Are Tableau Classes Worth It?

Tableau classes present challenges yet also present rewarding results. Enrolling in a Tableau class means finding time in your schedule to learn and paying for a class or several classes. Classes can cost between hundreds to even thousands of dollars, so it’s important to consider whether you will benefit from a Tableau class before committing to one. This article will help you consider how you will benefit from a Tableau class and decide whether they are worth it. 

If you’re committed to beginning or transitioning into a career that involves data management or analytics, a Tableau class is likely to be worth your time and money. Classes provide students with a thorough and efficient way of learning how to use Tableau and troubleshoot common problems. In addition, a Tableau class offers students the opportunity to work on projects that they would work on in an analytics career requiring the use of Tableau. 

Consider the Costs

Tableau classes can cost quite a bit of money, especially if you plan to enroll in a series of courses. One-day classes tend to start on the lower end of the class fees, although that can still come out to several hundred dollars. Tableau bootcamps, which provide students with intensive lessons with Tableau, may cost anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the class modality, the length of the bootcamp, and the topics covered. For those looking to spend less money on classes, schools offer on-demand courses. A trade-off for the lower price of on-demand classes is that they require students to learn without an instructor. 

Tableau offers several free products, including Tableau Public, so software is not costly for beginners. Many classes also set up students with free trials of paid software for the class’s duration. However, you need a computer to learn Tableau, so unless you enroll in an in-person class that includes access to a computer lab, you will need to have a computer or laptop that you’re comfortable using. 

Advantages of a Tableau Class

Despite the cost and time commitment required when enrolling in a Tableau class, students still typically prefer live instruction when it comes to learning Tableau. 

General Benefits

Live training courses provide students with the option to learn face-to-face in a traditional classroom setting or live online, where they’ll learn over a video conferencing platform. These styles of learning allow students to work with an expert instructor who can guide them step-by-step through the process of learning Tableau. Enrolling in a class offers students a structured method of learning that often helps them understand Tableau and its many tools better than self-teaching would. 

Availability of Classes 

Training schools offer Tableau classes in person, live online, and on-demand. For scheduled classes, students often have the option of attending during the week, in the evenings, or on weekends. The availability of online classes helps students who do not have the option of attending an in-person class still attend a course that follows a similar, if not exact, curriculum of an in-person class. With this wide availability of classes, students can also learn from instructors all across the country who can offer them a variety of insights into using Tableau. 

Learning Best Practices and Troubleshooting

A Tableau class will teach you the fundamentals of Tableau and best practices for using the software to create data visualizations. In-person and live online classes guided by instructors provide students with someone to turn to for troubleshooting help. In addition, live and on-demand classes include technical support as part of their class packages. Some schools have IT professionals who can help students set up their software, including the web conferencing program used for attending live online classes. 

Real-World Experience and Collaboration

Tableau classes help students develop real-world skills through hands-on activities and projects that center around problems they might face if working as a data science professional. Classes often culminate in a final project or capstone where students will work with real data to create visualizations and put their newfound knowledge to the test. During these projects, collaboration with fellow students is usually required. Working with other students in these scenarios will help you understand what it means to communicate with a team and help you learn from each other. 

Mentorship Opportunities 

Schools that offer long-term Tableau courses, like bootcamps, may also include access to mentoring sessions as part of their class package. Mentoring sessions allow students to work with an advisor or someone from the industry and ask them questions about class work, their portfolio, job searching, and general career advice. Schools that offer this benefit typically provide other career services for students, including access to their alumni network after finishing the program. 

Considerations When Looking at Tableau Classes

Aside from costs, there are several other aspects of attending a Tableau class to consider before enrolling. 

General Considerations 

In-person and live online classes will require you to follow a set schedule. This may pose no problem for short, one-day classes, but longer programs, like bootcamps, will require you to ensure your schedule is open in advance. Bootcamps can last anywhere from several days to several months. This means you need to have time to commit to attending classes and potentially doing work outside of class. 

If enrolling in a live online class, you must also consider your skill level and whether you can keep up in an online setting. Students in live online classes follow along with the instructor. Because classes are not in-person, it can be difficult for some students to speak up in an online class and let the instructor know that they’re falling behind or need additional help. It can help to have some prior knowledge of Tableau or data visualizations before enrolling in a live online course. 

Prerequisites 

Tableau is a data visualization software that is typically used by analysts. These professionals usually require knowledge of data analysis and a general understanding of interpreting data, which a Tableau class might or might not teach. It’s important to consider what prerequisites, if any, are required for the Tableau class you’re interested in enrolling in and just how far you’d like to take your knowledge of Tableau. Most beginner-level classes do not have prerequisites, although some may prefer that you have experience with Excel or another data visualization software. Because Tableau requires the use of datasets, intermediate-level classes and some beginner-level classes will likely require you to understand the basics of file management. 

What Skills Do You Need to Know?

Tableau classes are hands-on and focus on developing practical skills, so you’ll want to make sure that the skills being taught will help you achieve your goals. For example, someone looking to perform complex data analysis may find they need to enroll in a bootcamp or more intensive course versus someone who needs to make basic data visualizations occasionally as part of their job. Data Analysts, Financial Analysts, and other data science professionals can benefit from a Tableau bootcamp or even a data analytics bootcamp, which will cover a range of programs and tools, including Tableau.

Is it Worth Enrolling in a Tableau Class?

Who Will Find it Worthwhile?

Beginners looking to step into the world of data analysis and understand how to create visually compelling data visualizations will benefit from taking a Tableau class. The skills gained in a course will help students begin a career in a field that heavily depends on the use of data to make decisions and convey information. The costs of a Tableau class and the time needed to learn Tableau may appear high, but understanding Tableau and learning how to understand datasets will benefit you in the long run as more companies begin to rely on data to drive business decisions. 

Although Tableau is largely associated with analysts working in business, finance, marketing, and data analytics, academics also benefit from Tableau classes. Quantitative and qualitative researchers can use Tableau to present their findings in research papers and at conferences. Professors also often use Tableau, R, and Excel to demonstrate the basics of data visualization to undergraduate and graduate students. 

Who Might Find it Worthwhile?

Enrolling in a Tableau class may also appeal to business owners looking to gain a more complete picture of their business and make decisions related to finances and marketing. In a Tableau class, students will learn how to interpret datasets and then convey that data via graphs, charts, and other visualizations. Someone who owns a business can use Tableau to help them interpret data they have collected on their business. For example, if a small business owner decides to implement a social media campaign and utilizes programs that help them collect data on the effectiveness of their campaign, they can then use Tableau to create visualizations of their data. With these visualizations, they can then better see how effective their social media campaign was at targeting specific audiences and make future decisions based on the results.

Who Probably Doesn’t Need a Tableau Class?

Most professions working with data will require knowledge of data visualization, whether they must use Tableau or another program. Many companies require their employees to use the same data visualization tool across departments and may opt to go with one that is not Tableau, such as Power BI, a popular tool made by Microsoft. Although both Tableau and Power BI allow users to manipulate and work with data, learning them is not 1:1. It’s recommended that you learn the tool that is most commonly used in your profession or that you know the tool the companies you’re applying to expect you to work with. Oftentimes, less technical careers require the use of Tableau because it does not require programming or technical skills to learn. If your company does not use Tableau and depends on another tool, you’re unlikely to benefit from a Tableau class, unless you plan to transition to a company that does require the use of Tableau or use Tableau for personal use.

Learn Tableau with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers a variety of classes focused on data visualization to fit your learning needs. In their Tableau Bootcamp, you’ll spend 12 hours learning how to create charts, graphs, and maps with Tableau. The class first begins with lessons on data visualization and working with datasets, including how to explore, filter, analyze, and structure data to help you create your visualizations. After covering the foundations of Tableau, you will learn how to use Tableau tools to make maps and customize your visualizations. 

Noble Desktop’s Tableau Bootcamp is part of its broader Tableau Certification Program. As part of this program, you’ll take two Tableau courses and engage in six hours of private tutoring. Courses will guide you from beginner to advanced-level Tableau and provide you with hands-on experience as you work on individual projects and receive feedback. To wrap up the course, you’ll then take the Tableau Desktop Specialist certification exam. You can feature this certification on your LinkedIn profile and resume to help you stand out as you apply for jobs. 

Interested in taking your knowledge of data visualization to the next step? Noble Desktop offers a Data Analytics Certificate program for students looking to gain the essential skills needed to work as a Data Analyst or Business Analyst. The program covers data analysis, data visualization, and statistical analysis. This is a six-week full-time or 24-week part-time class held live online. You’ll finish the course covering Tableau in 12 hours after working through Excel, the foundations of data analytics, Python, and SQL. 

If you have a team interested in need of Tableau training, Noble Desktop can accommodate you. Noble offers corporate training options that allow employers to select flexible training for employees online or onsite. You can work with Noble’s team to determine which course offerings align with the learning goals of your team and even build a custom curriculum. If choosing from current offerings. Your team can attend classes at a time that works best with their schedules. With Noble Desktop’s corporate training, you have the opportunity to order vouchers in bulk at a discount as well.