@Ryrenz: Prepare for unemployment in advance, master these 6 free platforms. The real pain isn't the day you're laid off, but realizing afterward that your resume only says 'familiar with internal company processes' and nothing else. You should hone your skills while you still have income, when you can afford to lose. 1. National Vocational Education Smart Education Platform – run by the Ministry of Education, focusing on practical trades...

Prepare for unemployment in advance, master these 6 free platforms. The real pain isn't the day you're laid off, but realizing afterward that your resume only says 'familiar with internal company processes' and nothing else. You should hone your skills while you still have income, when you can afford to lose. 1. National Vocational Education Smart Education Platform Run by the Ministry of Education, it focuses on practical trades like plumbing, cooking, nursing, and auto repair—skills you can directly use to take on jobs. The biggest difference from university courses is that it skips theoretical frameworks and teaches hands-on skills directly. https://vocational.smartedu.cn 2. National Higher Education Smart Education Platform The higher education channel of the same national platform, maintained by the Higher Education Press. In addition to courses and textbooks, there's a section called Virtual Simulation Experiments, where you can perform operations that normally require laboratory equipment right in your browser. It also includes sections for graduate education, innovation courses, and special topics. https://higher.smartedu.cn 3. National Open University Lifelong Education Platform The first two have a more academic feel, but this one is specifically designed for working adults. The National Open University itself is a university for in-service personnel, with course schedules designed for spare time—no need to take leave or go full-time. https://le.ouchn.cn 4. 51zxw.net (I Want to Self-Learn Network) Operating since 2007, it specializes in software operation skills that can quickly become billable hours. The office line includes Word, Excel, PPT, VBA, Power BI, Power Query; the design and engineering line covers Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, AutoCAD, 3DS Max, SketchUp, Revit, SolidWorks, UG NX; the programming line offers Python, Java, C++, MySQL; and the AIGC category features Claude Code, DeepSeek, Midjourney, Runway, Suno. Some courses are free, some paid—start with the free ones. https://51zxw.net 5. Google Skillshop Google's official training and certification platform, with courses created by product experts. After learning, you can take certifications for Google Ads, Google Analytics, Marketing Platform, and more. These certificates are universally recognized, so when applying for roles in internet marketing, advertising, or data analysis, recruiters will instantly recognize them. The interface is available in Simplified Chinese. https://skillshop.withgoogle.com 6. Alibaba Cloud Certification Center While the first five are free to learn, this one is for those who want a credential after learning. Certifications are divided into three levels: ACA, ACP, ACE, covering areas like large models, cloud computing, and big data. The large model ACP course even added context engineering content in July 2025. To be clear: exams are paid, registration requires a personal real-name Alibaba Cloud primary account, and the product is valid for one year from the purchase date. Use the free resources to learn first, and only spend this money if you're sure the direction is right. https://developer.aliyun.com/learning Degrees were set ten years ago, but skills can be added anytime.