Best Business Classes Chicago, IL: Find Courses & Onsite Training

Learn More About Chicago Business Courses

What is Business?

“Business” is a term used to describe an enterprising entity or organization that engages in either professional, industrial, or commercial activities. The practice of conducting business has transformed over the centuries, from small roadside markets that relied on the bartering system to international corporations and billion-dollar industries. Today, business is a general term for producing and selling or exchanging services or goods. Businesses take many forms; they can be nonprofit organizations or for-profit entities. Nearly all sectors rely on business practices in some way, regardless of whether they’re small local shops or international organizations. On the global market, business practices are integral in spurring economic growth, fueling innovation, and cementing political alliances. Business activities can occur in various formats, including online, physical stores, or roadside.

Most businesses begin with a vision and a name. The business founder then performs extensive market research to find out how viable it is to transform their idea into a business and what the current market need is for their service or product. In general, a business will need to have to have a business plan before they can commence operations. This is a formal document outlining the organization’s objectives and goals, as well as the plan that will be executed to bring these objectives into reality. A business plan is also a requirement for those who need to borrow capital before they can begin operating.

Businesses take many structures. Each has a specific legal and tax structure that dictates its organization. Most businesses are classified as sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, or limited liability companies.

What Can You Do with Business Training?

Since businesses operate in all industries and locations, studying business is an excellent way to prepare yourself for a range of career options. The opportunity to be your own boss and succeed as an entrepreneur is an enticing incentive for many individuals, but it requires a range of hard and soft skills, including innovation, creativity, and execution. Another core component of business study is learning to manage projects of all types. Business training is an excellent way to learn how to solve real-world problems by using an analytical, cost-effective approach, which has applications across industries and professions.

In addition to the professional doors studying business can open, this form of training can also help develop soft skills. Business training relies on clear communication in various forms. Business professionals must be able to draft compelling reports, present engaging pitches, and draft clear emails. During business studies, students also generally work closely with other students from various backgrounds to complete projects. In these situations, students not only have the chance to experience different business perspectives but also handle differing viewpoints. This requires cultivating skills like active listening, teamwork, and conflict resolution. Another asset of studying business is that it prepares individuals to better understand their audience’s unique needs so they can find creative ways to appeal to them.

Business knowledge also has personal applications. It is a useful skill set that can help you make more informed decisions about how and when to purchase a car or house or inform you of when the safest time to borrow money or invest in stocks or real estate is. Those with business training are aware of the different variables they should consider when borrowing or investing, as well as how factors like world events affect the market. This can translate into significant savings or profit.

What Will I Learn in a Business Class?

Enrolling in a business class is an excellent way to learn the tools, techniques, and skills needed to become a successful entrepreneur. While no two business classes are the same, most programs teach students a range of essential skills they’ll need to succeed professionally.

The following sections will briefly explore several soft and hard skills you’re likely to encounter during business study, including global perspective, collaboration and negotiation, strategic thinking and problem-solving, technical skills, and leadership and management.

Global Perspective

Business classes prepare students to put their training to use in the real world. Because business practices take place on a world stage, these courses teach students the skills necessary to understand others’ experiences and emotions, even when they differ from their own. Acquiring a global perspective is an excellent way for business students to become collaborative thinkers and solve problems with unique approaches. Understanding the global context of companies and individuals is a transferable skill that has applications in a range of career paths. It also can lead to more effective team management practices and drive innovation.

Collaboration & Negotiation

Succeeding in business requires knowledge of how to collaborate and negotiate with all types of people in different settings. Interpersonal communication is essential to being an effective businessperson and navigating trying situations. Those who enroll in business coursework usually have the chance to complete hands-on projects and collaborative activities in which they must work with others and be comfortable negotiating various viewpoints. Coursework often includes practical activities designed to reinforce these skills. Students may take part in group activities, role-playing exercises, class discussions, networking sessions, and peer-reviewed learning, which present new opportunities to engage with other business-minded individuals and find alternative approaches to problem-solving.

Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving

During business training, most students learn how to think strategically and solve problems in dynamic ways. The art of crafting business strategies requires that students have a robust understanding of concepts like valuation, pricing structure, and market trends. Students must have experience analyzing data, communicating their findings, and applying this knowledge to a global perspective to execute an effective business strategy. Coursework also teaches students integrative problem-solving strategies so they can consider the perspective of different stakeholders when they solve problems.

Technical Skills

Most business programs teach students a range of technical skills that are essential to be effective leaders. This type of training prepares participants to create and understand financial statements. Students learn how to evaluate an organization’s overall financial health by applying various formulas and ratios. They also become familiar with concepts like supply chain management and how to create marketing strategies using market research and key performance indicators (KPIs). Technical training in business programs also covers skills like how to collect, process, and analyze business-related data so that it can fuel an organization’s decision-making process. Students leave these programs with a sound understanding of how macroeconomic trends can be used to evaluate international business opportunities and threats.

One of the core challenges of studying business is becoming proficient in the necessary technologies and tools that are used in that specific business or specialty. Since all organizations have different needs, these tools vary. Those who work in finance may need to be proficient in using QuickBooks or other accounting software. Some organizations use programs like Microsoft Teams to communicate with various departments. In other professional settings, businesspersons may be required to work with Tableau or Excel to handle data analysis and visualization.

Leadership & Management

Arguably one of the most important skills students learn in business training is how to be an effective leader or manager. This skill set requires technical knowledge relevant to the specific business, as well as a range of soft skills. Strong leaders must possess more than clear communication and technical know-how; they also must have well-developed emotional intelligence so they can understand the strengths and challenges each of the members of their team possesses and how best to inspire them to succeed. Emotional intelligence is also essential for helping business professionals understand and manage their own emotions and connect more effectively to how others are feeling. Leaders also take the initiative to empower their employees to build on their strengths and perform to their full potential. Additionally, those in leadership roles will need to be flexible and resilient as they encounter challenges along the way.

How Hard is it to Learn Business?

Learning business strategies and best practices is a long process that varies from one person to another. Like any skill, the challenges associated with studying business are subjective and depend on a host of factors, including prior professional experience in the business world, personality traits, technological knowledge, and interdisciplinary skills. Aspiring business professionals will most likely need to be familiar with Microsoft 365 applications like Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Office, and Word. They also might work with programming languages like R, Java, Python, or SQL, depending on the nature of the business. Because business is a broad field that overlaps with many other subjects, those interested in studying business may find themselves needing to learn business-adjacent skills like digital marketing or finance.

Those who study business should keep in mind that most successful businesspersons draw from a range of skills, which take time, experience, and real-world practice to acquire. The more work experience and interpersonal situations they encounter, the more they will evolve and grow professionally. Some business professionals are relatively new to the process and are learning new technologies and skills each day. Others are more seasoned and may have been in business for years or decades. Training is available at all levels to ensure that anyone interested in learning better business practices can gain hands-on training that will make them a more effective leader.

What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Business?

Even though the challenges of learning business are unique to each individual, there are several topics and skills that many learners will agree are difficult to acquire. One such skill is becoming familiar with the range of economic and financial concepts necessary to perform well in business. In the current globalized market, it can be challenging for some learners to stay familiar with the most up-to-date regulations and rules. Additionally, those interested in working in business will need to be familiar with many types of financial documents and skills, such as how to analyze financial data, understand and create financial statements, adhere to budgetary constraints, and determine appropriate financial ratios. These can be very difficult to learn independently.

Some students also find it challenging to acquire leadership training. This skill set requires skills like maintaining an authoritative tone while also being level-headed during collaborations. Aspiring business professionals may also find it challenging to make strategic decisions in trying situations or juggle many tasks simultaneously. Similarly, clear communication is a commonly cited challenge in the business setting. Successful business professionals must learn how to be persuasive and effective communicators in situations like negotiations, stakeholder meetings, sales settings, and public speaking engagements.

Some learners opt to study business in the interactive classroom environment through bootcamps or workshops, where they’ll receive guidance and individualized feedback on their work. This learning format is also an excellent way to gain experience collaborating with others on business ventures. Since the world of business is in constant flux, it’s important for any businessperson to continue to stay informed about current developments.

How Long Does it Take to Learn Business?

The time it takes most learners to learn business is largely relative to the individual and depends on factors like motivation, educational path, learning mode, and previous business knowledge. Most students can expect to spend several months to a year learning foundational business skills. Generally speaking, basic business skills take far less time to learn than more advanced training; most individuals can learn core business concepts in just several weeks or months of bootcamp or certificate study.

Those who opt for university study will devote four or more years to their training. Post-graduate training options, including MBA programs, require additional years of time. It’s common to expect it to take several years of formal business study to feel like a fully equipped business professional. Moreover, because business best practices and tools are constantly changing, most consider learning business a lifelong endeavor, one in which individuals will build from their knowledge and field experience and continue to stay abreast of changing industry standards and other changes. In an ever-changing business world, continuing education is a must to succeed in business.

Should I Learn Business In Person or Online?

The decision whether to study business in the in-person or online environment is an important consideration all learners must weigh. In the following sections, a brief overview of how in-person and online business training differ so you can select the option that’s best for you.

In-person Business Classes

Chicago residents who want to learn business can do so by enrolling in in-person business classes in Chicago. These courses are available from many top educators around the city and provide a supportive, engaging learning environment for students at all levels of business study.

Students receive hands-on training from someone with real-world business experience. Coursework varies in length and focus, depending on the program selected. Chicago residents can select from programs that focus entirely on business skills like leadership and management or select more focused study pertaining to a specific business skill, such as working with Microsoft Office, Excel, data analytics, or project management.

In-person business coursework is interactive and project-based, which provides students with the time and space to fully explore the concepts they’re learning and ask any questions they have. Because of the essential role collaboration and teamwork play in the business world, students who take in-person classes gain important experience working with others in their cohort on business projects. The training facility where in-person classes take place has the most up-to-date business programs, tools, apps, and programming languages already on the computers available to students. While this type of training does require commuting to and from class for regularly scheduled meetings, in-person training is a great way to explore basic business concepts or take your existing business training to the next level in a supportive and community-based learning environment. Even though this type of training requires that students live in or near Chicago and have reliable transportation, in-person study is an effective and immersive way to learn business.

Live Online Business Courses

Live online business courses are an excellent alternative to in-person training. This study option provides many of the same benefits as in-person classes, including real-time access to an expert instructor, support from other students, and project-based, hands-on training. Rather than needing to commute to and from a training facility and waste money on gas and parking, students can complete their business coursework remotely using a teleconferencing platform like Zoom. This allows participants to ask questions in real-time and have immediate clarification and support as they explore business concepts.

One possible drawback of live online study is that students must provide their own computing devices and ensure that all the relevant business tools, software, and programming languages are already installed and ready to use. Participants must also have a quiet place with a strong internet connection to complete their studies remotely so they can focus and ensure they’re getting the most out of their training.

Asynchronous Business Classes

Another form of online business training is on-demand coursework. This type of class takes place asynchronously and consists of content like videos and tutorials that were pre-recorded and placed online by educational providers like Udemy and Coursera. Students who opt for on-demand training have the flexibility to establish their own learning pace, where they want to complete their training, and when they wish to do so. This convenient learning structure ensures that those with busy schedules or full-time employment can fit their business training when they can. While this level of freedom is a perk for many learners, it also can be a challenge for some individuals, who may find it difficult to motivate themselves to keep up with their studies without formal deadlines. Those interested in studying through on-demand classes should be self-motivated to practice the business skills they learn and complete coursework, even without formal deadlines or homework assignments with concrete due dates.

Because no instructor is available for on-demand classes, students are responsible for finding answers to questions on their own. This may pose challenges for those who are new to business concepts and tools like data analytics, Excel, and project management. Additionally, since the business world largely revolves around collaboration and teamwork, some learners may find that studying this skill set independently of others can be difficult. On-demand business content can be a good starting place in a longer journey to learning business. Most learners will ultimately require live training at some point, however, to become effective businesspersons.

Can I Learn Business for Free Online?

In addition to in-person, live online, and self-paced business training materials, another resource some learners turn to is free online content. Many sorts of online content are available, including short YouTube videos on business analytics or Tableau, blogs and tutorials, and free courses. Since no monetary commitment is required, these provide a low-stakes way to learn the basics of business.

Noble Desktop offers a range of articles on its Learn Hub page devoted to various business tools and concepts. Each article takes only a few minutes to read and provides valuable instruction on topics like the industries and professions in which business skills are necessary, the learning resources available to study business, and the most effective ways to learn business. Noble also has a free online Excel class for those interested in exploring how spreadsheets are used for business tasks. This hour-long seminar teaches core Excel concepts and skills, including how to use autofill, charts, data validation, and absolute cell reference.

Although free online resources are a great supplementary tool when studying business, they usually aren’t sufficient on their own to teach this field to those interested in pursuing leadership or management roles. YouTube videos and online tutorials are more suited for providing quick answers to business-related questions or a basic overview of this field. Most aspiring professionals will benefit from a more hands-on, collaborative approach to learning business to fully master this skill set, such as that which is provided by live coursework.

What Should I Learn Alongside Business?

Once you’ve decided to learn business, you may wonder what skills to study alongside business training. Because business practices take many forms depending on the type of business and the employer, the skill set needed to succeed in business varies from one position to another. However, most individuals will find it useful to be familiar with the Microsoft 365 family of applications. Businesspersons regularly work with apps like Teams for meetings, Word for drafting and revising documents, PowerPoint for making presentations, and Excel for organizing business-related information into spreadsheets.

Some businesspersons may also find it useful to study programming languages to supplement their business training. While coding knowledge isn’t always a requirement in business, knowledge of coding languages like JavaScript, R, Python, and SQL can be an asset when studying business. Coding languages play many roles in business; they help analyze data points, automate repetitive tasks, create prototypes, design websites, and implement security measures. Additionally, because all businesses require customers and revenue to succeed, knowledge of economics and marketing practices is also extremely useful to those who study business. Many businesspersons opt to study these two fields alongside their business coursework because this type of training can help them use data analysis to make more informed decisions and improve customer experience. Digital marketing training can help business professionals build their brand using email and social media. Studying how the market works is another essential skill that benefits those in business. Those who know how the free market functions can make more informed decisions, better anticipate upcoming changes in inflation, and more effectively allocate resources.

Industries that Use Business

Business practices extend into every industry. The skills needed to succeed in business are largely transferable and are requirements to work in a range of fields, including healthcare, finance, and retail. The following sections will take a closer look at how professionals in these sectors use their business skills.

Healthcare

Chicago is home to 95 hospitals and six accredited academic medical centers. The city has a large concentration of healthcare professionals available to fill job openings at these institutions. Currently, more than 8,200 individuals are employed in hospital-based roles, 2,260 work as general practitioners, and 17,900 serve as specialty physicians. Business skills are an asset to those who work in healthcare because they can assist with essential tasks like improving patient care, handling daily operations, allocating resources, and managing finances. The skill set needed to succeed as a Healthcare Manager is very similar to that of business professionals; these individuals must be strategic decision-makers, know how to negotiate with insurance providers, implement policies, and consider all options when creating policies. Additionally, those in healthcare often turn to data professionals to analyze and visualize patient-related data.

Finance

Chicago currently enjoys one of the country’s most diverse economies. The city also ranks third in the US in employment for insurance and finance jobs. The Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, two of the largest futures exchanges in the globe, are located in Chicago. Currently, 270 banks and 240 credit unions call the city home, along with 4,060 of their branches. Those who work in finance in Chicago, whether it’s in banking, investing, insurance, or other forms of financial planning, use a combination of financial analysis and business skills to unpack how economic trends impact business. This is essential to succeed in an ever-changing market. Business knowledge also helps financial professionals communicate clearly with clients and investors, work with technology like ecommerce platforms and online banking services, and transform the way individuals and organizations handle their money.

Retail

Retail is another Chicago industry in which business knowledge is a must. There are nearly 100,000 businesses licensed in the city, including bars, restaurants, taxicabs, industrial plants, and stores. Those who work in retail in Chicago sell products and services and regularly interact with customers. Business practices play a huge role in retail; they help business owners stay on top of market trends, effectively market products, understand consumer behavior, and increase profit margins. Studying business is an excellent way for those in retail to learn about budgeting, forecasting, negotiating, and communicating. Some individuals in the retail sector work as Managers or Sales Associates and are tasked with keeping track of transactions, ensuring a positive customer experience, strategically placing products to improve sales, and overseeing behind-the-scenes operations like managing merchandise stock. In order to perform these tasks, Retailers must have a careful eye for detail, well-developed interpersonal skills, and knowledge of how to resolve conflicts.

Business Job Titles and Salaries

Business training is an excellent way to prepare for a profitable and fulfilling career in Chicago. Business skills are essential in professions like business analysis, project management, and marketing analysis. The following sections will briefly examine some of the job titles and corresponding requirements and salaries for professionals in Chicago who hold jobs in these fields.

Business Analyst

Chicago is an excellent spot to pursue a career in business analysis. As the third-largest US city, Chicago offers a range of professional prospects for aspiring Business Analysts. These professionals are hired to process, interpret, and document various services, products, software, and processes for their organization. They rely on data analysis to do so. Business Analysts in Chicago also ensure their business is running as efficiently as possible. They draw from knowledge of business concepts like budgeting, forecasting, pricing, reporting, and communicating with stakeholders. At the end of the day, they strive to help their business become more profitable by improving its efficiency in all stages of the business process. Chicago-based Business Analysts can expect to make approximately $96,000-$102,000 a year.

Project Manager

Project Managers who work in Chicago are hired to plan, procure, and execute all stages of a project. These individuals sometimes work on one large project or may be tasked with handling several projects at once. Business skills are a must for Project Managers; this training prepares them to stay on top of multiple projects, handle budgetary constraints, adhere to deadlines, and communicate with internal and external stakeholders. Business skills like conflict resolution and problem-solving are also essential to be an effective Project Manager. The average salary for Project Managers in Chicago is $94,000-$104,000 yearly.

Marketing Analyst

Chicago currently ranks fourth in the US for employing marketing professionals and is the third highest-paying city in the country. The city has long been a hub for marketing, advertising, and creative agencies. Currently, 24,000 marketing jobs are available to Chicago residents. Chicago-based Marketing Analysts assist their company with determining which services and products to sell, which customers to target, and what price points are appropriate. To reach these conclusions, they must study competitors’ activities, consumer behavior, and current market conditions and report on their findings. The average yearly salary for Marketing Analysts who work in Chicago is $70,000-$80,000 a year.

Business Classes Near Me

If you’re interested in learning business, many excellent course offerings are available from top providers in Chicago. You can search for business classes in Chicago to find the best match for you. Because business is a broad field that requires many different types of training, business classes take many forms; some focus on data analytics or data science, whereas others provide training on Microsoft Office, digital marketing, leadership, or other skills necessary to succeed in the business sector.

Noble Desktop offers a Data Analytics Certificate for those looking to pursue a career in business analytics or data analytics. Those enrolled receive hands-on training in skills like working with Python to clean and manipulate data, communicating with relational databases, performing basic data analysis, and visualizing data findings in Tableau. Noble also offers an “MBA” Business Certificate that teaches participants key business concepts, including data analysis, financial processes, project management, marketing strategies, and generative AI. Instruction is also provided on corporate finance, financial accounting, business law, and how Microsoft Excel can be used to analyze data. All learners can select electives to specialize in areas like financial modeling or Python for data science. These programs both include eight 1-on-1 mentoring sessions and a free course retake option for up to a year. Noble classes are available in person in New York City and live online.

General Assembly has training available in data analytics, data science, and digital marketing. Its Data Analytics Immersive is a beginner-level program that teaches students how to work with industry-standard tools like Tableau, Excel, SQL, Power BI, and Python. Its Digital Marketing Course prepares students to apply modern marketing strategies to real-world situations. This program covers topics like how to grow multichannel campaigns and use customer insights and data to do so. General Assembly also offers a Data Science Course that provides students with the opportunity to use Python and statistics to create predictive models and tackle difficult machine-learning problems. These courses are available in person in Chicago or live online.

Chicago residents looking to learn how digital marketing can be used in business can gain hands-on training in Boot Camp Digital’s Digital Marketing Workshop. Over the course of several days, students receive a robust overview of the field of digital marketing. Coursework begins with instruction relative to digital marketing and progresses into SEO and web optimization. By course completion, those enrolled will be familiar with digital advertising, email, social media, and other marketing platforms. This class is available in person in Chicago and live online.

University of Illinois Chicago Online Data Analytics Bootcamp (Full or Part-Time) is a fully online program in which students explore the core aspects of data analysis. This intensive class teaches concepts like SQL, Excel, and Python and is intended to provide a solid foundation for those interested in becoming Insight Analysts or Data Analysts.

Computer Training Source’s Data Analytics program also offers data analytics training. This course covers several tools and techniques for analyzing data. Participants learn data mining principles, data modeling and visualization, and statistical analysis with Excel. The class is taught in person in Chicago.

Learners at all levels can enroll in the American Management Association’s Taking on Greater Responsibility, a professional development course. This program prepares students to effectively handle an increasing responsibility load at their current job. This class focuses on the difficulties of assuming more responsibility in the professional setting, including how to develop strategies to maximize performance and how to delegate tasks. Students who want to focus on learning how to work with data can do so in the American Management Association’s Using Data to Drive Strategy. This program teaches students how to spot KPIs, devise effective data analytics strategies, and make engaging data visualizations capable of communicating their findings. This program is designed for professionals like Data Analysts and Managers who want to learn how to leverage data to make more informed business decisions. Coursework from this provider is available in person in Chicago.

Business Corporate Training

If the employees at your workplace would benefit from learning more about business concepts and practices, let Noble Desktop help. Noble can provide corporate and onsite business training for your employees in a range of skills, including project management, Microsoft Office, data analytics, and digital marketing. Training is available onsite at your office in Chicago and live online using a teleconference platform. Since business is a broad field that requires knowledge of many tools and techniques, your employees can tailor their training around the skills that would benefit them most in their current position, including training in Microsoft Excel, Tableau, Word, Power BI, Google Analytics, or social media marketing.

Noble’s flexible course listing includes course offerings on nights and weekends to accommodate learners with busy schedules. Your employees can choose from Noble’s existing classes or customize their training. Employers who wish to enroll multiple employees in training can purchase vouchers for Noble’s group classes for a discount. These are regularly scheduled on a range of topics and afford the flexibility of allowing your employees to determine their own learning schedule.

To find out more about the exciting training options Noble can provide for those at your workplace, don’t hesitate to contact Noble today.

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

Top Certificate Programs

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

“MBA” Business Certificate Learn The Skills Guarantee™

Business Classes

Key Insights

Learn More About Chicago Business Courses

What is Business?

What Can You Do with Business Training?

What Will I Learn in a Business Class?

Global Perspective

Collaboration & Negotiation

Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving

Technical Skills

Leadership & Management

How Hard is it to Learn Business?

What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Business?

How Long Does it Take to Learn Business?

Should I Learn Business In Person or Online?

In-person Business Classes

Live Online Business Courses

Asynchronous Business Classes

Can I Learn Business for Free Online?

What Should I Learn Alongside Business?

Industries that Use Business

Healthcare

Finance

Retail

Business Job Titles and Salaries

Business Analyst

Project Manager

Marketing Analyst

Business Classes Near Me

Business Corporate Training

Chicago Business Courses by School

Microsoft Office Bootcamp

Microsoft Excel Bootcamp

Data Science Bootcamp (Online)

Data Analytics Bootcamp (Online)

Data Analytics Short Course (Online)

Data Science Short Course (Online)

University of Illinois Chicago

Online Data Analytics Bootcamp (Full or Part Time)

Microsoft Office 365 501 - Microsoft 365 Teamwork Bootcamp

Digital Marketing Workshop

Data Analytics

Project Management Essentials

Microsoft Office 365 Online (with Teams for the Desktop)

Project Management Essentials

Project Management Fundamentals

Chicago Business Corporate & Onsite Training Noble Desktop

Business Training Locations in or Near Chicago

Chicago Business
Corporate & Onsite Training