If you are like me, you will first try to learn a new skill by yourself, either by buying a book or searching online for free stuff. This is not wrong, but it has some issues. Here I’ll explain the pros of both self-learning and paid learning, as well as why you should look for paid training rather than participating in self-learning.

Self-learning is good in the following situations:

• You are not in a rush and you don’t mind spending months or years to learn a new skill
• You have access to required resources including the new software, applications, and learning materials
• You have access to subject matter experts (SMEs) in that IT area who are ready to give your guidance and help you when you are stuck

Now, here are the reasons why you should choose paid training courses instead:

• Training courses offer a proven structure of the course
• You will know for sure you will acquire the needed skill in a specific time – by the end of the course or training module
• Because you paid X amount of dollars, you will work harder to get the most bang for your buck
• When you are stuck with problems, you can always count on the faculty to help you
• Group learning will give you a new perspective on issues, problems, and solutions
• After completing the class, you will still have access to the resources
• You don’t have to worry about already having the necessary software, applications, and versions – your trainer will help you with this