How To Select The Right IT Training Course Or Program

So, you’ve decided you want to start an IT career and even know your area of interest. You even know what kind of training you need to get, but you can’t seem to find the right IT training program. What do you do?

When you want to transition to an IT career, it is essential to get the proper training from the right place. In this post, I will share 4 key items that you should consider when selecting an IT Training Course or Program.

Defined Learning Outcomes

When selecting an IT Training course or program, the first item you should consider is the stated learning outcome of the program. The training program should have clearly stated learning outcomes. You need to understand exactly what you will be gaining from the program. Specifically, you want to know the new skills you will acquire during the program. If the course learning outcomes are not well defined, then that may be a red flag that the program may not meet your learning needs.

What are Learning Outcomes? In simple terms, learning outcomes are the specific skills or knowledge that students are expected to learn/acquire from a learning activity. Learning activities can be courses, assignments, projects, or any other activity that is intended to teach something.

Based on this definition, you should follow these steps to identify if the learning outcomes of a training program match your needs.

First, list out the knowledge or skills that you want to acquire from a training course or program.
Next, as you identify potential IT training courses or programs, take note of their stated learning outcomes.
Then, compare your list of required knowledge and skills against the learning outcomes of each program to identify the program that best aligns with your learning needs.

By following these 3 steps, you will make the process of selecting an IT Training course or program more effective.

Course Curriculum

Another item to consider when selecting an IT Training course or program is the course curriculum. You should check the course curriculum for the program and confirm that it covers what is being advertised. If a course curriculum is not published, you should email the training program contact and request that they provide you a copy.

Why is this important? If a course has promised certain learning outcomes, then they should be able to support those learning outcomes with their course curriculum. Without a course curriculum, it is difficult for you to determine whether or not the stated learning outcomes can be met.

I have been contacted by several individuals who enrolled in programs only to find that they didn’t have any structure. Without a proper learning structure, how will the students be guided towards achieving the learning outcomes? A course curriculum helps show how the instructor plans to cover topics to help students achieve the stated learning outcomes.

So, in order to avoid issues with an IT course or program not meeting expectations, you should request and review the course curriculum when selecting an IT Training program.

Course Support

The next item to consider when selecting an IT Training course or program is the level of support provided by the instructor. I’m not saying that the program has to offer any specific level of support. I’m simply saying that you should know the level of support so that you can have the right expectations.

The level of support that you need for your career transition may or may not be provided in the IT training course or program. You need to know if this is the case so that you can plan for your career transition accordingly.

For example, the course instructor might only support students for the duration of the program. In that case, you need to think about how you will be supported after the program is over. For example, you may have questions about the course material and might need additional support after the program has concluded.

Other programs may charge additional fees for after-program support, and you need to know about those costs and what they cover. In addition, some training courses/programs may provide career coaching assistance while others may not.

As you can see, there are many different possible support models. So, you should consider the level of support that is provided as part of the IT training course or program to determine if it is right for you.

Course Instructor’s Experience

Another item to consider when selecting an IT Training course or program is the course instructor’s experience. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you will be surprised to know that many people don’t necessarily consider this.

If you want to fix your car, you probably go to a certified mechanic, right? You would also probably expect that a restaurant’s chef has some basic qualifications or experience.

So, you should expect some basic experience from the course instructor when it comes to selecting an IT training course or program. At a minimum, the course instructor should have qualifications or experience on the course topic.

The course enrollment website should have some information on the course instructor and their experience. If there is no course website, then you should ask the course instructor about their experience around the course topic. If necessary, you can ask for their LinkedIn profile as well. You want to feel confident that the course instructor has the required experience/knowledge to effectively teach you about the course topic.

There you have it! 4 key items that you need to consider when selecting an IT training course or program. These tips are also helpful when selecting training on course marketplaces like Udemy or Coursera.

Have you thought about any of these before? Have you previously encountered any issues because you didn’t consider any of these items? Let me know in the comments section below.

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