Level up your life with one of these side hustles

From your architect friend who teaches yoga in her spare time to your hairdresser who doubles as an influencer, everyone seems to have a side hustle these days. If, like us, you’re left feeling a little inadequate next to your multi-hyphenate pals, it might be time to upskill so you can find your own moonlighting niche.

Online courses such as those offered by the International Open Academy (IOA) are one of the best ways to do this. They offer the same information you’d get from an in-person course but provide the flexibility to do them whenever and wherever you want, so you can fit your learning in around your current job (and do it in PJs from the comfort of your couch).

Of course, it’s important to make sure the classes you’re doing are legit – no one wants to learn how to crochet from a back-alley crook. IOA’s courses are accredited by the International Council for Online Educational Standards (accreditation number ICOES/00763/13/36) and some of them offer recognised Continual Professional Development and Continuing Coach Education points, so they definitely meet the highest standards for online education. Plus, you get a certificate at the end to prove you’ve got some shiny new skills.

Here are some of the side hustles you could score by getting prepped with an IOA course.

Furniture restoration

Learn how to restore and pimp out old furniture for profit from a veteran furniture artist with the ‘Fix Up and Flip Furniture’ video course. It not only covers the creative side such as how to pick the best old furniture at a flea market and prepping, painting and waxing pieces, but also the business aspects, such as marketing and what to charge for your work.

Dog walking

Getting paid to play with cute pooches has to be the best side hustle ever. We’re not sure why everyone isn’t doing it. While you might not need a course in how to walk a dog, when it’s multiple dogs that are not your own, a little guidance might be necessary. The ‘Dog Walking’ course teaches you everything you need to know to start and market your own business, as well as dog training and psychology and skills such as canine first aid and how to break up a dog fight.

Embroidery

Previously seen as an outdated look, embroidery has made its way back into fashion. Today, people will pay a lot for a garment emblazoned with an embroidered slogan – just look at Bella Freud’s sweaters. Jazzing up t-shirts, jackets or even soft furnishings yourself can be a lucrative business and the ‘Embroidery for Beginners’ is a good place to start. You’ll master a variety of stitches and techniques, plus learn how to do monograms and lettering.

Teaching English

If you’re a fluent English speaker you already have the basics you need to teach it as a foreign language, whether that be as a one-to-one tutor, online or in a school abroad. The rest can be learned through the Academy’s 120-Hour TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Certificate course. This online course provides handy teaching tips such as how to motivate students and how to use a student’s primary language to teach them English.

Airbnb hosting

Anyone can rent out their home through Airbnb, but it takes a bit more work to be a successful host. If you want to turn it into a proper side hustle, the ‘Successful Airbnb Hosting’ course provides a step-by-step guide to setting up the perfect Airbnb space and top tips for getting good reviews.

Coding

Getting a gig as a coder is not only a financial boon but a social one – it makes you sound like a total brainiac. Get to grips with several computer languages on the ‘Introduction to coding with HTML, CSS, and Javascript’ course, then finish off by completing your own project. After the course you’ll have the skills you need to start developing websites, apps and games.

If you’re keen to upskill your way to a side hustle, make sure you book one of the IOA’s courses soon as all courses are currently discounted to $15.99 from $119.