Free Online Education and Training - College Classes and Tech Courses

This article has been written in response to a Hub Question for ideas and resources for receiving training and business assistance in the automobile window tinting business, but its ideas can be used to find other sorts of training and classes.

Training is available from a number of sources across the United States. The following is a good list for beginning a search of local resources. Check your local phone directory and call some of these places to see if they have what you need. (Especially if it is in the automotive field or may involve Automobile Window Tinting).

Coursera. FREE college credit is available at this site. This company was created by Stanford professors to allow free education in Computer Science. The American Council on Education recommended college credit for five of Coursera's many courses.

Visit https://www.coursera.org/ and look at the college credit courses in Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Bioelectricity, Genetics and Evolution. These are all important in the growing fields of Healthcare and Bioengineering, much of these fields connected to the US Private Space Program.

edX is located at https://www.edx.org/. Most of these classes are based in video education (like through YouTube). These classes come from top universities as well, including Stanford, Harvard and MIT; McGill in Canada, University of Hong Kong, and many others. A very popular free class from edX is "Learning from Data", which targets ML (machine learning). The title seems to be a play on the concept of information (data) and Star Trek's android, Data. Other classes. A quote from the course description:

This is an introductory course in machine learning (ML) that covers the basic theory, algorithms, and applications. ML is a key technology in Big Data, and in many financial, medical, commercial, and scientific applications.

Udacity is at https://www.udacity.com/courses#!/All, with a total of 28 free courses at this writing. The company is also a start-up of Stanford staff. Verified certificates are offered in these courses that are designed to help users begin a career in a solid field with jobs available. Some of the offerings target Software Testing, Game Development, Web Development, 3D Graphics, Data handling, Statistics, and Computer Science.

• Local High School Districts- Vocational schools for trades and certifications within a school district. Some of these schools offer a few online courses. GED training for the General Equivalency Diploma is also sometimes offered online.
• Online training is also known as distance learning. Before computers, it was called correspondence courses, because class work was mailed in to be graded.
• Local Charter Schools - In association with the local school district, charter high schools sometimes offer certificate training in IT, Information Technology, programs. Some courses may be offered online as well. It depends on your local school district and schools.

• Non-Public / Private High Schools - There is a rise in Christian and other faith related high school programs to offer GED and high school diploma training online.
• Local Community Colleges - Short-term certification programs, up to two years in length. Some of these schools offer online courses.
• Universities and Colleges - Four-year and advanced programs. These institutions offer degrees and certifications, along with advanced and professional degrees. Some of these school offer online courses.

• Workforce Investment Act (WIA) - Local counties in America are associated with the federal Workforce Investment Act. These county entities receive funding for youth and adult Employment & Training Programs. Check with your local county government by looking in the telephone book under County Government. You will find organizations known by such names as Jobs and Family Services, Family Services, WIA, etc. If you cannot determine which phone number you need, there should be a general, all-purpose number to call.
• Some of the training programs available through the WIA may include partnerships with local Community Colleges, Colleges, and Universities. One such program involves free Auto Mechanic training with certification and job placement attached to it. Call your county and ask about these types of programs.

• U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) - The Small Business Administration began 1953 as an independent agency of the US government to counsel and assist small businesses, to preserve free enterprise, and to strengthen US economy. The SBA helps Americans to start and grow businesses. Through its network of field offices and partnerships, it delivers services to the US, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Guam. The SBA offers workshops on a quarterly basis and may be able to direct you to further training opportunities. SBA Programs are extensive and include:

Training & Counseling Resources

• Entrepreneurial Development
• Business & Community Initiatives
• Native American Affairs
• SBDCs
• SCORE
• Small Business Training Network (an online virtual campus)
• Women's Business Ownership
• International Trade

Financial Assistance

• Loans
• Loans
• Specialty Loans
• Investment
• International Trade

Contracting Assistance

• Government Contracting/BD
• Small Disadvantaged Business
• Size Standards
• Technology (SBIR/STTR)

Disaster Assistance Recovery

Special Interests

Women, Veterans, Native Americans, Opportunity Gaps, Young Entrepreneurs, International Trade.

SBA Answer Desk

1-800-U-ASK-SBA ( 1-800-827-5722 )

Send e-mails to: answerdesk@sba.gov

Answer Desk TTY: (704) 344-6640

Contact any of these SBA Regional Offices:

• Region 1 - New England
• Region 2 - Northeast
• Region 3 - Mid Atlantic
• Region 4 - Southeast
• Region 5 - Great Lakes
• Region 6 - South Central
• Region 7 - Midwest
• Region 8 - Rocky Mountain Region
• Region 9 - Southwest
• Region 10 - Pacific Northwest

For your local SBA office, look in your local telephone directory or go online at www.sba.gov/aboutsba/dis_offices/index.html

Automobile window tinting is often an adjunct or sideline added to other businesses in order to supplement sales. Starting a "window tinting only" shop could probably be started right in your own garage.

DING KING - Window Tinting Training.(Not available in Michigan).

AUTO WINDOW TINTING. http://www.autowindowtinting.com/

• 14 Hour DVD Training Program. Call 1-888-404-TINT.

ESTIMATED EQUIPMENT COSTS

These are real schools offering online courses, degrees, and certificates. Before you sign on with any school online, call your Better Business Bureau and see if there have been any complaints.

Boston University Online (Associate's and Bachelor's Degrees)

M.S. in Computer Information Systems - Security, M.S. in Computer Information Systems - Database and Knowledge Management, and Graduate Certificate in Clinical Investigation.

Boston University Management Certificates Online

Fourth largest independent university in the US, accredited by New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Project management certificates online in as little as 8 weeks.

• Foundations of Project Management,
• Principles of Project Management,
• Comprehensive Project Management,
• Certificate in Project Management.

Cornell University Professional Certificates

• Ivy League certificates as soon as 8 weeks in the career fields of Human Resources, Management, Leadership, Hospitality, Foodservice Management.

Indiana State University - LPN, RN, BSN Nursing Degrees online

Indiana State University -- Click Here.

Keller Graduate School of Management - Master's and Graduate Degrees

Keller offers degrees and certificates at 75 locations or online. Click Here for information.

• Master of Business Administration, MBA - Accounting,
• MBA - Corporate Education,
• MBA - Electronic Commerce,
• MBA - Finance,
• MBA - General Management,
• MBA - Human Resources, MBA - Health Services,
• MBA - International Business,
• MBA - Information Security,
• MBA - Information Systems Management,
• MBA - Marketing
• MBA - Public Administration,
• MBA - Public & Private K-12 Ed. Systems,
• MBA - Project Management,
• MBA - Security Management,
• MBA - Network & Communications Mgmt.,
• OTHER: Master of Accounting & Financial Mgmt., Master of Human Resource Mgmt., Master of Project Mgmt., Master of Information Systems Mgmt., Master of Network & Comm. Management, and Master of Public Administration. Graduate Certificate Programs: Accounting, Business Administration, Electronic Commerce Management, Entrepreneurship, Financial Analysis, Health Services Management, Human Resource Management, Information Systems Management, Project Management, Network and Comm. Management, and Information Security.

Tulane University - Freeman School of Business

• Business Essentials I: Marketing Management, Financial Management, Business Statistics, Financial Accounting. Business Essentials II: International Business Advanced Finance, Financial Statement Analysis, Leadership.
• Advanced Management Strategy: Managerial Perspectives, Managing People, Business Law for Managers, Managerial Economics.
• Advanced Marketing Strategy: Marketing Strategy, Marketing Promotions, Business-to-Business Marketing, International Marketing.