Gain practical insight into financial growth through investing programs focused on risk and strategy. You’ll explore how to diversify portfolios and make informed decisions.
Gain a comprehensive understanding of stock investing, valuation, and stock movements in this course. Learn about essential valuation techniques, financial statements, and the fundamentals of stock investing, as well as the factors that influence stock prices and how to analyze them.
Master Excel, review corporate finance, and build a valuation model on a public company. Gain basic and intermediate Excel skills and learn how to read financial statements, build valuations, and predict market trends.
Join our financial modeling class to learn essential finance and accounting concepts, build a discounted cash flow (DCF) model in Excel, acquire advanced Excel skills, explore corporate finance and valuation, and create a financial model on a real company. This hands-on course will teach you practical financial skills.
Within the finance sector, investing is the practice of purchasing assets that are expected to increase in value during a period of time so they will provide profits that are greater than the amount of the initial investment such as capital gains or income payments. Investing takes many forms. People may opt to invest in trusts, bonds, stocks, or private equity. Individuals can choose to invest directly or indirectly in many sorts of endeavors, including purchasing real estate or fronting money to start a business. Those who invest money in projects such as these hope to either acquire income from their investment or to resell it at a later time for a greater price than the purchase price. Any return on an investment is called a capital gain. When investments increase in value from their time of purchase to their selling point, this is called appreciation.
Investing involves an element of risk because the money being offered is in use. This means that, unlike savings, there is always a risk that the project could fail, which would result in a loss of some or all of the investment money. In addition to acquiring profits from appreciation and capital gains, those who invest often wish to hold their assets to continue to generate income. In these instances, the goal of investing is to continue to create a cash flow over a potentially long period of time rather than selling the assets for immediate income. Those who invest in stocks, for example, often receive dividends for their investment; rather than purchasing or selling stocks, investors may instead prefer to hang onto the stocks and generate revenue from their dividend income.
Long gone are the days when you have to be a New York Stockbroker to take advantage of investing. Now, thanks to the internet, anyone with access to mobile applications can make investments, which can be used to save for home improvement projects, retirement, or other purposes. Investing training is an excellent way to learn the basics of creating an investment portfolio. Portfolios can include more traditional types of investments such as mutual funds, real estate, stocks, Exchange-traded Funds (ETFs), or bonds. Some individuals may opt to invest in less traditional endeavors, which also will be included in their portfolio. Learning about investing can help you gain a better understanding of which assets are likely to appreciate over time.
In addition to investing in assets like stocks and bonds, some individuals choose to invest in tangible assets such as a vacation rental property, a car, or an expensive wristwatch. Investing training can provide you with the knowledge to make more informed decisions when approaching any potential investment so you can decide whether the item is worth purchasing and is likely to yield a profit down the line if or when it’s sold.
Investing training is an excellent way not only for individuals to generate income over time, but it is also a valued skill for professionals who work in a range of finance-related career paths. Attaining financial literacy and investing knowledge is a great first step toward securing a job. Those who understand the core elements of how to invest can work in fields like FinTech, financial analytics, data science, and banking.
If you enroll in an investing class, there are several skills you are likely to encounter during your studies. The following sections will take a closer look at the topics and strategies you are likely to explore, as well as how they will help you become a more proficient investor.
If you’re just getting started in investing, you’re likely to learn about core investment strategies during coursework. Several basic investment strategies may be covered, which can provide a foundation for later investment decisions. The buy-and-hold strategy involves purchasing an investment and holding onto it for at least three to five years rather than selling. You may learn about how to buy index funds, which involves locating a promising stock index and then purchasing an index fund that’s based on it. The index and a few strategies may also be discussed. This technique involves building on the index fund strategy and adding several small positions to your portfolio. Income investing is another common investing strategy you are likely to encounter. This type of investing entails owning assets like bonds or dividend stocks that yield cash payouts. The practice of dollar-cost averaging is also likely to be covered during coursework. This pertains to selecting regular intervals in which to add money to your investments.
Beginner-friendly investing coursework will likely provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the stock market, which is essential for those who want to succeed in investing. The stock market is a collection of stocks that can be purchased and sold through many types of exchanges. Acquiring stock market education is essential for anyone who monitors price fluctuations in stocks and wants to determine the best time to purchase or sell. The stock market can also pertain to the set of exchanges that take place when publicly held company shares are purchased or sold.
Investment portfolios are a set of financial investments such as bonds, commodities, stocks, currencies, cash, cash equivalents, and ETFs that an individual investor owns. This phrase also refers to the collection of investments the investor uses to generate profit while simultaneously ensuring their assets or capital are protected. How assets are allocated in a portfolio is usually dictated by factors like time constraints and risk tolerance. It’s up to the investor to decide how often they wish to rebalance their portfolio to optimize returns. Learning about how to create a portfolio and ensure it has the optimal balance of assets like stocks and bonds is a core skill for most investment professionals and is likely to be taught during coursework.
When studying investing, another important skill you’ll most likely encounter is risk management. Risk management is the process of identifying, evaluating, and controlling any security risks that could affect an organization’s earnings. These risks, also known as threats, originate from varying sources such as natural disasters, errors in strategic management, financial uncertainty, or legal liabilities. It’s important for investors to learn risk management so they can prepare for any unforeseen event that could occur. Often, these events may be minor and have only small repercussions for an organization such as a slight drop in overhead costs. However, unforeseen risks can also have serious consequences for businesses and lead to substantial losses. In the worst-case scenario, they can even result in a business having to close. Risk management training ensures that you have the skills needed to monitor and mitigate the ramifications of any negative events.
In addition to the hard skills you’ll explore when you enroll in an investment training course, you’re likely to learn soft skills as well that can prepare you to become a more proficient investor. One such soft skill is emotional control. Those who are seasoned investors with years of experience sometimes suggest to novice investors that they should try to remove their emotions from the investing process. This advice is offered to safeguard them against unnecessary stress and the possibility they’ll react to it and make impulsive decisions that can result in a monetary loss. The more experience you gain with the investment process, however, the more emotional control you’ll likely feel and the more confident you’ll be that you’re making well-thought-out decisions. Emotional control is also an excellent way to ensure your decision-making process remains consistent regardless of the situation and that you don’t experience burnout. Since investing requires you to work with a fluctuating or volatile market, it’s essential to maintain emotional control when the market dips and the reactionary market begins to level out, or else money can be lost.
Learning investing can be compared to any other skill in that some individuals may acquire this skill set more easily than others. Since each person has their own learning style and draws from a different knowledge base when learning a new skill, the difficulty level of learning investing is largely subjective. Those who come from a finance-heavy background, for example, may find concepts like financial ratios easier to learn than those who don’t have this knowledge base.
Regardless of your educational background and learning style, there are some common concepts that most individuals consider the most difficult when they’re learning about investing. One core challenge is how much investment information you will have to take in on any given day during the investment process. Sound investing often requires the individual to sift through thousands of data points on the internet, many of which are in flux. It can be difficult for those who are new to investing to decipher the essential information from the rest and devote time and energy accordingly. Because of how much information is available on investing, it can also be difficult to know which resources are trustworthy since often, these sources may contradict one another. With training and practice, however, it will become easier to know which sources are most trustworthy and useful.
Another component of learning investing that some people struggle with is timing. In addition to learning when the best time to buy is, you’ll also need to study when the most prudent time to sell is to ensure profits are maximized. It can be challenging for some learners to decide the best time to sell, which can lead to selling too early or too late. Those who are new to investing may also struggle to understand a reactionary market in which a sudden, often short-lived, downward or upward movement occurs in a stock’s price. Those who are new to investing may be tempted to remove their money when they see a sudden drop rather than being patient and observing the market to make a more informed decision.
The time frame associated with learning investing depends on factors like your prior financial knowledge and how you process and retain large volumes of information. While this number varies for each individual, on average, it takes most learners between one and five years to learn the basics of how the stock market works and begin investing. Early in the learning process, aspiring investors will likely learn the basics, including how the market functions and the skills needed for trades to be successful. Then, most learners progress into more advanced financial concepts. When researching stocks, it’s essential to learn to take in only the important information rather than become overwhelmed with the whole of it. You’ll also need to acquire training in how to make crucial, high-risk decisions at the moment and not be intimidated by the pace. Study time should also include an ongoing, in-depth exploration of the stock market and any emerging patterns. This ensures you’ll know when the best time is to make a trade.
Choosing whether to study investing online or in-person in Chicago is an important consideration for all learners. Each type of learning has its own unique strengths that students should weigh before making a decision. In-person investing coursework is available to learners at all levels, including those who have no prior experience in finance or working with the stock market, as well as seasoned investors with years of experience under their belts. In-person classes provide learners with a small class environment in which they not only connect with an expert instructor but also have the chance to learn alongside a cohort of students who are dedicated to pursuing investing. This supportive educational environment can be a great way to network and can also offer a sense of community and support during studies. Those who are interested in-person investing coursework in Chicago should keep in mind that these classes require that you attend in-person meetings, which means commuting to and from class at regular intervals. This may be prohibitive for those who lack reliable transportation options or who live far from a designated training facility.
If you’re the kind of learner who’s more comfortable studying investing from your own home or office space, an excellent alternative to in-person classes is live online study. Live virtual classes provide students with the same learning outcomes and educational benefits as in-person training but eliminate the need to commute to and from class each week. Live online investing classes are taught using a teleconferencing platform like Zoom, which means that students can connect in real-time with an instructor who has industry experience in investing. This platform provides a way for students to ask questions in the moment and receive immediate clarification or guidance. Learners can even share their screen with the instructor (with permission) for additional assistance. If you’re considering live online training, it’s important to remember that these classes meet at regularly scheduled intervals, which may mean that you’ll have to rearrange your work schedule or budget in time to attend.
If you prefer the online learning environment but aren’t able to commit to classes that meet synchronously, on-demand investing training options are available as well. Whereas live online courses occur in real-time, self-paced coursework is pre-recorded. This means learners can decide when to complete their training, how long they wish to devote to each study session, and where they’re most comfortable completing coursework. This flexible learning format also provides students with control over the speed at which they study. Those who may be unfamiliar with complex investing concepts like risk and returns can pause lessons as often as necessary to take notes, as well as rewind when needed. Self-paced study options are typically a much more affordable learning alternative to live coursework, often costing substantially less than in-person or Zoom training options. However, it’s important for learners to consider that no instructor will be present in self-paced classes. This may make it hard for some, particularly those who don’t come from a finance-heavy background, to fully master complicated investing strategies or skills. This is why some learners opt to begin their investing learning journey with on-demand content and then move to a more structured course such as a live online bootcamp, to fully master advanced investing skills.
If you want to get started with learning about investing but don’t want to invest hundreds or thousands of dollars in coursework, the good news is that many online resources can help you acquire the basic language of finance and the core skills needed to get started. Free investing simulators are available online. These provide a safe way for learners to test various investing techniques without having to risk real money along the way. Some of these simulators work with real market values.
Free seminars are another great option for those seeking free online investing resources. These pre-recorded videos are available on many timely finance-related topics and take just a few hours to complete.Noble Desktop offers one such video, Stock Market Investing Fundamentals, which teaches learners several investing strategies as well as the fundamental skills needed to start investing. Additionally, Noble Desktop has a range of short videos on various investment-related topics, which are available on its YouTube channel. You can learn financial modeling basics in its Financial Modeling: Stock Exchange video. Other videos provide short instructional clips on topics like hedge funds, capital markets, stock indexes, and the IPO process. Those who are on YouTube can also use this platform to search for other financial or investment-related video content, which is available from many reputable sources. These online tutorials and clips are a great starting point in learning about investing because they’re free and often take just a few minutes to watch. You can rewatch videos as often as you need or search for specific investment-related topics as necessary. It’s important when searching for free online resources to select those that were recently uploaded since the landscape of the investing world changes quickly.
If you’re interested in learning about investing, you may wonder if there are any skills you can learn alongside it to help you become proficient faster. Those who are experienced Investors possess a range of skills that help them retain a competitive advantage over others. The first skill is well-developed financial literacy. This type of literacy provides Investors with a solid knowledge of a range of core financial skills such as borrowing, investing, budgeting, and taxation. Although financial literacy is considered an essential skill set for most individuals, regardless of their professional focus, it’s estimated that only two-thirds of Americans are financially literate. Financial literacy ensures that you’ll be prepared for any potential financial roadblocks you may encounter, regardless of their scope.
Another skill set you may wish to acquire alongside investing is analytical skills. This entails the ability to study vast amounts of information to locate patterns and draw accurate conclusions. In investing, this skill set is essential in that it helps Investors quickly review financial information, create data models based on it, and make decisions about which investments most align with their client or company’s goals. Data analysis skills also extend to data visualization, which helps Investors create visual representations of the information contained in financial information.
Investing is a core component of many Chicago industries, in particular those in the finance sector. The city and the surrounding suburbs are home to 35 Fortune 500 companies. The following sections will explore several key sectors such as insurance and finance/FinTech, as well as the role investing plays in each.
Chicago currently has one of the country’s most diverse economies. The city ranks third in the nation for employment in finance and insurance-related careers. Currently, more than 325,000 Chicago residents are employed in financial-related career paths. The city has over 75 accelerators and incubators, as well as 11 universities that have graduate-level finance programs. Additionally, when considering growth capital, the FinTech industry is one of the city’s fastest-growing verticals. From 2019-2021, investments soared 410% in Chicago, compared to the nationwide average of 247%. In the finance and FinTech sector, there are many options for those with a background in investing to put their skills to use. One current trend in the FinTech industry is using automation and AI to streamline different investment banking tasks or processes. AI helps Investment Bankers quickly analyze huge volumes of data, collect insights, notice patterns, and offer sound financial predictions. Additionally, the FinTech industry provides many options for those interested in investing their money, including crowdfunding, robo-advisors, peer-to-peer lending, online brokers, and cryptocurrencies.
The state of Illinois currently ranks second in the US for corporate investment. For 11 consecutive years, Chicago has landed the top spot in the country for corporate investment. Those interested in investing in real estate flock to the city because of its attractive property prices in comparison to other major cities such as San Francisco and New York. The city has high rental yields, which makes it a prime location for investors seeking to earn a regular income from their investment properties. Chicago’s low unemployment rate and diverse economy offer jobs in many top sectors such as healthcare, technology, and education, which attracts buyers and renters from around the world. Despite fluctuations in the US real estate market, Chicago has remained largely stable over time and has seen a gradual median annual price increase.
If you live in the greater Chicago area and are interested in pursuing a career where you can use investment skills, many high-paying professional paths are available. The following sections will take a closer look at some investing-related jobs available to Chicago residents, as well as the requirements for each position and the expected salary range.
Financial Analysts in Chicago perform extensive research to explore historical and projected profitability for financial-related undertakings. They then use this information to offer investment suggestions for clients or companies. These professionals perform tasks like studying financial data, exploring current financial trends and developments in the market, reviewing their organization’s financial documents, and making financial models capable of predicting future performance. In Chicago, Financial Analysts are employed by government agencies, private equity groups, pension funds, securities firms, venture capital firms, hedge funds, or investment firms. Chicago-based Financial Analysts make $80,000-$90,000 a year.
Risk Analysts who work in the finance sector are hired to fully explore the possible risks involved with any financial decision. Insurance companies or investment banks usually hire these professionals, but they may also work for organizations that handle large monetary sums such as investment firms or hedge funds. Financial Risk Analysts generally focus on mitigating any potential negative financial outcomes that could occur due to credit disk, tradeable risk, insurance risk, or market risk. On a daily basis, Risk Analysts draft reports and summaries and make presentations that convey important financial findings to the stakeholders within their orgnaization. They also quantify the negative effects of any activities that involve possible risks. These professionals may use risk information management software to handle and interpret risk-related data. In Chicago, Risk Analysts earn approximately $126,000-$136,000 a year.
Those who work as Private Wealth Managers in Chicago are tasked with financial planning and investment management for individuals, in particular those with high to ultra-high net worth. As global wealth has increased and more individuals are assuming the responsibility for managing their own financial resources, the private wealth sector has seen substantial growth. Those who are hired as Private Wealth Managers help their clients navigate the intricacies of the financial market. They offer advice on how to invest and manage their portfolios, plan for retirement, and handle tax matters. In Chicago, Private Wealth Managers make a yearly salary of $159,000-$169,000.
Stockbrokers are finance professionals hired to purchase and sell stocks on behalf of their clients. This broad field includes career paths in investment, commodities, stocks, or bonds. Stockbrokers often serve as financial advisors to their clients, providing them with advice on how to strengthen their investment portfolio to more quickly attain a financial goal. On a daily basis, Stockbrokers are mostly involved with trade-related tasks. This requires performing research and reaching out to their clients to consult about their portfolios before any plans for buying or selling are implemented. The average yearly salary of a Chicago-based Stockbroker is $141,000-$151,000.
Investment Bankers who work in Chicago serve as financial advisors that help clients navigate capital markets and make sound investments. These professionals are hired by financial advisor firms, investment banks, or government entities. They perform tasks like raising capital and ensuring their organization continues to generate capital and grow. Investment banking positions range in seniority from associate-level career paths to Managing Directors. In Chicago, Investment Bankers earn a competitive salary of $327,000-$337,000 a year.
Those who work as Private Equity Associates are hired to perform finance-related market and industry research. These professionals also evaluate possible investment opportunities for their clients, write proposals, maintain working relationships with Fund Managers, negotiate fund documentation, and explore fundraising opportunities. Private equity firms are typically smaller than investment banks and may have fewer than ten employees. In Chicago, Private Equity Associates make $189,000-$199,000 a year.
If you want to study investing, you can find investing courses in Chicago that are most suited to your learning needs and professional goals. Discovery Center offers The Ultimate Stock Trading Workshop for Chicago residents. This short program teaches learners how to make trades, pinpoint a stock’s direction, and anticipate significant market moves before they occur. By course completion, those enrolled will have a working knowledge of ETFs, currencies, penny stocks, and commodities. No math skills are required to take this beginner-level class. This class is taught in-person in Chicago.
NYIM Training’sStock Market Investing Fundamentals is a short, live online course in which those who are new to the stock market acquire core training in fundamental skills. Those enrolled explore topics like stock pricing and valuation, bonds, and financial statements. Instruction is provided on investing fundamentals, why stock prices fluctuate, and valuation concepts like DCF analysis and P/E ratios.
Investing Finance, which is available from iXperience, offers live online instruction for those interested in learning more about financial ecosystems and reporting. This program teaches learners how to create and modify a personal portfolio. All learners also complete an in-person internship as part of this comprehensive program. Coursework includes instruction on topics like instruments and valuation, financial reporting, and how to use PowerPoint to create pitch decks. By course completion, those enrolled will be able to assess portfolios and offer recommendations.
Stock Market Investing, which is offered by Noble Desktop, is a short, live online program that can help you learn how Investors value stocks and what moves stock prices. This class covers core investing concepts and strategies, including the basic concepts that drive stock investing, how to work with financial statements, and how to perform DCF analysis or handle P/E ratios. During this class, you’ll work with recent earning statements from companies like Apple and Google to ground your exploration of investment research.
For comprehensive training in the field of financial analytics, Noble Desktop also offers a Financial Analyst Training Program. This comprehensive, live online course covers introductory-level to intermediate finance skills. During this intensive bootcamp, you will work with Microsoft Excel to build a solid foundation. You’ll learn core Excel features like formulas, functions, and PivotTables. Additionally, instruction is provided on advanced Excel tools that have applications for financial modeling such as cash flow projection tools, Goal Seek, and shortcuts. In the corporate finance and valuation portion of this bootcamp, you will become familiar with how to analyze financial statements, work with DCF modeling techniques, and apply corporate valuation principles. By the end of this program, you’ll be able to create an integrated, three-statement financial model for a public restaurant company that uses current financial data. It’s useful, though not required, that you have prior accounting or financial knowledge to enroll in this course. All students receive a pre-learning guide to ensure they’re on the same page on the first day of bootcamp study.
Those who are interested in learning more about real estate investing can do so in The Chicago Association of Realtors’Real Estate Investing course. This hands-on workshop teaches learners the basics of real estate investment so they can apply these skills to grow their businesses. Students become familiar with collaborating with Investors to establish goals, set plans, evaluate properties, and acquire real estate. Coursework begins with an overview of the reasons to invest in real estate, as well as how to work with clients. Students then explore concepts like how to make informed purchase decisions, handle tax issues, evaluate financing options, and manage investments. This class is available in-person in Chicago.
Chicago State University offers Stocks, Bonds, and Investing: Oh, My! for those interested in learning more about the basics of finance, investing, stocks, and bonds. Students in this introductory-level online course explore how to prepare for retirement, pay for college, and manage their personal financial dealings. Those enrolled learn about 401,000 plans and the stock market. By course completion, all participants will be familiar with mutual funds, markets and exchanges, trades and the trading process, how to research resources, and the process of selecting stocks. No prerequisites are required to enroll. Students can opt to take this program as a self-paced course or a format in which an instructor moderates discussion boards.
Those interested in exploring financial modeling can do so by enrolling in Wall Street Prep’sFinancial Statement Modeling Course. This self-paced online program provides an abbreviated lesson plan that focuses entirely on how to model financial statements. Participants explore the best practices for financial modeling and create their own three-statement financial model. Learners explore how to input historical assumptions and data and use it to make financial statement predictions. Students explore essential modeling methodologies for financial and valuation modeling. This program is intended for those interested in a career path in corporate finance, equity research, private equity, or investment banking.
Acquiring the training needed to make sound investments is a useful skill, one that can help the employees at your workplace make more informed financial decisions that serve the good of the entire company. If those at your workplace would benefit from corporate training in investing, Noble Desktop can help. Your employees can take advantage of Noble’s corporate finance training options in relevant skills like financial modeling, financial analytics, FinTech, and Python for Finance. These classes can be taught in-person in Chicago at your workplace or in the live online environment using a teleconferencing platform like Zoom. Both options provide your employees with the opportunity to study core finance-related skills in real-time with an expert instructor who’s available to field questions and provide immediate support and guidance.
To ensure those at your workplace get the most out of their studies, you can select from an existing curriculum or customize the training based on your employees’ needs. Additionally, to facilitate busy work or professional schedules, coursework is available on weeknights and weekends to ensure everyone has the chance to get the most out of their studies. If you’re interested in training multiple employees in finance, group class vouchers can be purchased at a discount. To learn more about the exciting corporate training options available in finance, don’t hesitate to contact Noble today.