Is 30 Too Old to Learn VBA?

With the rate that technology advances, it’s important to keep your skills current. It’s also never too late to learn new ones. Learning VBA can be incredibly beneficial for your current career or if you’re ready to start a new one. Turning 30 isn’t the end of your life, it’s just the beginning, and it may be the perfect time to learn VBA.

Why Learn VBA at 30?

Having technological skills, including knowing how to use VBA, even at the age of 30, comes with a variety of benefits. Software professionals use VBA in companies and organizations that rely heavily on spreadsheet programs—with Excel being the top pick. There is a wide range of industries that want individuals who know how to develop automation solutions for tedious manual processes in Excel and other Microsoft Office applications. In addition, some of the other benefits of learning VBA include the following:

It’s Easy to Learn

When compared to other programming languages, VBA is easy to learn. It doesn’t matter if you have zero experience with programming or are a professional, adding VBA to your skill set ensures you have a basic programming language that can be applied to all Microsoft Office programs. VBA has intuitive features, so most people have no issues with learning it.

It’s Used in Many Different Industries

Excel is used by a lot of different companies, which means that many businesses and industries have a need for VBA. From finance to data analytics to inventory management, once you learn how to use VBA, you may be able to find a job in an industry that not only pays well but is also intriguing and keeps your workday interesting.

Job Options Are Flexible

In addition to VBA being necessary in a variety of different industries, you also have the option of working as a full-time or part-time programmer. Depending on your skills, you may even be able to take on freelance and/or remote work. 

It Doesn’t Require Additional Installation

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VBA is already fully integrated in Microsoft Office programs, which means it doesn’t require add-ons or additional software to use. This makes VBA a cost-effective automation tool, and businesses are always looking for ways to save money. VBA may be an integral part of MS Office, but not every employee in the company will know how to use it—or that it even exists. Having this skillset can make you an incredibly valuable employee without costing a company more than they want to spend.

It Looks Good on Your Resume

If you’re looking for something that’s going to make you stand out from other candidates, having taken VBA classes may be what you need. You may think having this knowledge is basic, but it may be exactly what a company is looking for to ensure smooth operation.

You’ll Have Access to VBA Networking

Learning VBA gives you a specialized tool that can be used for different jobs in various industries. You’ll also be able to connect with other professionals who use this skill, and networking is an incredibly important part of finding jobs and honing your skills. When you have questions, want to geek out about VBA or are looking for a job, you can reach out to the helpful community of VBA professionals to find what you’re looking for.

How Long Will it Take to Learn VBA?

How long it takes to learn VBA depends on several different factors, including how much base knowledge you have. If you have some coding/programming experience, then you may be able to learn VBA in as short as a few hours up to several weeks. However, even beginners with no coding/programming experience can learn how to use VBA. 

Although, having knowledge of Excel is necessary. Should you find that you don’t have any experience using Excel, then you’ll want to start there, but you can go from a beginner to an Excel pro in less than a day.

Learning to create macros in VBA can be learned in a few hours or at most a day. Learning how to write VBA code or analyze complex data sets may take longer, perhaps one week or longer. When it comes to advanced skills such as creating complex macros, this can take several months.

Of course, in time and with practice, you’ll hone your VBA skills and go from being a beginner to an expert. You may be able to pick up the basics for most aspects of VBA in a few hours or a day, but to truly master this skill, you’ll need to use it for years.

Ways to Make Learning VBA Easier and Quicker

Learning VBA isn’t a long process, and you can learn a lot in three months or less. However, what you learn in that time will depend on the type of class you take and how much time you dedicate to your studies. If you attend classes full-time, you’ll learn VBA a lot faster than if you take a class occasionally. 

Even with a busy schedule and only dedicating part of your time to learning VBA, you can still obtain some skills within a short amount of time. In fact, it’s possible to finish a bootcamp in as little as 12 hours.

Live or online classes are a great option when it comes to learning VBA because you’ll have direct access to an instructor. Not only is it beneficial to ask questions should they arise, but getting feedback on assignments is helpful as well. These classes may not be as flexible as some other options, but you may get more out of them because you’re working with an industry professional who has the goal of making sure you are successful in learning VBA.

if you’re really trying to fast-track this process, then there are some different options you can consider, including the following:

Free Resources

Should you find that you want or need to learn the basics of VBA, then turning to free resources will be the fastest way for you to get your information. When it comes to learning VBA, you can access free videos on YouTube that will walk you through using this feature, and you can even get information from Microsoft articles or forums about how to use VBA. There are even some free basic courses available from online sites, including Noble Desktop, that will give you a sample of their classes that will teach you how to use VBA.

Posting on Microsoft forums could be an incredibly fast way for you to connect with other VBA users, including industry experts, and get answers to your questions. For other free resources to learn the fundamentals about VBA, check out your local library. You may also be able to access free books online.

On-Demand Courses

Taking an on-demand VBA course could lead to a variety of different results. Depending on exactly what you want to learn, this could be the fastest way to learn VBA, or it could take you a really long time. On-demand courses are designed for you to learn at your own pace, so if you’re motivated, you could get through the lessons in a record amount of time and be ready to start a new job in a few hours or even days. However, if you get distracted easily or don’t have a lot of self-motivation, then an on-demand class could take a long time to complete.

More often than not, on-demand classes are for individuals who are beginners or have some VBA knowledge and need to learn a specific skill. If you have some background in Microsoft Office and programming, then an on-demand class may be just what you need to learn a few skills quickly (if you have the right motivation). Keep in mind that most on-demand courses don’t have a live person to talk to, so if you have questions or issues, you may not have anyone you can turn to for answers.

Introductory Classes

Introductory classes still focus heavily on the basics, but you may learn a few more skills that pertain specifically to VBA and its advanced features relatively quickly. Introductory classes are generally fairly short and are flexible when it comes to enrollment and scheduling. To get the most out of an introductory class for VBA, you may only need to block out a few hours or at most a day.

Introductory classes will more than likely be a bit more technical than a free resource, but you may still need to spend some time exploring VBA yourself to really understand all of its capabilities and to use it effectively.

Certificate Programs

Enrolling in a certificate program may not be the fastest way to learn VBA, but it will provide you with more skills and knowledge that can be applied to your current or a new career. Depending on the type of certificate program you sign up for, you may be able to finish in a few hours or a few weeks—which is still learning VBA faster than attending a college or university.

One of the nice things about a certificate program is that you get proof that you attended the class. This can be beneficial when proving to employers that you know what you’re doing and have taken the time to invest in yourself. Certificate programs are geared toward professionals and individuals who want to further their career, so the information you learn will be the basics and more nuanced information about how to use VBA.

Learn VBA with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers online and in-person classes, ensuring there’s a class that fits into your budget and your schedule. You even have the option of enrolling in an introductory class, the Excel VBA and Macros Level I class, as well as an advanced class, the Advanced Excel VBA and Macros Level II class, to hone your VBA skills. Both of these classes can be completed in six hours each.

If it’s a bootcamp you’re looking for, then you’ll want to check out the Excel Programming with VBA class offered by Noble Desktop. By the end of this course, you’ll know how to automate repetitive tasks in Excel, as well as how to develop macros, new worksheet functions and custom commands to increase productivity and streamline Excel workflow. You’ll only need to invest 12 hours to complete this VBA bootcamp.

If you’re ready to learn VBA to start your career or take your current one to the next level, Noble Desktop has the classes and bootcamps you’re looking for.