Lately we have been hearing a lot about the growth in baby-boomers who pursue a different professional direction or even start a new business. The need for change may be driven by various causes, such as a lack of growth opportunities in the current workplace or a desire to take on fresh challenges and learn new skills.

So, for those of you who are considering this path, here are 5 courses you can take online that will inspire you and give you the tools to start heading on your new professional journey:

1. Codecademy offers a great opportunity to learn programming for free. You can choose between a selection of languages including HTML, Javascript and Ruby. Give it a chance – it is easier than you may think!
2. Skillshare is a popular hub for courses about marketing, design, social media and creative tools. Taught by world class professionals it is hard to pick which course to take first… If you wish to learn how to use social media for business the ultimate teacher is Gary Vaynerchuk.
3. Have an idea for a new business but you don’t know where to start? First of all you are not alone; secondly, this course might have the answer for you. In addition to this informative class, General Assembly has a really interesting range of courses you should check out.
4. This course from Udacity we picked for the big dreamers out there – if you really believe in something give it a go. At the end of the day, even if it doesn’t work out the way you planned, the lessons you will learn and the experiences itself are invaluable.
5. We love the charisma and positive energy that Braid‘s video classes have. The ladies offer only a small range of classes and our pick is Personal Branding which is even more important to master nowadays.