Excel Classes Baltimore

Advance your Excel expertise with lessons in data modeling, PivotTables, and visualization. Courses help you streamline workflows and make smarter business decisions.

Learn More About Excel Classes in Baltimore

Microsoft Excel—part of Microsoft 365—is a spreadsheet program that has millions of users, in countries all over the world. First released in 1985, it has evolved from a simple spreadsheet into a sophisticated business tool that can be used to format and manipulate data, perform complex calculations, generate statistics, and create charts and graphs. It also has its own programming language, which is called Visual Basic for Applications. Excel is widely used in business, finance, data analysis, and project management.

What Can You Do with Excel Training?

Excel training can help qualify you for a variety of jobs in the fields of business, finance, data analysis, and project management. According to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (the BLS), many jobs in these fields pay significantly higher than average and are expected to experience strong growth over the next decade. For instance, the agency finds that the median pay for Accountants and Auditors is almost $80,000 per year and predicts that between 2023 and 2033, jobs will increase by 6 percent. For Project Management Specialists, the median pay is $98,000 and the job increase is expected to be 7 percent. Pay for Financial Analysts is almost $100,000, according to the BLS, with a 9 percent projected job increase, and for Data Scientists, the median pay is $108,000, with a 36 percent projected job increase.

What Will I Learn in an Excel Class?

Data Entry and Formatting

Data entry is a fundamental Excel skill and will be covered in any Excel class. You’ll also learn to search data and sort it in different ways. In addition, an Excel class will cover formatting, which is another basic Excel skill. Formatting is a way to make your data easier to understand and work with.

Functions

When you take an Excel class, you’ll learn to work with functions, which are predefined formulas that can be used for performing calculations. Formulas use specific values in a particular order. Some common ones are “SUM, ” “AVERAGE, ” and “VLOOKUP.”

Visualization

By visualizing your data, you can often understand it better. Visualization can also be a great way to share data with other people. Excel has many data visualization tools such as charts and tables, which will be covered in a class.

Advanced Tools

Excel has many different advanced tools, some of which may be covered in a class. For example, you can automate tasks by using macros to create custom functions. Another advanced tool is the Pivot Table, which is a way to condense data from a large workbook.

Analytical Thinking

An Excel class will also help strengthen several soft skills. For instance, as you interpret data, look for relationships, and draw conclusions about it, you’ll be improving your analytical thinking skills.

How Hard is It to Learn Excel?

How hard it is to learn Excel depends on the level of mastery that you’re looking to achieve. For most people, it’s relatively easy to master the basics and start using Excel for simple tasks. Mastering the application's advanced features is more difficult; however, with dedication and practice, almost anyone can master Excel. The more time you devote to practice, the easier the learning process is likely to be.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Excel?

The Excel learning process is different for everyone, but most people are able to learn to use the basic features of the application within a matter of days. However, there are also many advanced tools, and mastering those is likely to take several weeks. If you already know how to work with spreadsheets, or have experience with data, then you’re likely to learn more quickly. Enrolling in a live class can also speed up the learning process since you’ll get guidance and feedback from an expert.

Should I Learn Excel in Person or Online?

If you want to learn Excel, you may be able to choose between an in-person and an online class. Each type of class is associated with unique advantages and disadvantages. In-person classes run in a dedicated classroom space that is free from distractions, where you can interact face-to-face with your instructor and classmates. Some people say that they find it easier to learn challenging skills with the in-person format, and some instructors say that they find it easier to meet student needs in-person. Another advantage of in-person learning is that you may find opportunities to make networking connections with other students. A disadvantage is that you’ll be limited to classes that run in the same city as you. You’ll also have to commute to class.

A live online class is a popular alternative to in-person learning. With a live online class, you attend by logging in on your computer, from a location of your choosing. You’ll get live lectures and the ability to ask questions, just like with an in-person class. Many live online classes also encourage student interaction. This format is likely to give you access to more class options, as you don’t have to commute to the classroom. Live online classes may also be more diverse, as they are likely to include students from across the country. A disadvantage is that you’ll need to provide your own equipment and software.

An on-demand class is a third learning option. This type of class is asynchronous, meaning that there is no live instructor. Instead, content is prerecorded, and you work at your own pace, progressing through the material as quickly—or as slowly—as you want to. If you have a busy schedule, on-demand learning can be a good option, since it provides a high level of flexibility. The biggest downside to this format is that you won’t have access to a live instructor. An on-demand class may also require more discipline and motivation.

The internet contains a wide variety of free Excel resources, and you might be wondering whether you can utilize these to learn this program for free. Free resources can definitely be useful during the learning process. For instance, you can use Noble Desktop’s YouTube channel to access many short, free Excel tutorials covering a variety of different skills. However, free resources are rarely comprehensive enough for students who want to master this program. If you’re serious about learning Excel, a paid class is generally a better option. When you take a paid class, you’ll be guided by an experienced professional, and you’ll be able to ask questions and get answers whenever you need to.

Industries That Use Excel

Excel is a highly versatile program that is commonly used in a wide range of different industries for storing and managing data and financial information. It is often used in office jobs, data analytics, and project management, which can be found in many industries. It is also a popular tool within business and finance. According to the Baltimore County website, Baltimore’s top industries are transportation and distribution, construction, manufacturing, education, healthcare, government, financial services, professional and business services, and information technology. It notes that the financial services industry provides more than 70,000 jobs in the Baltimore region, and professional and business services account for more than 200,000 jobs.

Excel Job Titles and Salaries

Accountant

Accountants work on a wide variety of financial tasks related to a business. They record and track financial transactions, analyze records, make sure that the business is in compliance with the law, prepare budgets, and provide financial advice. Excel is a common tool within this profession. Accountants need to have good time management skills, attention to detail, and problem-solving abilities. They also need to be good at communication. As reported by Indeed, in Baltimore, the average annual salary for an Accountant is $67,000.

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts analyze financial data and trends to help individuals and businesses make financial decisions. They also review data, create models, prepare reports, and make recommendations. Financial Analysts need to be good at critical thinking, problem-solving, and communicating. They earn an average yearly salary of $74,000 in Baltimore according to Indeed.

Project Manager

Project Managers oversee the completion of projects, from start to finish, and they often use Excel as an organizational tool. This job includes planning and budgeting, managing team resources and team members, communicating with clients, vendors, and teammates, tracking progress, and dealing with any obstacles. Project Managers need to be skilled in communication, organization, motivation, and conflict resolution. According to Indeed, the average annual salary for a Baltimore Project Manager is $94,000.

Data Scientist

Data Scientists gather and analyze data to understand it better. They use their analysis to solve problems, and provide actionable insights related to the data. They also create models and algorithms to help them with that process. Part of this job includes communicating findings with a variety of visualization tools. Data Scientists need math and programming skills and should be intuitive, creative, and good problem-solvers. The average annual salary for a Baltimore Data Scientist is $106,000, according to Indeed.

Excel Classes Near Me

The Community College of Baltimore County offers a class called Getting to Know Microsoft Excel, which covers a variety of Excel skills including formulas, headers, passwords, timestamps, paintbrush, row and column resizing, cell formatting, and freeze frames. This school also offers Microsoft Excel Certification Online Training.

New York City-based Noble Desktop offers a variety of different Excel classes, both in-person, at its Manhattan campus, and live online. This school was founded in 1990 and is licensed by the New York State Education Department. Its courses include a certificate of completion and the option of a free retake within a year. The multi-day Excel Bootcamp is designed to take you from beginner to pro level. You’ll learn a wide range of different Excel skills including basic functions, charts, and formatting, and advanced skills like creating macros and using advanced database functions.

Noble also offers shorter classes that are designed for various levels of experience, including Excel Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Level 1 is focused on getting familiar with the interface, entering data, using essential formulas and functions, and creating charts. You’ll also learn how to format and print. Level 2 covers splitting and joining text, adding data validation, named ranges, database functions, adding logical statements, and using Pivot Tables. In addition, you will learn to use statistical functions and create advanced combo charts. In Level 3, instructors cover advanced concepts including cell locking, auditing, hotkeys, formatting for calculating dates, advanced functions, advanced analytical tools, and Pivot Charts. You’ll also learn to use advanced database functions and record macros.

Noble Desktop also offers an Excel certification program. The Excel Specialist Certification Program includes three Excel courses: fundamental, intermediate, and advanced, where you’ll gain proficiency in Excel. You’ll also get two hours of private training. After that, you will take the Excel Specialist exam. The course fee includes proctoring and a free exam retake if needed. You’ll also get free lifetime access to Noble’s Excel video courses.

ONLC Training Centers was founded in 1983 and is one of the biggest privately-held IT training companies in the United States. It offers basic, intermediate, and advanced Excel courses. It also runs specialized Excel programs such as Excel Charts, Formatting and Reporting. This course is designed for users who are already proficient in the basics of Excel and need to learn how to create charts and reports. It covers creating and formatting charts and tables within Excel and utilizing those tables in other Microsoft Office applications.

Ledet Training—an authorized training provider for Excel—also offers Excel training. The Microsoft Excel Bootcamp is a combination of the school’s beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses. Students begin by learning how to input data, and by the end of the course, they’ll have mastered writing their own functions, using Pivot Tables, and streamlining the organization of multi-page workbooks.

Excel Corporate Training

For companies that want to train a group of employees in Excel skills, Noble Desktop provides corporate Excel training. Sessions can be scheduled either onsite or in a virtual format. You can choose from a variety of preexisting courses or customize the content according to your needs. Experienced instructors can offer a variety of flexible scheduling options and will also provide trainees with handouts, access to videos, and other types of post-training support to help reinforce what they have learned.

For more flexibility, an alternative option is to buy vouchers for Noble Desktop’s regular group classes and allow employees to enroll individually. Noble offers a discount with bulk voucher purchases. For more information about corporate Excel training or to schedule a free consultation, contact Noble Desktop.

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