Udemy and Pluralsight for individual career training
The topic of continuing education and training is an important aspect of our daily work. At ASTRUM IT, further development has always been a top priority. As early as 2008, we launched the ASTRUM IT Academy and last year expanded the offering to include external learning platforms. Now our colleagues can use the learning platforms Udemy and Pulralsight for their individual, professional training during work and private.
More than 80 employees have taken advantage of this offer so far - and in very different ways and on different topics. We talked to our colleagues Thomas Heid, Martin Hühn and Sebastian Wussow about user behavior. They provide insights and tips on how learning with the platforms can best be integrated into everyday life.
Interview with Sebastian Wussow:
BU: Sebastian Wussow, Softwareentwickler and Consultant ITC
- What do you like most about Udemy or Pluralsight (depending on which platform you use)?
Sebastian: I use Pluralsight and am absolutely thrilled with the general structure and concept of the site. The suggested courses can be personalized excellently by specifying keywords. Furthermore, learning paths can be selected, which combine a number of related courses. The so-called "Skill IQ" feature uses subject-specific questions to determine one's own level of knowledge on a selected topic and helps to better assess one's own abilities.
- What course(s) has been most exciting so far?
Sebastian: I am currently taking a series of courses to get certified as a business analyst. The courses are visually very appealing and varied. Despite the high information density, the courses are easy to follow.
- Have you been able to integrate the "attended" course(s) into your daily work routine?
Sebastian: I have already been able to integrate courses on data analysis and visualization into my everyday work. Despite my years of experience in this field, I have still been able to learn a lot. So far, I have been able to learn something in every course - no matter how well I thought I knew the field.
- How regularly do you use the learning platform or how do you integrate the platform into your everyday life?
Sebastian: I try to attend a class every week. Unfortunately, I still succeed too rarely.
- Approximately how long do you "attend" the classes/course?
Sebastian: The courses are often packaged as a learning path, so you can divide up the individual sections wonderfully. A learning path can contain over 20 hours of course material. But there are also "classic" individual courses that last 60-90 minutes.
- Do you also use the learning offer privately?
Sebastian: The transition between professional and private interest is very fluid for me. All the courses I have taken so far have been related to work. However, I took a large part of the courses out of personal interest.
- What would be your tip for employees who have not yet used the platform, for example due to time constraints, etc.?
Sebastian: I recommend setting a 90-minute appointment in Outlook and using this time exclusively to familiarize yourself with the learning platform. You have enough time to set up your account, take a first look at a course and get a general feel for the learning platform.
Interview with Martin Hühn:
BU: Martin Hühn, Partner & Account Manager
- What do you like most about Udemy or Pluralsight (depending on which platform you use)?
Martin: What I like about Udemy is that the high-value content is delivered by experts and verified instructors. You have a lot of freedom in the selection of courses and so I can only learn what I really want and need at the moment. Also, courses can be paused at any time and I can learn at my own pace. Furthermore, there is a wide selection of topics, many with business relevance, After some courses you also get a certificate after participation. Through the mobile app, you can also learn and attend courses on the go. Another plus is the design of the website: beautifully simple and tidy, functional with intuitive operation.
What course(s) has been most exciting so far?
Martin: Among the interesting courses for me are Digitalization Trends, Fundamentals of Business Analysis, Digital Marketing Masterclass, all preparation courses for CompTIA certifications, as well as the courses on AWS Cloud Computing, AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, etc. But I also like to take courses on sales management or communication to get new input.
Have you been able to integrate the "attended" course(s) into your daily work routine?
Martin: Yes, partially (helped me understand cloud computing, anyway).
How regularly do you use the learning platform or how do you integrate the platform into your everyday life?
Martin: Unfortunately, not yet as regularly as I would like. It is difficult to integrate such "extra work" into the working day, as time for further training often takes a back seat to operational activities. Keyword priorities. In the evening, I'm usually too tired or mentally unresponsive, so I'd rather go for a run or hit the couch instead of studying for another 2 hours. I don't have a routine or time blocked for the training yet, so mostly I try to spend 1 to 2 hours on Udemy early in the morning or in the afternoon.
- Approximately how long do you "attend" the classes/course?
Martin: 1 to 2 hours at a time, sometimes just 1 or 2 lessons in between.
- Do you also use the learning offer privately?
Martin: How to look at it: If I watch a course on IT Fundamentals in my spare time, which I would tend not to do if I didn't work at ASTRUM IT, does that count as private? Other than that, actually no. I don't watch courses that have nothing to do with work. Not yet. Maybe I'll do that someday if I happen to find something exciting in the feed. Otherwise, I tend to read books privately for further education.
- What would be your tip for employees who have not yet used the platform, for example due to time constraints, etc.?
Martin: I'm certainly not in a position to give advice here. I'm not doing very well myself at the moment. But I'm planning to block out at least half an hour per day for it and have resolved to complete the courses if possible. So my tip would be to find a time in the day when you're most likely to get your rest, and then block out the hour in your calendar so that it's fixed and you're not tempted to do anything else. "Pomodoro" as a productivity tool also works very well here, so that you don't get distracted in between and also work away one after the other.
Interview with Thomas Heid:
BU: Thomas Heid, Senior Consultant
- What do you like most about Udemy or Pluralsight (depending on which platform you use)?
Thomas: What I like about Pluralsight is that the courses have a good structure and content. There are not 100 videos on one topic, but a few good ones.
- What course(s) has been most exciting so far?
Thomas: In Pluralsight, there are so-called learning paths, and I found the path to becoming a certified business analyst particularly exciting, as it could directly support my work.
- Have you been able to integrate the "attended" course(s) into your daily work routine?
Thomas: Some courses I specifically sought out to incorporate the content into current work. For example, a course on advanced elements in Python. Other courses help me to name existing knowledge correctly.
- How regularly do you use the learning platform or how do you integrate the platform into your everyday life?
Thomas: I use the platform at least weekly. Maybe that's also because the learning path to becoming a business analyst is quite extensive. But besides that, I also attend other courses that seem interesting to me. I had to create a fixed framework within the day in order to stay focused. For me it is directly in the morning for half an hour. Because of the short video sequences, it is also very easy to incorporate a short unit. Some courses I can also listen to during a walk or the laundry. These are courses for me to get an overview. One example was "Sustainability & Technology: Executive Briefing" or there are also courses that I already know a lot about, but still want to repeat and learn the latest points.
- Approximately how long do you "attend" the classes/course?
Thomas: Until I have enough of it.
- Do you also use the learning offer privately?
Thomas: Every now and then.
- What would be your tip for employees who have not yet used the platform, for example due to time constraints, etc.?
Thomas: Just take 10 minutes off and get started.