Resources · 03
Resources by area of interest
These follow the same structure as the chapters you have already worked through. Find your area and start there.
You do not need all of this. Pick the area that interests you most, choose one resource, and start. Free options are marked, and many of the paid certifications can be funded by an employer if you ask.
Start here
Funded routes, before you spend anything
Many of the certifications further down this page cost money. Before you pay for anything, it is worth knowing that the government funds a considerable amount of tech training, and awareness of it is remarkably low. These are all free at the point of use.
Free · England
Skills Bootcamps
Free courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including software development, data, cloud and AI. Open to anyone 19 or over living in England, whether employed, self-employed or out of work. No prior qualifications needed, no upper age limit, and everyone who completes one is guaranteed a job interview at the end. This is the single most useful thing on this page if cost is what is stopping you.
Free · England
National Careers Service
Free, impartial careers advice for anyone in England aged 13 or over. There is a skills assessment that helps you work out what you are actually good at, hundreds of job profiles explaining what roles involve day to day, and a course search. You can also speak to a trained careers adviser by phone or web chat, at no cost.
Paid to learn
Apprenticeships
A paid job with structured training towards a recognised qualification, running from Level 3 all the way up to Master’s degree level. No tuition fees, no upper age limit, and if you already work for a large employer they may have unspent training funds sitting there. Our full guide explains how it works and how to raise it.
These schemes apply to England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own funded training and careers services, so search for the equivalent where you live. Eligibility and funding rules change, so always confirm the current position before applying. Last checked August 2026.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Free / Paid
Microsoft Copilot
Start here. Use it daily, notice what it does well, and explore what it cannot do. Microsoft’s AI Fundamentals course on Learn is a natural next step.
Free
Google AI Essentials
Beginner course on Coursera. Covers how AI works and how to use it practically.
Free / Paid
ChatGPT
Use it to understand what AI tools can and cannot do. Experiment with prompts and pay attention to where it falls short.
Free
Elements of AI
Free course from the University of Helsinki. Plain-English introduction to AI concepts. No technical background required.
Free / Paid
AI for Everyone, Coursera
Andrew Ng’s non-technical AI course. Excellent for understanding AI’s business and organisational impact.
Paid
Microsoft AI Fundamentals (AI-900)
Entry-level Microsoft certification. Covers AI concepts without requiring any coding knowledge.
Cybersecurity
Paid
CompTIA Security+
The most widely recognised entry-level cybersecurity certification. No technical prerequisites required.
Free
Microsoft Security Fundamentals
Free learning path covering security basics in plain English. A solid starting point before committing to a certification.
Paid
ISACA
Professional body for GRC, risk, and audit. Offers CISM, CRISC, and CGEIT certifications.
Cloud Technology
Paid
Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
Entry-level Azure certification. No technical prerequisites. Widely recognised across organisations using Microsoft cloud.
Paid
AWS Cloud Practitioner
Amazon’s entry-level cloud certification. Broad coverage of cloud concepts, recognised globally.
Free / Paid
Google Cloud Fundamentals
Google’s entry-level cloud training. Free digital courses available, certification is paid.
Paid
A Cloud Guru
Subscription platform focused entirely on cloud. Strong courses across Azure, AWS, and GCP.
Networking and Infrastructure
Paid
CompTIA A+
Entry-level IT certification covering hardware, software, and troubleshooting. A common first step for IT support roles.
Paid
CompTIA Network+
Covers networking concepts without assuming deep prior knowledge. Widely recognised for infrastructure and support roles.
Free
Cisco NetAcad
Free introductory networking courses from Cisco. Leads towards CCNA if you want to go further.
Paid
ITIL 4 Foundation
IT service management framework used across most large organisations. Widely valued for IT support and operations roles.
Free / Paid
Service Desk Institute (SDI)
UK body for service desk professionals. Resources, events, and qualifications for support and service roles.
Modern Workplace and Collaboration Tools
Paid
Microsoft 365 Fundamentals (MS-900)
Entry-level Microsoft certification covering M365 services. No technical prerequisites required.
Free
Microsoft 365 Learning Paths
Free structured learning across Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Planner, and more.
Paid
Power Platform Fundamentals (PL-900)
Covers Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI at an introductory level. No technical background required.
Free
Microsoft Adoption Resources
Microsoft’s own resources for digital adoption specialists and M365 champions.
Data, Analytics and Governance
Free / Paid
Google Data Analytics, Coursera
Widely respected beginner certificate. Covers data analysis tools and thinking. No technical background needed.
Free
Microsoft Power BI Learning Paths
Free learning paths for Power BI on Microsoft Learn. Essential for reporting and BI analyst roles.
Free · UK
Information Commissioner’s Office
The UK’s data protection regulator. Free, authoritative guidance on UK GDPR, written far more plainly than you would expect. If you are heading towards data governance or privacy work, read the source rather than someone else’s summary of it.
Paid · UK
BCS Data Protection (GDPR)
BCS qualifications in data protection and GDPR. Relevant for data governance and GRC roles in the UK.
Free / Paid
DAMA International
Professional body for data management. Offers the CDMP certification and extensive resources on data governance.
Free / Paid
DataCamp
Interactive data courses. Good for building hands-on skills in Excel, SQL, and Power BI.
Application Development
Free
freeCodeCamp
Self-paced curriculum covering web development from scratch. Certifications included at no cost.
Free
The Odin Project
Full-stack curriculum built around projects, so you finish with something to show.
Free / Paid
Codecademy
Interactive lessons across many languages. The free tier is enough to find out whether you enjoy it.
Paid
ISTQB Foundation
Entry-level software testing certification. A common way in for people who are naturally thorough.
Paid
Interaction Design Foundation
UX and design courses, for anyone drawn to how software feels to use.
Free / Paid
Nielsen Norman Group
Research-based usability articles, free to read. The reference point for how software should behave.
Project, Programme and Change Management
Paid
PRINCE2 Foundation
Widely used project management method, especially across UK public sector and large organisations.
Paid · UK
Association for Project Management
The chartered body for project professionals in the UK. Its qualifications are well recognised across industry.
Free / Paid
Scrum.org
The Scrum Guide and open assessments are free. The entry-level certification is the usual starting point for agile delivery roles.
Paid
Prosci
Change management methodology, for anyone drawn to the people side of technology change rather than the technology itself.
Paid · UK
BCS Business Analysis
BCS certifications in business analysis. A strong route in for people who translate between the business and the technical team.
Paid · UK
Chartered Management Institute
Management and leadership qualifications, useful once you are heading towards leading delivery teams rather than sitting in them.
Not sure where to start
Pick a direction before you pick a course
The book walks you through the six areas of tech and what the roles actually involve, so you are choosing a resource for a reason rather than guessing.