There are a variety of free training resources available. Here are instructions on how to access these resources on some of the commonly used platforms.
We also have a curated list of availale free trainings.
AgLearn
AgLearn hosts multiple free learning courses and learning platforms including Skillsoft/Percipio.
All federal USDA permanent and term employees should be able to access the courses listed on this free online training page by logging into AgLearn.
Non-federal USDA employees (contractors) may be granted access to other AgLearn courses (i.e. Percipio/Softskills) on a case-by-case basis, but this is not guaranteed due to licensing restrictions. Please have your supervisor contact your Agency AgLearn Point of Contact and provide a justification stating how a particular training will help the researcher carry out the mission of the agency.
Contact your Agency AgLearn Point of Contact with further questions about how to access AgLearn courses.
Coursera and EdX
Many Coursera and EdX courses can be audited for free (i.e. no certification which requires a fee). For Coursera, licenses are available to ARS scientists and support staff through the SCINet Program (see below for details).
For EdX click enroll on a particular course, create an EdX account, and choose the free audit option.
For Coursera see the full list of free Coursera courses. These courses offer a ‘Full Course, No Certificate’ option. This option lets a user see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade, but does not provide a certificate.
ARS scientists and staff also have the option to take some courses in audit mode, which provides visibility of most course materials for free but does not provide access to graded assignments and a Certificate.
If the audit option is not avaiable or a certificate is required, ARS Scientists and staff can request a SCINet-sponsored Coursera license, which provides 3-months of full access to Coursera. If more than 3 months is needed to complete a course, a new request will need to be submitted the following quarter to secure the license for another 3 months.
SCINet-funded Coursera Licenses: ARS scientists can request a Coursera license for a three month period to gain access to the full list of Coursera catalogue options related to scientific computing, statistics, and AI. This license also allows ARS scientists to get certifications. To request a license, please visit the SCINet Coursera page.