Upgrading skills FREE? Online? Yale, Harvard & more?

One of the worst things about being out of work for an extended period of time is trying to  validate that block of unemployment on your resume. In this fast-paced millenium where we can be outdated and outmoded overnight, this email I got with employment information was a welcome surprise. Check this out:

"Employers are starting to hire again and we know for a fact that they’re going to hire individuals who can contribute. Employers see each of us as a unique mix of education, talents, skills, and experiences – and it’s up to us to continually nurture and fine-tune who we are and what we have to offer.
Never stop educating yourself. If you have access to a computer and the Internet you can give yourself a first rate education. Leading universities like Yale, MIT, Princeton, and Harvard are offering their courses for FREE online. This really levels the playing field, allowing everyone access to instruction from some of the world’s greatest scholars. One organization we recently heard about, Academic Earth, has brought the best courses from some of the most respected colleges and universities together in one place. Academic Earth was founded with the goal of giving everyone on earth access to a world-class education and they are working hard to achieve that goal. Their site includes video lecture clips, lecture notes, practice problems, exams, and other resources.
So start hitting those ‘virtual’ books and keep learning. Acquire the knowledge you need to get that next great job. There's nothing holding you back!:

How cool is that? In the comfort of our own home, in our pajamas and close to the edge of the depths of despair, quality free online education can get us dressed, keep our skills current and actually lead us to a great job with some top-of-the-line upgrading!

For the Zoomers and Boomers out there, this is especially vunderbar. In an economy where hires need to have a loaded bag of tricks, these upgrades plus the knowledge and maturity that have come with your years of experience make you all the more appealing and valuable.

While I'm not as enthusiastic as the email author that "employers are hiring again" (Which employers, where and how many? I haven't seen any real indication of a big hiring swing yet ) - I know that it definitely is starting to simmer out there. They're coming, those jobs, and let's all be prepared for them - a little Ivy League upgrading would look great on a resume, don't you agree? It can't hurt to check out what they're offering and how you can benefit.