Is 30 Too Old to Learn Premiere Pro?

It's possible to learn Premiere Pro at almost any age, including in your thirties. In fact, it is very common for thirty-year-olds to learn how to edit with this application for a variety of reasons, both professional and personal. If you’re in your thirties and you want to learn Premiere Pro, keep reading for some good reasons to do so, and to gain more insight about what you can expect from the learning process.

Why Learn Premiere Pro at 30?

By learning Premiere Pro, you’ll be gaining an in-demand skill that is sought after in many different industries. In recent years, video content has become very popular on websites, social media, and other digital platforms. It is also becoming more common in many other types of content, like educational material and even business presentations. Researchers have found that video is engaging, memorable, and versatile and that using it is a great way to attract and retain the attention of viewers. Because video has become an integral part of so many different types of content, learning video editing with Premiere Pro can give you options in a wide range of different industries. 

Many Premiere Pro-related careers have high salaries and are expected to experience strong future growth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics--a government agency that gathers and analyzes labor market data--finds that the median pay for Film and Video Editors is about $60,000 per year, which is higher than the national average salary. In addition, the agency predicts a 7 percent growth rate in film and video editing jobs over the next ten years, which is also higher than average, and indicates that this is a relatively stable career field to enter.

Not only can learning Premiere Pro lead to a wide range of different job options, but many people also find that video editing is a fulfilling and rewarding activity. Every video edit is unique and involves a creative process of figuring out how to arrange all of the elements involved. Jenni McCormick, executive director of the American Cinema Editors, an honorary society of film editors. In a July 5, 2021 LA Times article she is quoted as saying, “It is like a puzzle, putting a story together based on what footage you have.” 

How Long Will It Take to Learn Premiere Pro?

Many people refer to Premiere Pro as an application that is easy to learn, but difficult to master. You can expect to learn the basics of the program within a few months, and should know enough to work on simple editing projects. Most experts say that you’ll probably become fairly comfortable with the application within about six months. Mastering video editing at a professional level is likely to take a year or more. If you already have some video editing skills or if you know how to use another Adobe application, you’re likely to learn more quickly. Enrolling in a live, paid class can also help you learn faster. Learning full-time will be quicker than learning part-time.

Part of what takes time in the process of learning to use Premiere Pro is that you don’t just need to master the software, but you also need to learn to be a Video Editor. That involves more than just using tools. In an April 2023 Backstage article titled “How to Learn Video Editing Skills,” the author explains, “Video editing requires that you understand basic visual storytelling, including composition, mood and tone, pacing, rhythm, and sequencing.” In addition, she explains that every different type of video requires a different approach. She says, “There are so many types of video aesthetics and mediums that what may be considered great or ‘in style’ in one realm might not fly in another.”

Ways to Make Learning Premiere Pro Easier and Quicker

If you plan to use Premiere Pro professionally, you’re likely to end up deciding to invest in a paid live class where you can follow a comprehensive educational program under the guidance of an expert. When you take a live Premiere Pro class, you’ll learn from an experienced instructor, who will guide you through a structured and clearly defined course that will cover all the skills you’ll need to master in order to use Premiere Pro, starting with the basics so that you have a strong foundation, and moving on to more advanced skills after that. The instructor can personalize instruction to help meet your needs, and can answer your questions throughout the learning process. They can also give you feedback on your progress. Feedback allows you to learn from both your mistakes and successes, and continue to improve on your editing techniques. Most Premiere Pro instructors are experts who have already spent hours using this program and have a lot of industry experience, so by learning from them, you can take advantage of all that valuable expertise. Their knowledge is likely to include tips and tricks, and common mistakes to avoid, all of which could take you years to figure out by yourself. 

When you take a Premiere Pro class, you’ll be learning with a group of peers and this peer group can also be beneficial both now and in the future. Video editing is often a collaborative process, so by taking a class, you can start learning how to work with a group of people. You’ll also be able to see how other people are using this application and you can learn by observing the challenges that they face and how they meet those challenges. In addition, a peer group can lead to valuable networking opportunities, both now and in the future.

Some Premiere Pro classes come in both full-time and part-time options. With a full-time class, you can focus all of your attention on learning and complete your training as quickly as possible. However, if you have a busy schedule or other obligations, then a part-time program can be a good alternative because it allows you to learn at the same time as holding a job or meeting other obligations. In addition, with a part-time class, you’ll have more time to absorb all the new information you’re gaining, practice your editing skills, and develop a portfolio of projects. You can also spread out the cost of your education over a longer period of time. Further, when you learn part-time you may also have more time to accrue relevant work experience.

Learn Premiere Pro Skills with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers a variety of Premiere Pro classes, with both short classes that can help you quickly master the basics, and longer, more comprehensive courses that can help you develop the skills you’ll need to use Premiere Pro in a professional setting. This school even offers a Premiere Pro certification program, where you can become an Adobe Premiere Pro Certified Professional. If you want to quickly learn the basics of Premiere Pro, you might be interested in Premiere Pro in a Day, which is a short, accelerated class. In this class, you’ll learn to organize projects, create sequences, fix audio and color, add B-roll, animating images, edit clips, and add lower third titles. At the end of the class, you’ll export a video that you can send to a client or upload to a social media platform.

The Premiere Pro Bootcamp is a longer class that covers everything you need to know to start making your own videos. You’ll learn how to use Premiere Pro to add cuts and transitions between shots, correct color in the footage, sync up and correct audio, and incorporate After Effects assets in Premiere Pro. This course serves as an ideal introduction to Premiere Pro, and by the end of it, you should be prepared to start editing your own video content. 

If you’re looking for a more comprehensive program, Noble Desktop offers a number of certificate programs that include working with Premiere Pro. Both the Motion Graphics Certificate and Video Editing Certificate cover Premiere Pro skills. In the Motion Graphic Certificate, you’ll learn to use Adobe After Effects to create motion graphics and visual effects, and Cinema 4D Lite for 3D animations. You’ll also learn to edit video, and add music and voiceover with Premiere Pro. In addition, you’ll work on a demo reel that showcases your skills. The course includes five one-on-one mentoring sessions. The Video Editing Certificate covers video editing, motion graphics, and audio editing. You’ll learn to work with After Effects and Premiere Pro. In addition, you’ll learn to edit sound effects with Audition. This class also includes working on a demo reel, and five one-on-one mentoring sessions.

Finally, Noble offers a Premiere Pro Certification Program, where you can become an Adobe Premiere Pro certified professional. This course includes two class sessions, which will take you from a beginner to an advanced level of mastery. You’ll also get six hours of private tutoring to address skills that you need more help with. After that, you’ll take the Adobe Premiere Pro Certification exam. Your course fee covers exam proctoring, plus a free retake. If you don’t want to take the exam, you can receive an extra hour of private tutoring instead.