Investing is the act of purchasing assets with the expectation that they will increase in value over time and provide a source of income. This practice helps individuals and organizations reach their financial goals. Once you’ve decided to learn investing, the next important question is how it is you plan to learn these skills. Most students find that they learn better when they receive guided training, and there is no shortage of available options for students to receive guidance when learning this skill. To find out more about the different investing training options and what advantages and disadvantages they carry with them, read on.

What is Investing?

In the most basic sense, investing involves purchasing an asset at a lower price and selling it for more than this value. The return on this investment is a capital gain. One way to make money investing is to sell assets for profit and earn returns on them. The amount the investment gains between when it’s purchased and sold is referred to as appreciation. Another way investing operates is when individuals purchase and hold assets that generate income. In this instance, the goal isn’t to sell the asset to realize its capital gains but to purchase assets capable of generating cash flow in the long term and hang onto it.

When they speak about investing, people often refer to financial markets in which investors come together to purchase and sell assets like bonds or stocks. It’s common for stocks to pay Investors dividends, which take the form of additional stock or cash distributed by public companies to shareholders. Those who work in income investing strive to earn a steady income flow from dividends without selling stock shares. Those who invest are looking to make compound interest on their investment. This occurs when the initial investment begins to earn returns of its own. Compound interest helps many individuals reach their investment goals for educational expenses or retirement. 

Investment takes many forms. The most common types are stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and certificates of deposit (CDs). Stocks, also known as shares or equities, are the most widely known investment type. Those who purchase stock buy ownership stakes in a publicly traded company, such as Microsoft or Apple. When purchasing bonds, individuals lend money to an entity like the government or a business. Local governments issue municipal bonds, whereas companies issue corporate bonds, and the US Treasury issues Treasury notes, bills, and bonds, all of which are debt instruments purchased by investors. Mutual funds consist of a pool of money from many investors. This pool is broadly invested in many companies and is either actively or passively managed. ETFs operate similarly to mutual funds in that they are a group of investments tracking a market index. However, unlike mutual funds bought through a fund company, ETF shares are purchased and sold on stock markets. CDs are low-risk investments in which the investor provides the bank with a specified amount of money for a determined period and receives interest. 

What Can You Do with Investing Skills?

Knowledge of investing extends well beyond the realm of stock brokers and Wall Street. Today, strategies for investing have both professional and personal applications. Unlike in the past, where investments were largely handled by finance professionals like Stock Brokers, nowadays, anyone with an internet connection can invest in the market using mobile applications. One of the essential components of investing is selecting assets that are expected to increase in value over time. This can include bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, or physical assets like real estate, cars, watches, or jewelry.

Those who know how to make sound investments and understand core financial principles can pursue careers in many in-demand fields. Investment Bankers serve as financial advisors for corporations who issue bond shares or stock to help their company raise money or merge with other companies. Financial Analysts are hired to perform tasks like monitoring market trends, studying financial statements, and creating financial models for their organization. Stockbrokers are licensed professionals who purchase and sell securities like stocks on behalf of clients. Within the banking sector, Bankers who have investment knowledge and financial literacy meet individually with clients and help these individuals manage their financial needs. Additionally, investment knowledge is widely used in FinTech. Those who work in this industry design new financial technology, such as banking and investing applications.

Why Training Format Matters

Once you’ve decided to learn investing, the next step is selecting a training format that will help you get the most out of your studies. The good news is that many top educators around the country offer coursework in investing, which means that learners at all levels can select the program that’s most suited to their learning needs, whether they’re new to investing or have prior experience in this field. Interested learners can opt for live study options, such as in-person bootcamps or live online certificate programs. On-demand investing classes and free study options are available for those who would rather determine their own learning pace. Read on to learn more about each of these training options and which one is best for you.

Types of Training Formats 

Those who are interested in learning about investing can do so either through live training options, including in-person coursework or live online classes. They can also learn this popular skill set through asynchronous study methods, including on-demand classes and free courses, which are self-paced. Each learning option has its own strengths and potential drawbacks to consider.

Live In-Person Classes

For extroverted learners who thrive in the traditional classroom setting, in-person investing classes are an excellent option. These courses are taught at a designated training facility, which is typically located in or near a major city. Students not only have access to a computer lab with the most up-to-date tools and software available at their fingertips but also benefit from learning alongside a cohort of students who are on a similar learning path. Hands-on training is provided in the small class setting, and participants learn key investment strategies and skills from an instructor with real-world experience. 

Live online training requires commuting to and from class meetings, which means that those who want to study in this format should have access to reliable transportation and live relatively close to a training facility. Additionally, travel-related costs, such as gas, tolls, and parking, can add to the expense of in-person training, which can make this learning format more expensive than other study options.

Live Online Classes

Live online investment classes are a great alternative to in-person training. These courses provide many of the same learning benefits as in-person training, including real-time access to an instructor and small class and hands-on instruction. Participants complete all their training using a teleconferencing platform like Zoom. They can ask questions and receive immediate clarification and guidance on the investing concepts that are being taught. Students who need additional support can even share their screen with the instructor (with permission) for additional help. Unlike in-person classes, which require commuting to and from a training facility for each meeting, live online study allows students to complete all coursework remotely from any location with a strong internet connection. Live online study still requires that participants be available to attend regularly scheduled classes. This may be challenging for individuals who need to balance their investing training with other commitments, including full-time employment.

On-Demand Classes

In addition to live investing classes, learners can also acquire training in this in-demand field by enrolling in on-demand study. Unlike live training, which takes place in real-time, on-demand coursework is pre-recorded and placed online for students to access at a later time. Not only does the learner get to decide when and where they wish to complete their training, but they also have the flexibility of dictating their learning speed. Some students may prefer to devote an entire weekend to learning how to create a DCF model, whereas others may wish to pace out their studies for an hour each night after work. 

One of the main benefits of on-demand training is that the student can decide how long to spend with each concept before moving on. They can pause and rewind lessons or rewatch them in their entirety to ensure they’re fully grasping the material. Asynchronous investing coursework is also typically a much more affordable training option than live classes since it doesn’t include live instruction. However, it’s important for learners to keep in mind that in this training format, no instructor will be available to field questions or offer support. This can make it challenging for some students who are new to investing to master complex skills since they will have to find answers on their own.

Free Courses

Another way some learners choose to study investing is through free online investing classes. Providers like Udemy and Coursera offer free classes that focus on essential investing concepts and skills so students can get an idea of what this field entails and work with basic investing concepts. Some free classes are long and provide detailed instruction on this topic. Coursera’s Investment and Portfolio Management Specialization class is a free five-course specialization in which beginner-level instruction is provided over a two-month timeframe on topics like behavioral finance, performance attribution, and behavioral economics. Stock Navigators also offers shorter free training options on stock trading. 

Those who aren’t quite ready to commit to a full program can still learn investment basics without having to invest a penny. Noble Desktop’s Stock Market Investing Fundamentals is available for those who want to explore stock market basics, including how to start investing and various investment strategies. This one-hour seminar teaches participants about the capital gains tax, risk-reward principle, stock pricing, bonds, and valuation. This is a great starting point for those who want to learn core investing concepts without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a formal training program.

Depth of Training Formats

Another important factor to consider when selecting an investing course is the depth of training it will provide. Certificate programs typically offer the longest and most intensive training format and are a great option for those interested in pursuing a career in investing. Bootcamps are often shorter and more focused in terms of scope. The shortest training format for learning investing is through introductory-level skills courses, which provide hands-on training for beginners and can be completed in just a day or so.

Certificate Programs

Learning investing through certificate study is an excellent way to acquire hands-on training. Those enrolled in these in-person or live online courses not only benefit from real-time instructor-led training but also have the opportunity to fully immerse in their studies for an extended period of time. Because they provide participants with instruction on a range of investment strategies and skills, these robust classes usually take several weeks or several months to complete. In addition to live instruction in the small group setting, many of these programs also provide participants with additional professional development incentives. Some certificates offer 1-on-1 mentoring sessions, career counseling, mock interview sessions, resume critiques, or access to networking events. This ensures that certificate program graduates can put their investing skills to use immediately upon graduation, either in their current job or to apply for an entirely new career path. Certificate study is generally the most expensive way to learn investing outside of a college setting. These programs can cost $3,000 or more to attend. 

If you’d like to learn about a field that is related to investing, you can enroll in Noble Desktop’s Data Science Certificate. Participants in this comprehensive class explore topics like automation, Python, SQL, data analysis, and machine learning. 

Training Bootcamps

In addition to investing certificates, training bootcamps are also available for interested learners. These courses are taught in person and live online. Unlike certificate programs, which often teach a range of investment strategies and skills, training bootcamps are usually more focused on their scope and teach one skill, such as financial accounting or how Python is used in finance. Bootcamp study is a good learning option for those who want to start with basic investing concepts and progress into more advanced-level instruction over several days. Because they are shorter in length, most bootcamps cost less than certificate study. Some schools offer bootcamps for approximately $500.

Noble Desktop provides bootcamps in several investment-related topics. Learners who want to explore finance-related training can opt for the Python for Finance Bootcamp. This program prepares students to analyze SEC financial statements, create risk models, work with Python’s financial libraries, manipulate financial data, and make stock price predictions using linear regression. Noble also has a Financial Accounting Bootcamp in which learners receive introductory-level training in financial accounting concepts, such as accounting statements basics, as well as more advanced instruction in topics like securities and investments. Each of these bootcamps takes just a few days to complete and includes a free course retake for up to one year.

Introductory Courses 

Those who are just getting started with investing may prefer an introductory-level course rather than a longer bootcamp or certificate program. These classes usually take only a day or so to complete and provide hands-on training in a specific finance-related topic, such as how to work with financial statements, angel investing, or financial analytics. Introductory courses provide a supportive live environment in which students can gain foundational knowledge in investing in a short timeframe. Some learners may opt to take multiple introductory-level classes before enrolling in more comprehensive programs to get a basic feel for the field of accounting. These programs are usually available for less than $300, which makes them a much more affordable training option than certificates or bootcamps.

Noble Desktop offers beginner-level financial courses for those who want to explore basic financial concepts and skills. Its Intro to Financial Accounting and Financial Statements provides learners with training in how to analyze financial reports and statements like balance sheets, cash flow statements, and income statements. Participants work with real-life examples from companies like Apple, Amazon, and Facebook to provide a real-world context for lessons.

Learn Investing Skills with Noble Desktop

If you’re interested in learning how to invest like a pro, let Noble Desktop help. Noble offers classes in corporate finance, business investing, and stock market investing so that learners at all levels can find coursework that meets their professional needs.

In Noble’s Stock Market Investing class, participants explore the core components of the stock market, including valuation, investing, and stock movements. Students study financial statements, valuation techniques like DCF analysis and P/E ratios, and the factors that affect stock prices. Those enrolled study recent earnings releases and valuation multiples from companies like Apple and Google to establish a framework for investing. By course completion, all learners will have a robust understanding of financial markets.

Noble also offers a Financial Analyst Training Program that takes learners from basic spreadsheet skills into intermediate-level Excel training. Participants study financial accounting and corporate finance concepts and create a valuation model for a public company. This comprehensive program prepares students to work with basic Excel concepts, such as shortcuts, formulas, functions, and PivotTables. Learners then move into more complex spreadsheet skills, such as working with cash flow projection tools and financial functions. Instruction is also provided on DCF modeling techniques and corporate valuation principles.

This bootcamp is designed to prepare students for a job at a top financial firm. Those interested in enrolling will find it helpful to have prior knowledge of finance and accounting. A short pre-learning guide is sent to all students one week before class begins.

In Noble’s Financial Modeling Bootcamp, students receive hands-on training in core accounting and finance concepts. Participants study corporate valuation, finance, and accounting in this intensive program. They also build a financial DCF model based on a real company using Excel. Prior financial experience is helpful, though not required, as a prerequisite. Additionally, intermediate-level Excel for business knowledge is required, including knowledge of iF statements, PivotTables, and VLOOKUP. 

All Noble classes are taught in person in New York City and are also available live online. Tuition includes the option of a free course retake for up to a year.