Are Power BI Classes Worth It?

Before selecting a Microsoft Power BI class, you’ll need to determine whether it’s worth your time, effort, and money to enroll. Advanced training in Power BI through bootcamps or certificate programs can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars and require several weeks. Some educators also post educational articles on in-demand Power BI topics, which can be a great resource for those looking to explore a specific topic or skill. Noble Desktop’s Power BI Learn Hub provides well-researched content on the various uses of Power BI, career paths in which this tool is used, and how learning this skill set compares with other comparable tools.complete. The decision of whether to enroll in one such class requires careful consideration of different variables. In the following article, several key factors will be considered that can help you make this decision and ultimately decide if a Power BI class is a sound investment for you. For most learners, investing in Power BI training is a good option if the skills you’ll learn from your studies can be put to use professionally in your current career or toward a new professional path. The skills and training you acquire in formal study will be in service of developing essential professional tools that will help you be a more productive and marketable employee.

Consider the Costs

Power BI is a business intelligence tool that’s used to analyze and visualize raw data so that actionable insights can be found in these numbers. If you’re looking to study this widely used business intelligence solution, you may wonder how much coursework will cost. The cost of Power BI study is largely dependent on the type of program you select, its focus, and the course duration. Some providers offer short classes that deal exclusively with Power BI and its uses in data analytics or business analytics. These introductory-level skills programs or bootcamps are typically short and span just a few days. Cost-wise, these short classes are much less expensive than longer programs that teach multiple skills alongside Power BI. Short courses usually cost $1,000 or less. Certificate programs that teach Power BI and other related skills, such as a certificate in data analytics, usually require a longer time commitment of weeks or even months and can cost more than $5,000. Less-expensive (or even free) training options are also available, including on-demand coursework, free online tutorials, and YouTube videos. However, these types of training have drawbacks. Because so many learning options are available for studying Power BI, it’s important for each learner to judge for themself which course is worth the cost. 

Advantages of a Power BI Class

Although Power BI coursework can be demanding and requires a financial investment, there are many good reasons to choose to learn this business solution through live instruction.

General Benefits

In addition to the program-specific benefits of studying Power BI in the live environment, most learners will find that opting for live training offers general perks as well. If you choose to study Power BI through live training, either in person at a designated training facility or through live online coursework on a teleconferencing platform like Zoom, you’ll benefit from learning from an expert instructor. They are there in real time to guide your learning journey and provide on-the-moment support, clarification, and guidance. The activities you’ll be taught are intended to prepare you to use your skills with real data in the workplace. The instructor is there for your learning journey to provide personalized support and feedback, which can make it much easier to learn core skills, including how to connect to datasets, analyze data, create interactive data visualizations, and publish reports.

The hands-on training you’ll receive during your coursework provides a focused opportunity for you to focus entirely on learning Power BI without other distractions competing for your focus. No matter whether you opt to enroll in a short Power BI course that takes just one or two afternoons to complete or a rigorous data analytics certificate that requires several months of time, the live instructor and other students in the class will be there to offer support and a sense of community. Most learners find it easier to retain information and grasp complicated Power BI skills in a live classroom than through independent study. 

Well-Rounded Education

Another advantage of learning Power BI through live coursework is that you’ll be provided with the sort of well-rounded training to prepare you to use Power BI professionally for work projects. Although the content taught in bootcamps varies depending on the provider and whether the course focuses exclusively on Power BI or if this tool is taught alongside other data tools, learners can expect to graduate with a range of in-demand skills. Students explore essential data topics like how to connect with datasets, structure and analyze data, and create customized visualizations like charts, maps, and graphs. Those enrolled also become familiar with how to use this solution’s range of tools and publish reports based on their data findings. Coursework often teaches learners how to use Power Query to import data from sources like SQL and Excel, as well as how to aggregate these numbers to yield valuable insights. Some classes also cover topics like how to work with Data Analysis Expressions (DAX), Power BI’s language that contains various operators and functions for building expressions and formulas.

Real-World Training

Like other skills, learning to work with Power BI is intended to prepare students to put their training to use in the real world. Those who attend a Power BI class like an in-person bootcamp will become familiar with useful skills that will benefit their organization as a whole, such as how to spot where and how this solution can best be utilized to solve pertinent data issues for the company, as well as how to create reports that tell a story of how the company is performing. The training provided during coursework can help learners create measures on the fly that are capable of solving most of their business problems. It’s also an excellent way to learn how to create time intelligence reports, such as year-over-year comparisons, which shed light on important business trends and patterns.

Personalized Feedback

Live Power BI training isn’t just a good way to connect with other learners who are attending the class. It also provides access to an expert instructor who has industry experience using Power BI. The instructor is always available to impart their knowledge and expertise by providing practical, in-class exercises that incorporate the learning-by-doing approach. While completing a bootcamp in Power BI or a more comprehensive certificate in data analytics, you will likely encounter difficult concepts and tools that may not be easy to master. The instructor is there to provide in-the-moment clarification and support. Even in the live online environment, students can opt to share their screen with the teacher (with permission) to receive additional clarification and guidance. This form of training is a great way to help students learn how to avoid making common mistakes that can occur in the analytics and visualization process.

Considerations When Looking at Power BI Classes

While many learners benefit from Power BI courses, this type of training isn’t for everyone. The following sections will take a look at some general considerations you may wish to explore before you enroll in a live training class.

General Considerations

Like most live classes, opting to study Microsoft Power BI through live online or in-person training requires adhering to a fairly set schedule of coursework and study. Those who choose in-person training must also carve out time to commute to and from class for regularly scheduled meetings and have a reliable form of transportation to do so. Live online training requires having a computing device with Power BI installed, as well as a quiet place to study without distraction. To get the most out of coursework, students will need to balance their training around other life commitments, including full-time employment or family events. Additionally, participants will need to carve out time to regularly practice the skills they’re being taught to ensure they are retaining the content and will be able to put it to use at a later time. Since live training occurs at a pace that’s dictated by the instructor, this may present challenges for some learners, in particular those who need to learn Power BI for an upcoming or current work project. It can also make it difficult for students who require additional support or assistance, or who already have familiarity with Power BI and wish to speed up the learning pace.

Balancing Theory and Practical Skills

One important consideration most learners will need to weigh when selecting a Power BI course is the balance it provides of theoretical training and practical skills. Some learners, in particular those who are new to data analysis and visualization, may be interested in immersing in a comprehensive program that teaches data analytics theory and places Power BI in the larger context of the field of data analytics. Learners such as this may benefit more from enrolling in a data analytics certificate program that teaches Power BI alongside tools like Excel, Tableau, and SQL. Other learners, however, may wish to devote their time and effort to exclusively studying Power BI skills. This may be the case for professionals interested in learning how to create Power BI reports for an upcoming work project. For these learners, a Power BI skills class or bootcamp is likely a better match, as it will provide practical, hands-on training in core data skills that will be immediately applicable to their current career. While it’s possible to find coursework that provides comprehensive theoretical training alongside practical skills, this is an important factor to consider when deciding on a course.

What Skills Do You Need to Know?

Another essential factor to consider when deciding on a Power BI class is what skills you’re hoping to acquire from training and, ultimately, what you intend to do with them. For example, if you’re learning Power BI for personal reasons rather than for use in a data analytics career, you may not need to become familiar with advanced skills like how to use DAX, the solution’s built-in language. You may not even need to enroll in a formal class to gain an overview of Power BI and its essential features. Instead, you may wish to use free Power BI resources, such as YouTube videos or online tutorials, that cover the basics. On the other hand, if you’re interested in putting your Power BI training to use creating customized maps or other data visualizations to include in a work report, you’ll need to select a program that provides instruction on how to fully utilize this program’s visualization capabilities. Those interested in acquiring a robust understanding of Power BI for their current career or to pursue an entirely new professional path are likely to need well-rounded Power BI training that includes instruction on this solution’s core tools and capabilities, whereas other, more casual learners may not require advanced-level instruction.

Is it Worth Enrolling in a Power BI Class?

Who will find it worthwhile?

Learning Power BI is a valuable skill set for anyone looking to illustrate what’s currently happening within their organization and anticipating the events that may occur in the future. This solution’s machine-learning capabilities can locate data patterns to predict useful “what-if” scenarios that allow users to create forecasts to prepare for any potential demand pattern. These findings can then be communicated through data visualizations and reports to stakeholders, who will use this knowledge to make more educated predictions for the organization. Anyone whose job entails regularly working with large stores of data, which are difficult for other platforms to process, will benefit from learning Power BI. 

Power BI is a go-to for professionals in a range of career paths and industries. Its flexibility and accessible interface are an asset for use in small-scale environments, such as for employees to use when reporting data. Those who work in retail can use this tool to streamline the data management process and unearth valuable insights into customer purchasing patterns. Power BI is also a popular tool that can consolidate data so companies can work with this information to streamline how their supply chains operate. Within the business sector, Power BI has applications for charting how a business is performing and what its customers need. In finance, institutions like banks turn to this solution to keep track of losses and profits and better understand customers. Manufacturers, too, use Power BI to avoid information bottlenecks, anticipate hardware issues, and reduce downtime. 

Who might find it worthwhile?

Studying Power BI is valuable for most professionals who regularly handle large data stores and want to find actionable insights from these numbers. However, some workplaces use other tools for the analysis and visualization process. If the organization where you work relies on programs like Microsoft Excel and Tableau for data analytics and visualization, you may not need to learn Power BI. However, knowledge of this solution can be an excellent way to further develop your knowledge in data analytics, create interactive and engaging visualizations, and share your findings with other relevant internal or external stakeholders. 

Those who work in data-adjacent fields in which data is gathered, analyzed, and utilized may find Power BI training valuable and worthwhile. This includes individuals who are employed in finance, business, data science, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and education. The hands-on training you’ll receive in a Power BI course is a great way to take your data skills to the next level, which will make you a more valuable employee at your workplace or help you stand out from other job applicants if you’re applying for a new career. 

Who probably doesn’t need a Power BI class?

While most professionals who regularly work with data will find Power BI training useful, not everyone will find this type of training essential. Individuals whose jobs don’t involve data analysis or visualization will not need to invest the time or money into formal Power BI training. Those who aren’t working on time-sensitive projects for their current job may prefer to learn at their own pace rather than sign up for a live Power BI class. While self-study can make the Power BI learning process more challenging, it also provides additional flexibility and allows the individual to dictate their own learning speed and the content they want to explore. Casual Power BI users, too, may not need formal training with this solution. Programs like Excel may be a better option for those looking only to create basic data visualizations without sitting for live training. 

Learn Power BI with Noble Desktop

Regardless of how much time you want to spend learning to work with Power BI, Noble Desktop has courses that can help you get there. Those interested in working with this industry leader to transform data into insights can do so with hands-on training in the small classroom environment. In Noble’s Power BI Bootcamp, students create interactive data visualizations like maps, graphs, and charts in which they present data findings in an engaging and colorful way. Instruction is provided on how to create dynamic dashboards and reports that covey data trends and patterns. This comprehensive program includes training in how to import data from sources like SQL, Text/CSV, and Excel, as well as how to work with Power Query. Students also learn how to aggregate data using MIN/MAX, COUNT, and SUM to gain further insights. By the end of this bootcamp, those enrolled will have the opportunity to work with the DAX language for visualizing data.

If you’re interested in earning Power BI certification for work-related reasons, an excellent study option is Noble’s Power BI Certification Program. This program is intended for those looking to become expert Power BI users and earn a Microsoft Certified Power BI Data Analysts Associate designation. This comprehensive class combines all the teaching benefits of the Power BI Bootcamp with six hours of additional private tutoring. Coursework takes students from introductory-level Power BI training up through advanced-level data skills. Participants work with Power Query to import data from a range of sources. They then learn how to structure, filter, and analyze this information to create stunning data visualizations. Training then progresses into higher-level skills, such as data aggregation and training with the DAX language. Participants are encouraged to ask questions in real time and have the opportunity to interact with other learners in a supportive classroom environment. Learners can use their three private tutoring sessions to further explore topics of interest so they will be ready to pass the certification exam. Tuition includes the fee for the Power BI Data Analyst Associate Exam, test proctoring, and a free test retake (for those who need it). Learners who would prefer not to take the exam at the end of this class have the flexibility of opting instead for an additional hour of private tutoring.

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