Where to Find Power BI Classes

Once you’ve decided to sign up for a Power BI class, you’ll need to consider the various training options at your disposal so you can select the course that’s most suited to your learning needs. Because of how popular data analysis currently is across industries and professions, many excellent live and asynchronous training options are available in Power BI for those who are just getting started working with this tool, as well as established Data Analysts looking to explore its advanced features. Coursework is available from providers around the globe in the in-person and online formats. Each type of coursework has its own advantages and drawbacks that should be considered before selecting a program.

Noble Desktop and other professional training centers

Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool is a useful resource that can help you find Power BI courses live online or close to home. This tool provides users with a way to compare the courses currently available at professional training centers and from Noble and other educators. Most of the programs listed provide learners with more than hands-on instruction in the live environment; they also include professional development incentives as well, which provide graduates with the training needed to prepare for jobs in data-related careers. In addition to comprehensive certificate programs that provide broad training on a range of software and tools used for data analytics, shorter skills classes and bootcamps are also available for those who want to work entirely with Power BI. Live Power BI training options provide an immersive educational experience that not only allows students to connect in real-time with an expert instructor and other students but also provides career-focused training in a supportive learning environment.

Colleges & Universities

Those who are interested in fully immersing themselves in data analytics and data visualization for an extended period of time can do so through college study. Even though Power BI isn’t available as a stand-alone major in the college setting, those interested in learning to work with this solution can choose to major in data analytics. As the practice of gathering and analyzing data becomes more prevalent across industries, more colleges are offering students data analytics study options. If the school doesn’t offer a track in data analytics alone, students can generally find coursework that’s closely related and will provide them with training in core data skills and tools, including Power BI, Tableau, Excel, SQL, and Python. Some majors aspiring data professionals may select if data analytics is offered are statistics, applied mathematics, business, economics, finance, data science, or computer science. These majors provide instruction in core data skills, including computer programming, statistical analysis, and database communication.

While enrolling in college is a good match for some learners, it isn’t a good match for everyone. The college atmosphere provides an immersive educational experience in which students can devote four or more years to their studies. However, even in schools where data analytics is available as a major, students must also complete general education requirements, some of which have no relation to Power BI or the data analytics process. Therefore, only a fraction of the student’s study time will be spent on training that’s directly applicable to their field of interest. College is also the most expensive learning option; some students leave their undergraduate studies with six figures of debt. Cost alone can make this form of training prohibitive for some learners.

Coursera, Udemy and other on-demand platforms

Another training method that some learners opt for to learn Power BI is on-demand training that’s available from platforms like Coursera or Udemy. These educational providers combine video content with pre-recorded lectures and place them online so students have the flexibility of completing their Power BI classes at their own pace, as their schedule permits. This type of asynchronous coursework comes in many forms. Coursera, for example, offers classes that focus exclusively on Power BI and require several hours or days to complete. Programs like Advanced Power BI and Extract, Transform, and Load Data in Power BI prepare students to work with essential Power BI skills, including data mining, data manipulation, and data analysis. Other classes are longer and more involved. Its Microsoft Business Analysts Professional Certification is a beginner-level, six-course program that spans three months to complete and readies students to prepare for a career as a Business Analyst.

Because on-demand content is pre-recorded, it’s important for learners to keep in mind that it will be up to them when studying in this format to find answers to questions they have. No instructor is present in this form of training, which means it’s up to the students to seek guidance as needed. Another factor to consider with on-demand classes is that many of these programs use payment models that make it difficult or even impossible to purchase a stand-alone class. While the cost of study may be much more affordable than attending a live certificate program, some students may feel trapped in a payment plan that doesn’t suit them if they opt for this type of coursework.

YouTube and other free resources

Platforms like YouTube are another good resource for studying Power BI. Depending on your training needs, these outlets can provide answers to specific Power BI questions without requiring hours of time. Those interested in learning a specific Power BI skill, such as how to connect with a database, merge data, or publish a report, can find short YouTube video content that provides guidance. These resources don’t require a monetary investment and are widely available. This makes them a popular resource for those who don’t want to invest hundreds or thousands of dollars on formal Power BI classwork but require specific knowledge to finish a work project. 

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. 

With free resources like YouTube channels or online articles, it’s important to keep in mind that they usually only offer a very basic type of training that doesn’t go into great depth about the field of data analytics as a whole or how Power BI fits into this umbrella. Additionally, if you’re interested in mastering Power BI’s more advanced features and functions, such as how to work with DAX or ETL processes, you will most likely need to enroll in a more structured type of training. Additionally, since Power BI Desktop is updated each month and released on a monthly basis to account for new features and customer feedback, free online content has the potential to quickly become obsolete with this tool. This is why those interested in learning to work with this solution through free online content should research the provider to ensure the instruction they’re receiving is current. Aspiring data professionals hoping to acquire Power BI training for their current job or to progress into another professional role will typically benefit more from live coursework, such as that which is provided in a skills class or bootcamp, which includes access to an instructor in real-time and in-the-moment support and guidance. 

Learn Power BI with Noble Desktop 

Noble Desktop has several excellent courses that can help you learn the ins and outs of Power BI. 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 creating dynamic dashboards and reports that covey data trends and patterns. This comprehensive program includes training in importing data from sources like SQL, Text/CSV, and Excel, as well as working 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 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. 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 can opt 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.