Learning Finance means understanding all aspects of its related subjects, so it will take concentrated study. In order to become really fluent in Finance, you’ll need to be comfortable across multiple disciplines and fields; in that way, learning Finance might feel overwhelming compared with mastering a single computer program. Researching complementary and related skills will help you to make more informed decisions about how to proceed when learning Finance, set you up for learning additional skills later on--and hopefully allay any fears that you’re not up to the challenge. This article will help you learn more about related Finance training options such as investment banking, accounting, data science, and FinTech. Read on to find out how you can jumpstart your career in Finance.

What is Finance?

Financeis an umbrella term that covers all things money, including financial analytics, financial modeling, banking, investing, and financial technology (or FinTech). Finance involves investing, lending, budgeting, borrowing, saving, forecasting, and the study of money. It’s possible to trace back our modern-day financial structures thousands of years--and the principles of Finance matter just as much in today’s world.

There are three main areas to consider within the world of Finance. Personal finance involves budgeting, investing, managing cash flow, and borrowing to finance large purchases while keeping debt down. Corporate finance covers capital budgeting, capital structure, and dividend policy. Public finance deals primarily with the revenue and budget of a public entity, whether a government or quasi-government organization. These three branches allow for a wide variety of job opportunities within the field of Finance, so you can find a position that matches your interests and expertise. 

What Can You Do with Finance Skills?

Learning Finance can open doors to so many different fulfilling--and lucrative--careers. If you’re interested in being involved with the financial decisions of corporate entities and organizations, you might enjoy becoming a Financial Analyst, Management Analyst, Investment Banker, or Financial Manager. On the flip side, if you’d like to help individuals and families manage investments and plan for retirement, becoming a Personal Financial Advisor or an Accountant might be the right fit for you. There are other positions you can take on with finance training, such as Bookkeeper, Tax Examiner, Loan Officer, or Revenue Agent--which means there is something for everyone in this fast-paced field.

One benefit of learning Finance is entirely personal: understanding how to invest, save, and create a budget can make a big difference in your family’s current and future financial health. It also makes you a more efficient problem solver and critical thinker, in both your personal life and at work. Lastly, Finance training looks great on your resume--even if you’re taking on a job in an entirely different field. Whatever you decide to do career-wise, learning Finace won’t be a mistake. 

Skills Related to Finance

It can be helpful to consider complementary skills when looking at the vast field of Finance--without breaking it down into bite-sized pieces, you may find you’re overwhelmed trying to figure out where to begin. While many people pursue a college degree in Finance, or even go on to graduate-level study, it’s quite possible to do well in the world of Finance without a degree: bootcamps and certificate programs can sometimes be all you need to find a career and achieve success in the field. 

Related Skill #1: Data Science

While Data Science may seem unconnected to Finance, it’s a hugely important tool in the industry, used to increase efficiency, minimize risk, and improve overall decision-making. Data Scientists with a high level of skill can work in areas from algorithmic trading and automated pricing to fraud detection and risk management. In the financial industry, you can find both front-office and back-office jobs in Data Science, anywhere from asset management firms to investment banks to insurance companies.

A certificate program in Data Science can set you up to succeed in the field by giving you both the skills and the line on your resume to assure employers you know what you’re doing. As a part of Noble Desktop's Data Science Certificate program, you’ll learn Python, SQL, automation, and machine learning to help you unlock fulfilling and well-paid opportunities working in Data Science roles in the financial industry. The in-person or live online certificate program will help you learn predictive modeling skills, data analysis, and SQL querying, along with gaining skills in Python programming. You’ll create machine learning models, make dashboards and visualizations, and build a portfolio that will prepare you for a career in Data Science. Even better? An experienced Data Scientist will help you create a resume, assist you with your portfolio, and even mentor you one-on-one as you begin your job search.

Related Skill #2: Accounting

There are multiple directions to take in the world of Accounting, but they all start with understanding the basics. You’ll need to learn to create balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements, as well as understand GAAP and IFRS standards and prepare and evaluate financial forecasts. All of these skills will help as you begin to understand the nuances of evaluating financial health and valuing investment opportunities for businesses and individuals.

Noble Desktop's Financial Accounting Bootcamp is a good place to start. A two-day intensive designed for beginners, the class covers material that is useful for those seeking careers in accounting, bookkeeping, and other finance-related fields. The course introduces the fundamentals of financial accounting, including understanding financial reports, income statements, essential line items, and profit ratios. From there, you’ll learn the specifics of accrual accounting (as compared to cash accounting), ultimately moving to more advanced topics such as components of balance sheets and cash flow statements. The Financial Accounting Bootcamp is a hands-on course led by industry experts, so you’ll walk away with a solid grounding in financial accounting.

Related Skill #3: FinTech

The burgeoning field of FinTech, or financial technology, refers to the use of technology to perform financial transactions. The financial services industry embraced technology early and effectively, and such advances as mobile payments, investment advisory services, blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, Banking as a Service (BaaS), lending, and credit reporting services have all needed implementation by FinTech experts. Learning the basics can help you land a job in fields like accounting, cybersecurity, insurance, machine learning, and wealth management, to name a few.

You’ll learn all the fundamentals in a course like Noble Desktop's FinTech Bootcamp, which will teach you valuable programming and data analysis skills. You’ll find there are scheduling options that meet your needs whatever they are: to kickstart your career in FinTech, you can take the class over four weeks (weekdays only), or you can opt for the evenings-or-weekends model and complete the course over four months. The latter option allows you to keep your day job, working toward skill-building in your free time. Either way, you’ll begin by learning the fundamentals of Python and data science, working with SQL to query databases, and creating dashboards and other data visualizations. You’ll progress to building sophisticated statistical models using machine learning and understanding advanced libraries and applications of Python specifically for financial analysis, including SEC filings, stock prices, portfolio and risk management, and financial ratios. 

Related Skill #4: Investment Banking

Investment Bankers are financial advisors who help corporate clients merge, acquire, and invest in capital markets. They don’t go it alone--Investment Bankers generally work on teams alongside analysts, researchers, sales staff, management, directors, and administrators. Investment Bankers will need a deep knowledge of investing, accounting, and financial and data modeling, along with proficiency in the basic programs they’ll need to be using, such as Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. More than that, they’ll require soft skills like an excellent ability to communicate, attention to detail, and strong negotiation skills. 

If you’re starting from scratch, Noble Desktop's Financial Modeling Bootcamp is a smart first step. In the three-day class, you’ll learn essential finance and accounting concepts, along with building a 3-Statement Financial Model and a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Model in Excel. You’ll dive headfirst into advanced Excel skills, explore corporate finance and valuation, and create a financial model for a real company. This hands-on, project-based course will teach you the core financial skills required for positions in Investment Banking--along with Equity Research, FP&A, Private Equity, and Corporate Finance, so you’ll finish class with a lot of options.

Learn Finance Skills with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop is an award-winning computer training center where you can learn the skills you need to advance your career. Offering classes across the Finance spectrum--from data analytics to financial modeling to the basics of Microsoft Office--Noble Desktop can help you grow your skill set, whether in-person or live online from your home or office. The instructors at Noble Desktop are professionals in their field, and their project-based approach offers you hands-on experience that transfers seamlessly into the business world. Find out why so many students turn to Noble Desktop to uplevel their skills by enrolling in a class today.

Key Takeaway

• Finance covers anything you can think of that deals with money: investing, lending, budgeting, borrowing, saving, forecasting, and the study of money. Studying Finance can lead you to a host of careers that are both exciting and well-paid.
• Skilled Data Scientists work across all areas of Finance, from algorithmic trading and automated pricing to fraud detection and risk management, in both front-office and back-office jobs.
• Understanding the basics of Accounting can prepare you to evaluate financial health and value investment opportunities for businesses and individuals.
• FinTech is a relatively new field--and it’s booming. FinTech training can set you up to work in such areas as accounting, cybersecurity, insurance, machine learning, and wealth management.
• Investment Bankers work with corporate clients to merge, acquire, and invest in capital markets. It’s a high-energy field that attracts strong negotiators and good communicators--and if you’re up for working hard in a fast-paced environment, you’ll find the payoffs are great.
• You can receive comprehensive Finance training in-person or live online through Noble Desktop. With industry professionals on their teaching staff, Noble Desktop is committed to preparing learners for the business world through dynamic, hands-on classes. Take an individual class, a multi-day bootcamp, or a months-long certificate program and discover how learning with Noble Desktop can help get you to the next level.