Where can I get training for ... ?
Human Resourcs: Training & Development
http://www.hr.ucsb.edu/training
Additional Resources For Students:
UCSB Extension: https://extension.ucsb.edu/
Lab Safety Training: http://www.ehs.ucsb.edu/training
Additional Resources For Employees (including Student Employees and TAs):
UCSB Learning Center: https://www.learningcenter.ucsb.edu/
UCSB Technical Training: https://it.ucsb.edu/index.php/explore-services/technical-training
UCSB Linkedin Learning: https://www.learningcenter.ucsb.edu/linkedin-learning (formerly Lynda.com)
In addition to standard classes, with the recent three-year subscription renewal for UCSB, all active employees have free access to the full library of online instructional videos offered by Lynda.com, a LinkedIn company. Just log in at https://www.learningcenter.ucsb.edu/linkedin-learning with your UCSBnetID and password to access 5,000+ tutorials covering the latest software, business, and creative skills as taught by recognized industry experts.
For employees, Lynda.com provides an opportunity to learn anytime, anywhere, whether that’s with your work team or as a self-learning opportunity. Your Lynda.com account provides you with 24/7 mobile, tablet, and offline access from anywhere. Completed classes can automatically be added as skills to your LinkedIn profiles as well!
Recently, Lynda.com began working with Human Resources to map their many offerings to our UC Core Competencies, including the UC People Management Competencies for managers and supervisors. In addition, a campus workgroup has been newly formed to partner with Human Resources and Lynda.com on developing and promoting user-friendly Lynda.com resources, such as playlists, that would be of value and interest to our campus community.
To get started, you are invited to watch the “How to Use Linkedin Learning” video. More information on Lynda.com is also available at https://www.hr.ucsb.edu/employee-resources, with new plans to share updates and highlighted training monthly via Gaucho Voice, the staff edition newsletter; quarterly in the HR Training Schedule; and at least twice a year at Lunch and learn.
Together, UCSB and Lynda.com are working to promote a culture of growth for all UCSB employees.
Additional UC Resources For Everyone:
Introduction to Mac Computers: https://support.apple.com/explore/new-to-mac
Introduction to the Library and Research: https://www.library.ucsb.edu/instruction
UCSB basic needs such as food, housing, computers and basic life skills*: https://basicneeds.ucsb.edu/
UCSB food resources: https://foodbank.as.ucsb.edu/frequently-asked-questions/
Additional non-UC Resources For Everyone:
General IT training
GCFGLOBAL is a free online educational website focusing on technology, job training, reading, and math skills for students. They have several good articles and walk throughs that will help you be more tech savy
- Basic Troubleshooting for Beginners: https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/computerbasics/basic-troubleshooting-techniques/1/
Other Universities also have courses (not just for IT) available to the public including in partnership with UCSB
- Free online classes from Harvard, MIT and several UCs (often with digital textbooks): https://www.edx.org/
- MIT Open Courseware (free textbooks and course materials, several UC professors have put their stuff up here if their course is in edx)
The local Santa Barbara Public Library also offers tech coaching and classes. If you are tech savy and want to help your less fortunate schoolmates, they accept volunteers from UCSB and this may count as volunteer hours.
- How to make an appointment: https://library.santabarbaraca.gov/library-services/literacy-services/tech-coaching
- How to volunteer: https://library.santabarbaraca.gov/library-services/literacy-services/faqs-adult-literacy-and-og-readers-volunteer-tutors
Privacy and Law
Office of the Attorney General is a California Government site that advises Californians on laws and regulations including those at the UC
How to Read and Understand a Privacy Policy: https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/facts/online-privacy/privacy-policy
Terms of Service Didn't Read takes info from the above government site and turns it into an easy to read color coded table for many common websites, note you should still read the full terms of service and privacy policy for all services that you uses because even the best summary is just a summary and does not include all the terms and conditions: https://tosdr.org/en
Having issues finding how-to articles on Google, Reddit or Youtube due to ads and AI generated content? Try a different search engine run by scientists and engineers:
- Academic base search engine: (Almost half a billion academic and scientific texts, studies, and articles): https://www.base-search.net
- Government search engine of 200+ million articles and journals (a lot of research is government funded and hence public): https://www.science.gov
- Academic reference search (over a billion references): https://www.refseek.com
Additional information regarding copyright, including UC policies and legal issues, may be found at: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/copyright/
How to backup your personal computer
Note: not really a how to article but Crashplan for 1 TB file backups is available from Office of Research for researchers and we are also working with them to bring this to all members of the College of Engineering hopefully in 2026
https://rcd.ucsb.edu/resources/computing-resources/backup-recovery
In the meantime if you need backups for UC owned machines and servers, please email: help at engineering.ucsb.edu
Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102307
Related articles