Where to Find Tableau Classes

There’s a wide option of Tableau classes available to you both online and in person. Programs and schools centered around training in tech and business tend to be the best places to begin looking for Tableau classes, but other learning options available may surprise you. Each option provides different benefits which you should consider before deciding upon one. 

Noble Desktop and other professional training centers

With Noble Desktop you can compare a number of Tableau classes and bootcamps offered from a variety of training schools across cities and live online using the classes near me tool. The classes offered by training schools often focus on career development skills, with aspects of the course aimed at helping students work on their professional skills alongside Tableau in the hopes of helping them begin a new career or transition into a higher-level role. This may include the creation of a professional portfolio or access to career development services like interview prep and resume reviews. Classes offered by training schools suit students looking to learn a new skill, typically helping them advance in their current role or to begin a new career. Tableau classes in particular help small business owners work on gaining better insights into their business to help them make data-driven decisions.

Despite the benefits of attending a career-focused program, they also have limitations. Tableau classes tend to be short and often focus on using Tableau for finance, business, or marketing. Professionals use Tableau for a variety of reasons, and you may find that the career development aspect of the Tableau class you enroll in is unrelated to your career interests. In addition, if you’re looking for a wider focus on Tableau as it’s used for data analysis, you’ll likely need to enroll in a data analysis or data science bootcamp, which usually run for much longer than the average Tableau class or Tableau bootcamp and may cover topics and tools of no interest to you. 

Schools and Universities 

You also have the option of learning Tableau at a college or university through their continuing development program, a two-year degree program, or a four-year degree program. This offers a wide range of options depending on the school of interest. Most of these programs will not focus on just Tableau, but will instead teach data science, data analytics, or business analytics. Attending one of these programs allows students to learn a wide range of tools and theories related to data management, manipulation, and visualization. However, this is a big commitment for someone interested solely in data visualization. Not all schools provide short-term or even part-time learning options, meaning you may need to attend your chosen program for several semesters or even years. Aside from their time-consuming nature, these programs also often cost far more than classes taken at a professional development school. 

Coursera, Udemy, on-demand platforms

Online learning platforms Coursera and Udemy provide students with on-demand learning options. Both services, along with other on-demand platforms, offer courses that follow an asynchronous learning method. Students have access to pre-recorded video lectures, reading materials, and assignments to help them learn Tableau. This method of learning is great for students looking to learn the foundations of Tableau and gain hands-on experience. On-demand classes best suit those who have busy schedules and cannot attend in-person or online classes but still want to learn the basics of Tableau. On-demand classes also tend to cost less than in-person and live online classes, making this a great option for students with a tighter budget. 

On-demand learning offers students a great option for learning on-the-go or squeezing in lessons when they have time between school or work. However, this on-demand learning style also offers drawbacks. The first drawback is the lack of an instructor. Although on-demand classes provide video lectures, students attending on-demand classes do not have access to an instructor to help explain confusing topics or offer them feedback. This can make it difficult for them to progress in the class if they become stuck on a concept. These classes also require a fair bit of motivation to learn. Because content is accessible to students who must then guide themselves through the class, some students may have difficulty motivating themselves to work through the content without an instructor or classmates to move along with them. As such, on-demand classes work best for students who know they have the motivation for self-guided learning. 

Internships and Jobs

One of the best ways to learn Tableau is on the job. If you have the time and experience necessary, you may find yourself in an internship or career that allows you to learn Tableau in a work setting. However, many positions in finance, business, and marketing will require you to know how to work with Tableau. Internships are more likely to include minor training in Tableau and data visualization with the opportunity for feedback, but they are often unpaid and unlikely to provide thorough training in Tableau as you’re expected to complete tasks during your workday.

YouTube and other free resources

Tutorials on YouTube and other video hosting websites can help you learn the basics of Tableau and data visualization for free. Tableau experts have uploaded resources online to help new learners get through the basics of data management and using Tableau to work with data. You can also find troubleshooting guides or look to online forums to troubleshoot problems you encounter. The internet is vast, which means you’ll have a wide range of learning options available to you with the click of a button. In addition to online resources, your local library probably has books or manuals on using Tableau and related data visualization tools. 

Several drawbacks exist with learning Tableau free online. These forms of learning will provide you with a basic understanding of Tableau rather than in-depth training. Because you will lack a live instructor, learning online in this way presents a similar drawback to on-demand courses: students will need lots of motivation to seek out content and work through it. Additionally, it’s important to make sure that the videos you’re watching or the books you’re reading to learn Tableau cover the version of Tableau that you’re using or will need to use in your career. It's important to note that Tableau has different versions and frequently releases updates, so the version you learn to use online might be quite different from the newest version released.