Online Training Advantages

Education makes us what we are.
—Claude Adrien Helvétius

In these days of rapidly-evolving technologies, downsizing and competitive job markets, it's a good idea to learn almost perpetually, if you want to keep your job or new opportunities knocking. But who has time to go back to school? It's hard enough just to hold a full-time job, yet still spend time with family, have a social life, maintain a home, keep the car running and walk the dog. If you can't figure out how in the world you can squeeze classes into your routine, online training might be your back-to-school solution.

Also called Internet- and Web-based training, it's changing the way we learn. In most cases, you may take courses anytime from just about anywhere, and at your own pace. You may stop to change your kid's diaper, exercise or go to work, then pick back up exactly where you left off, ten minutes or ten hours later. If you're a slower student, you're not rushed. If you're an aggressive student, you're not held back.

Some courses are CD-based or downloaded to hard disk with limited connection time, while others are exclusively via the Internet. Some are instructor led through chat rooms, forums (discussion groups), teleconferencing or streaming audio/video, while others are 100 percent self study. The rest fall somewhere in between.

Online training is rapidly gaining the same recognition as classroom training, yet it's typically less expensive. Instructor-led, online courses are usually more expensive than self study, but still considerably cheaper than the classroom equivalents. Even if you have to buy a new computer or upgrade your current one to get started, you still might save money over classroom training, depending on the courses you take. At worst, you'd likely come out about even, and own a new or upgraded techie toy to boot.

But since you're reading this, you're probably already adequately equipped. Many courses are available for both IBM- and Apple-compatible computers. Typically, one or two steps down from the most modern computer with a 56K or faster modem, and a mainstream monitor and video card will do. If you're going to learn complex or graphics-intense software applications, then you might need more horsepower to run them locally. Software makers and online training providers will give you the details about system requirements.

Next Page > Online Training Providers
Page > 1 ● 2