Are IT Classes Worth It?

So you’ve decided you want to learn IT but aren’t sure how to proceed. There are many ways to master information technology, from free resources to online courses to in-person classes. But, which option is best? Is a class really worth it? This article aims to answer these questions by providing you with a deeper understanding of the advantages and considerations of an IT class. Keep reading to learn more.

Consider the Costs

Attending a live (either online or in-person) IT training will most likely cost several hundred to a few thousand dollars, so there’s no denying that it’s a financial commitment. On-demand virtual courses are more cost effective and allow you to learn at your own pace. There are also, of course, free online tutorials and YouTube videos to help you grasp the basics. Each of these options have their own benefits and drawbacks, so understanding the pros and cons of each offering is the first step in deciding if it’s worth the cost. 

Advantages of an IT Class

There are substantial advantages to an IT class (as opposed to free online resources) that might make the price tag worth it for you. Outlined below are some of the top advantages of attending an IT course with a live instructor-led curriculum. 

General Benefits

A live course, whether online or in-person, has substantial advantages like real-time interactions with an instructor and other students, allowing you to ask questions and receive feedback instantly. This can be especially helpful when you’re struggling with a specific topic in the course. Live classes also have built-in accountability. If you don’t show up for your scheduled class times, your absence will be noticed. For some students, this can keep them motivated and on task. Finally, these structured courses boast a top-notch curriculum, covering IT in-depth, often using real-world examples to help you apply skills and techniques. 

Access to Current and Relevant Information

It can be hard to decipher the most current best practices and strategies for a field like IT, especially when you’re just sifting through free tutorials online. As the software and digital products continue to evolve, the field of information technology will change with it, adapting to the shifting trends and demands of the current landscape. A quality IT class will have the most up-to-date practices and theories to ensure what you’re learning is useful in the current world. 

Learning Theory and Practices

IT is used in a variety of industries, so having a firm foundation in the universal and industry-specific principles and practices will be very important. At its base, IT involves working with the computer systems, hardware, software, and networks related to the processing and distribution of data. The umbrella of IT also encompasses things like networking hardware (servers and routers) and applications that allow communication over a variety of networks and the internet. An experienced instructor will walk you through all the fundamentals of IT and help you learn how best to apply them. 

Personalized Feedback

A lot of learning IT is trial and error. Most courses will provide real-world examples and projects so that you can learn to apply your skills and make valuable mistakes along the way. A live class allows an instructor to provide you with feedback on your work in the moment. Plus, a course led by an expert instructor also provides a chance for that expert to look over your projects outside of class and provide thoughtful, more in-depth advice later. Many courses even include 1:1 mentoring or virtual office hours, giving you ample opportunities to learn from your mistakes and build your skills. 

Collaboration and Communication

IT professionals are typically members of a larger team that can include programmers, business analysts, software architects, and user experience (UX) designers . Collaboration and communication are important skills that can be practiced in an IT course. You could work on projects with other students, present your data for the class, or learn tips and tricks for successfully communicating and collaborating. Online tutorials may provide some insight into this, but won’t create opportunities for you to practice these things like a live class. 

Considerations When Looking at IT Classes

There are additional things to consider before enrolling in a course beyond your interest level or career dreams. While learning IT is accessible for most, it may not be for everyone.

General Considerations

As previously mentioned, live online classes offer a structured learning environment and accountability with scheduled class times. While these can be valuable benefits, if you work full time or have other commitments that occupy your day, scheduled class times could be difficult to accommodate. A live class also requires you to learn at the same pace as the other students. If you master new subjects quickly or are already competent in some topics covered in an IT course, you may wish to skip ahead to save yourself some time. This also applies in the opposite direction: if you require more time on a specific subject, a live online class may not accommodate.

Finding the Right Balance of Skills

It’s important that you know what skills and subjects you’d like to focus on before you enroll in a course. Or, if you’re entirely new to IT, it’s recommended that you look for a class that has the right balance of technical skills, theory, soft skills, and project-based work. A comprehensive training program or bootcamp will offer a robust curriculum that covers these aspects, but shorter classes may only focus on the basics or specific features. 

Is it Worth Enrolling in an IT Class?

Who will find it worthwhile?

Learning IT is the first step for anyone that wants a career in cybersecurity, cloud computing, or database management, to name a few. These trainings provide the fundamental transferable skills necessary for these roles (and many more). Many professional roles require knowledge of IT, including Computer Systems Analysts, Software Engineers, and Database Administrators. 

Whether you’re upskilling or reskilling, pursuing ongoing professional education will always serve you well in your career. But, for those that aren’t interested in career change or advancement, mastering IT can still be worthwhile. Learning technical skills can improve your problem-solving skills, memory, confidence, and concentration skills. Learning a new skill can make you a more well-rounded person, both professionally and personally. If you’re looking to expand your soft and hard skill sets, learning IT can be worth it for you.

IT can also be of value to creatives and designers. While IT skills are considered more technical, they do have their place in design. A UX or UI Designer will already be familiar with some of the principal skills of IT and further study of the subject can allow them a better understanding of the challenges they may run into during development and the best ways to collaborate with professionals in their company’s IT department. 

Who probably doesn’t need an IT class?

If you’re already a Programmer, Software Engineer, or Front End Developer, attending a IT course would be redundant, as you already possess the skills. General IT skills involve coding and programming, so experts in these fields will most likely be looking for more advanced training.

Learn IT Skills with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop’s Data Science Certificate prepares you for entry-level data science and Python engineering roles. You’ll learn how to manipulate databases and perform data analysis, read and write complex database queries, prepare and clean data for analysis, and use Python to automate everyday tasks such as aggregating, updating, and formatting data. This course also covers how to clean and balance your data with Pandas, apply machine learning algorithms with the scikit-learn library to solve real-world problems, and analyze the results to detect areas for improvement. Finally, you’ll build and present dynamic dashboards and other data visualizations and deploy your projects online with GitHub to demonstrate your analytical abilities to employers.

Their Software Engineering Certificate is another option for aspiring IT students. Divided into front end development, React Development, and Django (Python) Development, you will learn HTML to mark up web pages and CSS for styling; the fundamentals of JavaScript and Git; and how to use Flexbox and Grid to layout, align, reorder, and adapt web page content to different size screens. You’ll then move on to the fundamental JavaScript programming concepts, including variables, data types, loops, and DOM. Plus, you’ll cover topics like React, a powerful JavaScript library for web development, and master Node.js, MongoDB, and Express.js to round out your JavaScript development skills.

By creating a portfolio of projects, preparing for common interview questions, and polishing your resume and LinkedIn profile, this course will have you ready to pursue a new job in software engineering in as little as 20 weeks (on a full-time schedule). One-on-one mentoring and a free one-year retake are included in the cost of this course. Payment plans and tuition assistance are available, and this training requires no previous experience, making it great for beginners.

Or, you could try your hand at Noble’s Python Developer Bootcamp. This three-week online course teaches Python for software development with Django, Django REST, and other developer tools like Git and SQL. You’ll start by learning the basics of Python, including its lexical syntax, then move to more advanced topics like dictionaries, custom functions, and sorting algorithms. In week two, you'll learn object-oriented programming, how to work with APIs, and get an introduction to web databases using SQL. By creating projects that can be added to your portfolio, you’ll master URL dispatchers, querying models, and automating tasks with Django, as well as how to work with images, authentication, and use API endpoints with Django REST. 

It’s recommended that you are comfortable coding HTML and basic CSS. You should possess equivalent knowledge of Noble Desktop’s Web Development with HTML & CSS class, and mastery of another programming language is helpful, but not required. Payment plans and financing are available, in addition to extra perks like one-on-one mentoring, a free one-year retake, and a verified digital certificate are included with your purchase.