SkillSwap: My Journey - Making Learning Free for Everyone

💡 Why I’m Building SkillSwap — A Personal Mission to Make Learning Free

Have you ever wanted to learn something new, maybe coding, graphic design, or public speaking, but didn’t know where to start or couldn’t afford a course? I’ve been there. A lot of us have. That’s exactly why I decided to help build SkillSwap — a platform where people exchange skills directly. No money involved, just mutual learning and support.

🌍 What is SkillSwap?

SkillSwap is a free platform where people teach what they know and learn what they don’t by simply swapping skills.

It works like a simple give-and-take. You help someone with something you’re good at, and in return, they help you with something you’ve been wanting to learn. No payments, no subscriptions, just people helping each other grow.

We're building it for:

• Students who want to learn beyond the classroom
• Freelancers looking to pick up new skills
• People preparing for new careers
• Or anyone who loves to learn and share

👋 My Role: More Than Just a Title

Right now, I’m taking care of many parts of SkillSwap, and honestly, it’s one of the most exciting things I’ve worked on.

Team Lead and Project Manager

I lead a team of five passionate and talented people. I plan our tasks, manage our goals, and keep everyone motivated and on track. We meet regularly, solve challenges together, and support each other through every stage of building.

Data and Technical Lead

I focus on the logic behind the platform. Some of the things I work on include:

• Matching users based on their interests and availability
• Designing how the platform stores and shares information
• Tracking user activity so we can keep improving the experience

Product Thinker

I also help shape the user experience. From the layout of the dashboard to the way users connect with one another, I’m involved in making sure everything is smooth, easy to use, and helpful.

❤️ Why This Project Means So Much to Me

SkillSwap isn’t just a project. It’s something I deeply care about.

When I was starting out, I didn’t always have the tools or mentors I needed. A lot of what I learned came from friends, peers, or self-teaching. That experience showed me that the best learning often happens through people, not platforms.

Now, I want to create something that makes it easier for others to learn in that same way — with help from real people, not price tags.

🛠 What We’re Working on Right Now

• Building the first working version of SkillSwap
• Creating features like learning credits, simple profiles, and skill matching
• Designing a clean and friendly user dashboard
• Preparing for our first round of testing with real users

🚀 Want to Be Part of It?

If you’re someone who loves learning and believes in helping others grow, I’d love for you to be part of this.

We’ll be opening up early access soon. Until then, feel free to connect with me — whether you want to join, give feedback, or just hear more about what we’re building.

Learning should be shared, not sold. That’s what SkillSwap stands for. And I’m proud to be building it.

🌐 Website coming soon: [www.skillswap.ie]