Best Part-Time Investing Bootcamps

If you’re ready to enroll in an investing bootcamp, two primary training structures are available: full-time and part-time study. Full-time study provides a condensed way to spend several days or weeks fully immersed in studying investing and other related financial concepts. Part-time study typically takes place on weekends or weeknights and allows learners additional time to complete their training, often over several weeks or months. Read on to learn more about the benefits and challenges of part-time investing training, as well as whether this type of instruction is right for you.

Why Learn Investing Part-Time?

Part-time investing classes are an excellent choice for learners who work full-time or have busy personal lives and can’t take off work to attend class. These programs provide the same educational benefits and outcomes as full-time study, including access to a live instructor, hands-on investing training, and the support of a cohort of students who are also completing their training. The curriculum is typically the same as it would be in full-time study, save for the fact that lessons are spaced out over the course of a longer timeframe. Part-time training options are available from most providers who offer full-time classes. Depending on the program, these classes can be completed live online or at a designated training facility. 

Part-time study allows students to have additional time between class meetings to practice the material they’re studying and ensure they can remember and apply it. Although it takes longer to complete part-time investing training than it would to finish a full-time class, most learners won’t have to take time off from work or rearrange their schedules to attend classes since they take place at night and/or on weekends. 

Drawbacks to Learning Investing Part-Time

One of the main considerations with part-time investing coursework is that it requires a longer time commitment than full-time study. While the number of in-class hours is the same in both training formats, students must be able to devote several weeks or months to learning investing. This can pose challenges for some learners, particularly those who are looking to learn investing for work-related reasons and put their skills to use right away. Part-time training also requires that learners be available for more live sessions (either in-person or online) than they would for full-time coursework. For this reason, part-time coursework may not be the best match for those who have a long commute to a training center or lack reliable transportation. 

Is a Part-Time Investing Bootcamp Right for You?

Deciding if a part-time investing bootcamp is right for you is a choice all students will need to make before enrolling in a program. Those who work full-time or who have busy lives outside of work likely will benefit most from this training format, since it affords them the flexibility of completing their training without having to take time off work. Part-time study is also a good match for learners who don’t need to put their skills to immediate use in the professional environment and can spend a longer period of time practicing the investing techniques and strategies they’re learning. 

Because bootcamp study is available to learners at all levels, those who enroll in a part-time bootcamp can be new to investing or can have prior experience in finance and want to take their skills even further. Any professional interested in acquiring hands-on investing training will likely find the time and money they spend on bootcamp study valuable to their career path.

Ways to Make Learning Investing Part-Time Easier

Several learning tools are available for those who want to supplement their part-time investing training. Those who want to learn basic investing concepts or find answers to specific investing-related questions can turn to free online resources like tutorials, blogs, and YouTube videos. Hundreds of videos are posted on YouTube about investing and other financial concepts. Most only require a few minutes of time to watch and cover a specific financial literacy concept, whereas other videos are longer and more involved and break down the field of investing and describe current best practices. Educational provider Noble Desktop’s Stock Market Investing Fundamentals webinar takes an hour to watch and teaches and covers topics like stocks and bonds, valuation principles, and the Capital Gains tax.. This short course is perfect for those looking to learn about what principles control the stock market and what moves it.

Another way to learn about investing while completing part-time coursework is through written resources like online blogs or tutorials. Aspiring Investors can find accessible information on investing at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s investor education and advocacy branch, investor.org. This resource offers a brief introduction to key financial concepts like savings and investing, risk and return, and diversification. 

Free online investing simulators, like Investopia’s Stock Market Simulator, are also available for those looking to try their hand at investing without risking their own money. Simulators provide those who are new to investing with a risk-free way to experiment with various investing techniques without having to lose a penny. Some online simulators even offer real market values, so users will have real-world experience investing in a safe environment. 

In addition to online videos, written tutorials, and investing simulators, some educators also post free on-demand investing classes that can be taken alongside part-time study. Top educators like Udemy, Skillshare, and Coursera offer a selection of free video content that varies in length from just a few minutes to several hours. Coursework is available on compound interest, reading candlestick charts, using Excel for valuation, and the free Google tools available for trading the markets. One of the main benefits of on-demand training is the flexibility it offers. Unlike live study, in which lessons take place at regularly scheduled intervals and the instructor establishes the learning pace, it’s up to the student to select their learning speed with on-demand content. This means they have the flexibility to pause, rewind, and even rewatch entire courses as often as necessary to ensure they’re comprehending the material. 

Those who enroll in part-time investing classes are encouraged to take advantage of the professional development incentives these bootcamps and certificates often include. Programs that provide professional development perks like help with resumes, cover letters, or LinkedIn profiles typically offer these services to all students who enroll, regardless of whether they’re completing the class full-time or part-time. Career services, access to networking events, and assistance with professional portfolios are just a few of the kinds of professional-focused incentives bootcamp participants may have at their disposal while enrolled, or even after graduating from a bootcamp program. Learners are encouraged to read about the bootcamp they want to enroll in before doing so to find out if any such incentives are offered. 

Choosing the Best Part-Time Investing Classes or Bootcamp

Selecting the right part-time bootcamp is a process that requires a bit of research into different learning options and evaluating the specific considerations that part-time study entails.

One general consideration is the difficulty level of the investing program. Those who are new to investing will likely benefit most from beginner-level coursework that covers basic financial concepts like stocks and bonds before progressing into more complex material like how to handle venture capital or angel investing. Similarly, students who already have prior financial experience will do better in a program that provides intermediate or advanced-level training, so they’re not learning the same content they already know. Because so many courses are available, it may require a bit of research for learners to find coursework at the appropriate difficulty level.

Program length is another consideration that learners should weigh before enrolling in a course. Whereas some part-time bootcamps only require a few weeks to complete, other programs may take months of part-time study. Those interested in putting their investing training to immediate use at their current job or pursuing a new career path in the short term may therefore prefer part-time training classes that require several weeks versus those that take months. 

Live part-time investing classes still require that students are able to attend meetings that take place in real time at regularly scheduled intervals. Students who want to enroll in this form of coursework must have the time set aside to attend class and complete assignments. This may be challenging for those who have busy schedules or have pressing work commitments that vie for their time and attention. 

Those who commit to part-time investing training may find it beneficial to have an extended timeframe to study the material they’re learning and practice investing skills. However, for some, it may be challenging in this training format to find motivation to continue with studies, among other commitments. Those who are self-motivated to carve out study time and complete lessons will do better in part-time coursework than those who prefer knocking their training out in a more condensed timeframe of intensive study.