Make the most of free courses being offered, we've listed some to help you get started.

1) FutureLearn and Coursera have a wealth of free online courses that help build industry knowledge and show motivation:

• Creative arts and media courses
• Business and management courses
• A range of other free courses from Coursera

2) Knowing how to use Excel can help you in almost all industries, and there is always more to learn! Udemy offers a range of free courses and tutorials. 

3) Anyone can learn for free with OpenLearn from the Open University.

4) Alison offers over 1,000 free courses on topics such as IT, Business and Marketing

5) Learn a language for free with Duolingo.

Working from home opportunities may be limited this summer, but the below can help you put your skills to use, build experience and get paid.

1) Companies like Lionbridge hire workers to do data gathering and research projects from home.

2) You can get paid to test companies' websites. User Testing and Testing Time are both offering remote opportunities.

3) Share your subject knowledge by becoming an online tutor. Sign up at Superprof or Tutorhub.

4) Have language skills? Get paid to do small translation jobs online. 

5) If you have a skill companies need (writing, drawing, composing, designing, coding etc.) sign up as an online freelancer.

Experience of using business platforms relevant to your sector will make your applications stand out.

1) If you want to work in a role involving digital content, experience with Google Analytics is invaluable. 

2) The Google Digital Garage offers courses in data and digital marketing. 

3) Gain a basic understanding of law research by completing the Westlaw UK basic certification.

4) Learn the basics of trading with the IG academy and a free training account. 

5) Interested in HR or employment law? ACAS offers free online courses. 

6) Many businesses and charities use MailChimp for their email marketing. Learn the basics with their online training.

7) Salesforce is a customer relationship management service used by many marketing and sales teams, and you can learn to use it online for free. 

Volunteering is a fantastic way for you to gain experience while helping others. There is more demand for volunteers now than ever before, the below links will help you find opportunities to help.  

1) Covid Mutual Aid is helping to coordinate activities supporting people during the Covid-19 pandemic. There may also be other groups organising efforts in your area, check local community hubs and social media accounts to find them. 

2) You can find more general volunteering opportunities in areas that interest you via your local Volunteer Centre or at Do-It.org. These roles are likely to focus on supporting communities during Covid-19 at the moment, but as things return to normal there will be opportunities in many different sectors. 

3) You can even volunteer online, we've listed some of the options below:

• Help tackle a range of projects through people-powered research.
• Provide visual assistance for blind and low-vision people.
• Help with global conservation efforts by identifying animals online.
• Help map the most vulnerable places in the developing world.

Almost all industries have a professional body that supports people working in that sector. Sometimes these bodies have divisions for recent graduates. To help learn more about your chosen industry sign up to email news lists, follow the professional body on social media and consider attending any free events online for now and in person when they start up again.

You can find a list of all the UK industry associations online.

If you have something to say that’s relevant to your career plans, consider writing it down or making video content. This will help you stay up to date with developments in your chosen topic and clearly shows your knowledge and passion to potential employers.

You can get tips on starting a vlog here.