The economic meltdown has made investors very weary of taking on any risk in their investments. Most sectors of the economy are weak and unstable, creating an understandable distaste for venture capitalism right now. However, one area that has ran in the opposite direction of this negative trend is online education.

Venture firms nationwide have invested in over 20 startups that are developing online academic and job training courses in new and remarkable ways. As Paul Freedman, an education serial entrepreneur and founder of Altius recently stated, “This is undoubtedly the worst period in venture financing since the creation of the asset class, but I think education is one of the holdouts. One of the things people do when they can’t get a job is go back to school.” The freezing temperature of our financial markets are warming people to the idea of becoming more marketable, more skilled, so that when jobs do march onto the job boards once again, they will be in the best position to fill them.

According to Reuters, “With an estimated two-year cost of about $18,000, or $300 per credit, the program is more expensive than a typical community college. However, Freedman says, it boasts extensive tutoring and mentoring services, as well as lower faculty-student ratio and higher retention rate (about 80% term-over-term) than most community colleges.” Those who complete the program with a respectable GPA will then have guaranteed entrance into more than 20 four year college programs. This is the hotspot of this innovation. The smooth transition between two to four year programs is what is bringing investors and students towards online education. The attraction should be getting a certification, and the sticking point should be the prospect of having a four year high-education degree. The prospect should be the prospect of earning gainful employment when America can eventually irrigate this historical draught of jobs.

The internet was the future 10 years ago. The internet is now the present, and if you haven’t cashed in on the effectiveness of it yet, you’re living in the past. Check out the many online education and job training courses available to you now.