When you're just starting out in the world of software development, it can be tempting to rely exclusively on self teach methods. After all, there are a number of great resources available to you. From code.org to Code Academy and Stack Overflow - seeking answers to your technology questions and educating yourself about the development language you're using is simpler than it has ever been. But are these efforts enough to land you a career in software development? Or to help you become a better IT professional? We're not so sure. Here are four reasons why classroom IT training and live virtual IT training still dominate.
Fewer distractions.
It's hard enough to make the time to learn and in an age of distraction with smartphones, screens and other devices, focusing during that time can be impossible. We've all been there. You click on one Reddit article and somehow you've found yourself in a spiral of hilarious YouTube videos and forgotten what you were originally searching for. A classroom environment has a focused agenda, which forces you to take the time, learn the information and retain it without music, videos or social media to distract you.
Your company supports training.
If you're worried about the high cost of IT training, you don't need to be. Many companies encourage training and certifications to further knowledge and have specific budgets set forth to make sure their IT staff are developing their skills. Don't be afraid to ask your IT manager for more personalized instructional training. Odds are they'll be glad you asked.
In-depth Software Development Training.
One of the problems with being exclusively self -taught is that you don't know what you don't know. Can most solutions be found via Google search? Absolutely. The problem here is that if you don't know that your code could be written more efficiently, you would never know to search for the solution. Instructor-led training often covers the best practices, allows your instructor to assist, and can answer questions that will help you become more efficient and productive in your programming.
The Ability to Ask Questions.
If you think that getting lost in a sea of YouTube distraction is bad, consider the number of tabs you'll have to have open to research the details in a coding tutorial that you're viewing. Online IT training and eLearning are great in concept, but when there isn't a live person there to answer your questions, it can be very frustrating. Searching for all the answers or waiting for another programmer to answer your question on a forum is inefficient. Classroom or Live Virtual IT training allows you to ask questions in real time and have them answered by an expert instructor.
In an age of information, it's easy to train yourself in any topic. YouTube, specialized industry websites and forums are all available to help you become better at what you're doing. When it comes to Enterprise organizations and IT training, many companies place a much higher value on certifications and formal training. If you're looking to become a more efficient programmer or want to learn how to develop in another language, it might be time to consider classroom or Live Virtual IT training.
