marketing, all you have to do is drive other people to buy a certain product from a sponsor or a partner – and when they do, you will receive a commission for it. You won’t need a college degree to do this, just a well-functioning blog.
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Public Speaking
A lot of people dread speaking in public – but the fact is that it brings a lot of cash. If you don’t mind the attention and can easily talk in front of other people, then you might want to consider a career as a public speaker. As long as you have information and the sass to deliver it, you won’t need a degree to earn money from this.
The Bottom Line
A degree can help you out in a variety of circumstances. Still, even if you don’t have one, this does not mean that you can’t get a job and earn some good cash. You just have to hone all the right skills.
