Best Classes Ottawa

Find & compare hands-on courses near Ottawa or live online in coding, design, business, and more. We’ve chosen over 30 of the best tech courses from the top training providers to help you find the perfect fit.

Explore the Best Classes in Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the province of Ontario, and has a population of just over a million. The website, Prepare for Canada, which provides a wide variety of information intended to help people who are moving to Canada, talks about the job market there, stating, "The unemployment rate is stable and is usually below the national average. Ottawa has a strong economy and offers a variety of job opportunities for people with diverse backgrounds and interests."

A Look at the Ottawa Economy

According to the City of Ottawa’s most recent estimate, public administration is one of the largest employers in the city, employing about a fifth of the workforce. The city finds that health and education combined employ another fifth. Other notable sectors include professional, scientific, and technical services; retail; and accommodation and food services. According to Job Bank’s “Ontario Environmental Scan 2024, ” the majority of all businesses in Ontario are classified as small, with less than 100 employees. Job Bank reports that the unemployment rate in Ottawa is 5.5%, one of the lowest of all the regions in Ontario. 

The City of Ottawa notes that it has one of the most educated populations in Canada and has thus developed a strong knowledge-based economic sector, which is a rewarding field to work in. On its website, it states, “Businesses in the knowledge-based sector offer high remuneration and provide longevity of jobs.” It says, “Key elements of this sector include private knowledge-based business, government-related institutions and agencies that relate to and/or support knowledge-based industries, the diplomatic community and NGO’s with their connections to international knowledge-based industries, post-secondary institutions, and hospitals.”

Notable Ottawa Employers

The National Capital Region's Top Employers is an annual competition that recognizes top employers in the Ottawa area. For 2025, the largest employers on the list were: 

  • University of Ottawa
  • Statistics Canada
  • City of Ottawa, Parks Canada
  • NAV CANADA
  • National Research Council of Canada
  • Modern Niagara Group
  • Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
  • Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
  • Health Canada
  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard
  • Employment and Social Development Canada
  • CBC/Radio-Canada
  • Canadian Food Inspection Agency
  • Canada Revenue Agency

Ottawa’s Primary Industries

  • Public Administration: The City of Ottawa website states, “All three level of governments have a strong presence in the city.... 20.1 per cent of the employed labour force in Ottawa-Gatineau work in the Public Administration sector.” It reports that the federal government employs more than 270,000 people, the municipal government about 17,000, and the provincial government is also a significant employer in the city. 
  • Technology: Ottawa has become a global tech hub. In its Scoring Tech Talent 2024 report, CBRE finds that Ottawa is one of the fastest-growing Canadian markets for tech talent. According to the organization Invest Ottawa, it has seen an increase of more than 50% in tech jobs in the past five years. Invest Ottawa reports that the city has more than 1,800 tech companies, which employ more than 88,000 people. Within Ottawa is an area called Kanata North Technology Park, which is the biggest tech park in Canada. More than 500 companies are located there, including Nokia, Nordion, Cisco, Mitel, Calian, and Amazon Web Services. The tech park employs more than 33,000 people.
  • Tourism: The City of Ottawa reports that tourism is its third-largest economic driver. According to Ottawa Tourism, “Ottawa… is home to a high-quality accommodations industry, and a diverse offering of family attractions, experiences and festivals.” It reports that 9.8 billion tourists visit Ottawa every year, spending $2.6 billion and supporting the employment of more than 35,000 people.

Average Salaries and Roles in Ottawa

Job Bank provides salary estimates for Ottawa. Estimates are in Canadian dollars:

According to a recent CBC/Radio Canada report titled “Ottawa-Gatineau leads list of highest-paid Canadian metro areas, ” the Ottawa metropolitan area has the highest median income in Canada.

Job Trends in Ottawa

Canada’s immigration platform, Immigration.ca, discusses labor market trends in a 2024 article titled, “Here Are The 10 Most-In-Demand Jobs In Ontario.” The author states, “In the past three years, Ontario created more jobs than in any other comparable period in the last quarter century and attracted the biggest share of economic immigrants of any province in Canada.” They report that some of the most in-demand jobs in the province are: Registered Nurse, Accountant, Administrative Assistant, Welder and Machine Operator, Cook, Software Developer, Physician, Electrician, Carpenter, and Business Manager. Canada offers visa programs for workers who have in-demand skills.

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Ottawa Tech Topics

  • Design

    Graphic Design

    Graphic design is visual communication through artwork or combining images and text. Graphic designers create logos, ads, social media graphics, magazines, books, websites, apps, and more.

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    Video Editing

    Video editing is about telling a cohesive story through combining different video clips, footage, and effects. Video editors are able to achieve this using programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, and Final Cut Pro.

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    Photoshop

    Adobe Photoshop is widely known as the best photo editing software for photographers and photo retouchers. It's also used by digital painters as well as graphic designers for creating a wide variety of designs such as social media graphics, web designs, app designs, graphics that will be animated in Adobe After Effects, and much more.

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    UX Design

    User experience (UX) designers work on creating functional, meaningful, and enjoyable user experiences. UX design focuses on ease of use, navigation, and functionality of products (which are commonly digital products such as websites and apps).

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    AutoCAD

    AutoCAD is a computer-aided design software used to create scale blueprints, schematics, and models. It’s used by engineers, interior designers, manufacturers, and architects. AutoCAD offers intelligent objects for creating common plans such as electrical and plumbing design plans.

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  • Coding

    Web Development

    Web development encompasses all of the layers involved in building a website or web application. Websites are made up of two parts: the front-end and the back-end. Web development is used to create beautiful, interactive, and functional websites in nearly every industry.

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    Product Management

    Take enterprise-level projects from start to finish with a comprehensive Product Management course. Participants master core concepts, exhibit emotional intelligence, and support a company’s mission.

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    Java

    From basic single-computer programs to enterprise-level solutions, Java is the most widely-used code in the world. It is a simple, open-source code which is relatively easy to learn. Those who master it have solid employment prospects now and in the future.

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  • Data

    Python

    Python is an easy-to-read, versatile object-oriented programming language. It is often compared to Java, Ruby, and Perl. It is available under an open-source license and is a favorite among programmers.

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    SQL

    SQL is short for Structured Query Language and refers to a programming language designed for relational databases. SQL organizes data and allows for queries and sorting of data.

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    Data Analytics

    Data analytics is the process of analyzing raw data to draw conclusions. Data analytics are used to study all kinds of data, including productivity, production, profit/loss and much more.

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    Machine Learning

    Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence and involves creating programs that learn from data and optimize. Machine learning is prevalent in our everyday lives, from the recommendation engines for music and TV to the search engines and the voice assistants. Machine learning models leverage vast amounts of past data to learn to solve problems on their own and predict future outcomes. With the power and prevalence of machine learning, it is a highly in-demand set of skills, and the field of machine learning continues to grow.

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    Tableau

    Tableau is a data visualization tool used to simplify raw data. Data visualizations take data and turn it into easily understandable analysis diagrams – even for non-technical users. Visualizations can be used for data journalism, business insights (BI), reporting, and research.

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    Power BI

    Power BI is a collection of software that works together to convert multiple sources of data into usable information. Using the Power BI Desktop, the Power BI service, and the Power BI mobile apps, businesses can analyze data, create visualizations, and make sense of it all. Leaders can use these critical insights to forecast, plan, and make informed decisions. This dashboard has the power to uncover critical business insights needed to drive decision making.

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    AI

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformative field in technology that leverages advanced algorithms and data to enable machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, creating career opportunities in numerous industries. By learning AI, professionals can gain cutting-edge skills essential for roles in sectors like tech, finance, healthcare, and more, positioning them at the forefront of innovation and problem-solving.

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  • Digital Marketing

    Google Analytics

    Google Analytics is a free web and marketing analytics tool offered by Google that provides valuable information about your website traffic. Google Analytics is a fundamental component of digital marketing as it serves as the aggregator of our online efforts. It allows us to measure web traffic, see the success of our marketing efforts, learn about our users, and understand their behavior on our site. Google Analytics does much more than count website views; it provides a deeper understanding of what is going on before, during, and after a website visit.

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    Social Media Marketing

    Social media refers to websites and applications that allow people to interact, and commonly used tools are Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Instagram. Social media marketing involves leveraging those digital channels to achieve your business goals.

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  • Business

    Project Management

    Project management is the art of leading a team to achieve a common goal. As a field, project management involves managing people, scope, time, quality, and budget.

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    PMP Certification

    The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is an industry-recognized professional designation offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). To qualify for the PMP exam, a specific amount of hours and education level be met which makes this certification in-demand and valuable to employers.

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  • Web Development

    HTML & CSS

    HTML and CSS are two essential coding languages for creating web pages. You cannot make a webpage without them! HTML creates the webpage and marks up the content. CSS styles the content.

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    React

    React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It’s maintained by Facebook but it’s free and open-source. React is often used as a framework in the development of single-page websites, mobile applications, social media platforms, and other interactive websites.

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    Front-End Web Development

    Websites are created by writing code. Web browsers read that code, and in turn create a webpage like this page you're currently reading. The code which affects what you see in the browser is called front-end code. People who write that code are called front-end developers.

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    WordPress

    WordPress is used on over 37% of all websites, and growing. It's a free and open-source content management system (CMS) that lets you create and manage a website or blog. It’s popular for blogging, but you can build websites that don't even have a blog.

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    JavaScript

    JavaScript is a coding language primarily used to add interactivity to web pages. JavaScript is an essential language for Web Developers and is most commonly used for front-end development. With its libraries and frameworks, JavaScript is more efficient and versatile than ever before.

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Training Locations in or Near Ottawa

    Careers and Salaries

    Learn in-demand technology and computer skills to launch a new career in design, programming, marketing, business, and more. See the career pages for more information on required skills, tips for landing a job, typical day-to-day work, and where to find job postings.