Users of the self-paced online learning site Lynda.com can expect some significant changes this week.

On Thursday, Aug. 15, content from Lynda.com will migrate to LinkedIn Learning, a subsidiary of the professional social networking site LinkedIn that was created when the company purchased Lynda.com in 2015. Lynda.com is being phased out with the introduction of LinkedIn Learning.

As a key initiative of the Government of Ontario’s Career Kick-Start Strategy, and thanks to an agreement between eCampusOntario and LinkedIn Learning, all students, faculty and staff at publicly funded Ontario colleges and universities — including Brock University — will have unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning until Sept. 21, 2020.

When the migration is complete, users of Lynda.com will receive an email from LinkedIn Learning with a link to activate their new account. Users’ histories, in-progress courses and bookmarks will move over to the new account.

More than 14,000 courses can be accessed on-demand, at the user’s pace and schedule, and from any desktop or mobile device. Courses are taught by recognized industry experts in business, technology and creative skills.

LinkedIn Learning aims to offer a more personalized learning experience by recommending courses based on users’ job title, skills and employment sector and by suggesting learning paths to pursue specific careers, such as IT security specialist, project co-ordinator or graphic designer.

Neil Culp, Interim Director, HR Strategic Projects, said LinkedIn Learning courses are beneficial for both Brock students and employees.

“Courses can help students prepare for a career, supplement professors’ curricula or enhance our staff’s professional skills,” he said. “The mobile app makes it especially easy to take a course. You can watch a video tutorial while you’re on the bus, in between classes or on a lunch break.”

Popular courses include topics such as communication, computer programming, critical thinking, leadership, MS Excel, online marketing, project management and time management. In preparation for the migration, users are encouraged to take a sneak peek at LinkedIn Learning. Employees can also access LinkedIn Learning courses immediately by logging in with their Brock email address:

• Go to linkedin.com/learning
• Click Sign in at the top right of the screen.
• Click Sign in with your organization account.
• Enter your Brock email address
• You will be directed to screen with a photo of campus and a Brock logo. Enter your Brock username and password and click Sign in.
• You will be given the option to connect your LinkedIn profile to your new LinkedIn Learning account. There are several benefits to linking them.

Courses can also be accessed through the LinkedIn Learning mobile app through a similar sign-in method.

Questions about Brock University’s access to LinkedIn Learning can be directed to Culp at nculp@brocku.ca or x4711.