LinkedIn Learning (Lynda) to add Robotics Skills to your Portfolio
Lynda, which is now a part of LinkedIn Learning, offers over 600 software development courses as well as tens of applied robotics, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi courses. These courses are fantastic because they are professionally curated and cover a wide range of professional topics. When you finish a course, you will also receive a certificate. Furthermore, some libraries provide free Lynda access with your library card. That’s pretty cool!
Coursera for Top-Notch Robotics Programs Online
Coursera provides courses, specializations, and degree programs taught by world-class universities. Learn Robotics online by taking a short course, a Specialization, or a Master’s Program. It is less expensive than attending a traditional university, and you can learn from the comfort of your own home.
I recommend the University of Pennsylvania’s Robotics Specialization and Northwestern University’s Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control Specialization. As these are Undergrad-level courses, expect to devote approximately 5 hours per week to reviewing lectures and completing assignments.
Another cool feature of Coursera is that you can learn in real-time with people from all over the world. So, if you have any questions, you can discuss them with the professors and your classmates.
Udemy for Niche Robotics Courses
Udemy is another wonderful course site for learning robotics online. This platform contains a wide range of courses created by members of the community. The course quality and caliber can vary depending on the instructor, but overall, I’ve had a positive experience using Udemy to brush up on and learn new robotics topics.
If you’re interested in Industrial Automation, PLCs, and HMIs, Udemy is a great place to start. I’ve had positive experiences with the following Udemy robotics courses:
There are so many interesting topics to learn. Particularly specialized robotics concepts. If you want to learn a specific skill quickly, I highly recommend checking out Udemy.
edX for Robotics Courses and MicroMasters Programs
edX is an online platform that offers courses from MIT, Harvard, BU, and other Universities around the world. You can take courses 100% for free, add a Verified Certificate for a fee, or take their MicroMasters program. It’s a very affordable way to get quality educational content from top-notch universities for a nominal price.
Here are some awesome robotics programs you can enroll in.
- Robotics MicroMasters through UPenn
- Robotics MicroMasters through Columbia University
- Real World ROS by Delft
- Underactuated Robots by MIT
- Artificial Intelligence by Columbia University
- Scratch: Programming for Teachers
And so many more!
Robotics Takes Time and Practice to Learn
You can learn robotics online if you don’t want to spend years in university or incur hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. There are numerous free and paid resources available to help you learn robotics programming, mechatronics, and controls. Online courses are a great option because they provide a framework for learning what you need to learn in a logical order. Because there is no classroom or direct contact with an instructor, you must hold yourself accountable for completing the material.
Once you find a course that you’re interested in, it’s time to get to work. Put in the effort. Practice, Practice, Practice. And then be proud when you can highlight these skills on your resume or in your next engineering job interview.