When you’re responsible for seven kids, you’re constantly on your toes. It’s my responsibility to find ways to help my family thrive, and that includes making sure I have the job skills I need to provide for them. The workplace is changing rapidly, and I knew that finding ways to expand my digital skills could be a great way to stay competitive.

I found that opportunity at the Academy of Music Production Education and Development (AMPED) in Louisville, an organization that teaches music production to local kids, while also providing free adult learning courses to their parents. So while my children were tapping into their creative sides, I decided to take a course on practical computer skills.

At AMPED, my course instructor introduced me to Applied Digital Skills, a free online curriculum from Grow with Google. Each video-based lesson teaches computer skills I can use both at work and in my day-to-day life, like how to create a spreadsheet, start a document or organize an inbox. And in turn, I can add skills my resume to make myself more marketable to employers. I’m able to take these lessons at AMPED while my children learn music production, but the lessons can also be done anywhere, anytime. That means I’m able to build my skills on my own time and at my own pace. 

AMPED isn’t the only organization that’s incorporated Applied Digital Skills into its programming. More than 50 nonprofits and community colleges, like New Mexico Community Capital in Albuquerque and the Richard J. Daley College in Chicago, are using the free curriculum to teach people the digital skills they can use to find jobs, thrive in the workplace or grow their small businesses. Now that some of the curriculum’s most popular lessons are available on YouTube, it’s easier than ever for people to conveniently access them. And with courses geared toward veterans, small business owners and Spanish speakers, there’s something for everyone.

Adding new digital skills to my resume has been an empowering experience. Now more than ever, I feel prepared to compete for the types of opportunities I’m interested in as I work toward my next career move. If you, like me, are considering your next steps and looking to grow your skills in the coming year, explore the Applied Digital Skills curriculum to find a lesson that interests you.