Tableau Certificates Philadelphia, PA

Tableau is a visual data analytics platform. On the Tableau website, the company states that its mission with this application is to “help people see and understand data.” Tableau provides many different tools for this purpose. For instance, users can create charts, graphs, maps, dashboards, and stories, which can all help people see and understand data better. This application can handle large amounts of data and is relatively easy to use, and is one of the most popular data visualization applications.

Tableau is a relatively new application. According to the Tableau website, “Tableau was founded in 2003 as a result of a computer science project at Stanford that aimed to improve the flow of analysis and make data more accessible to people through visualization.” Its co-founders were Chris Stolte, Pat Hanrahan, and Christian Chabot. In 2019 it was acquired by Salesforce.

Why Become Certified in Tableau?

By getting certified in Tableau, you’ll be gaining a skill that can be used in many different data-related fields. There is currently a high level of demand for individuals who can analyze data. The World Data Science Initiative explains, “Although data-driven decision-making has been a key part of the operational strategy at successful organizations, it has now become mainstream. Companies can now use this data to understand customers and their behavior, sort out operational challenges, and build better customer retention strategies.” As a result, it says, many different companies are actively looking for people who know how to work with data.

Data-related fields are also expected to experience strong future growth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a federal agency that collects and analyzes U.S. labor market information, over the next ten years, data science jobs are expected to grow by 35 percent. This rate is far higher than the average of only 3 percent. The BLS explains, “Employment growth for data scientists is expected to stem from an increased demand for data-driven decisions. The volume of data available and the potential uses for that data will increase over the projection decade.”

What Will You Learn While Becoming Tableau Certified?

Every Tableau class is different. Some cover only beginner skills, while others also cover advanced concepts. There are also many different length classes, and varied areas of focus. However, there are also several fundamental skills that are likely to be covered no matter what Tableau class you take. When you learn Tableau, you’ll learn about data visualization. You’ll also learn about dashboards, stories, and maps, and distributing and publishing your work.

Data Visualization

Tableau is a data visualization tool, and when you become certified, you’ll learn how to use this application to visualize your data in different ways. This means using visual elements like charts and graphs to display your data. You’ll also learn how to format and modify your visualizations. By visualizing your data, you may be more easily able to spot trends and relationships, and you can also help other people better understand your findings.

Creating Dashboards

Dashboards are a way to present your data in Tableau. In a recent LinkedIn article, the author explains that dashboards are a particularly useful tool if you want users to interact with the data, stating, “Dashboards are designed for interactivity, allowing users to explore and analyze data by interacting with visualizations (charts, maps) and filters.” Most Tableau classes will include instruction on creating dashboards.

Stories

Stories are another way to present data in Tableau. The Tableau website defines stories as “a sequence of visualizations that work together to convey information.” It says, “You can create stories to tell a data narrative, provide context, demonstrate how decisions relate to outcomes, or to simply make a compelling case.” Stories are another skill covered in most Tableau classes.

Creating Maps

With Tableau, you can also visualize your data in the form of maps. As explained on the Tableau website, this application has many advanced tools for mapping. For instance, it says, “With instant geocoding, Tableau automatically turns the location data and information you already have into rich, interactive maps with 16 levels of zoom.” A Tableau class may include instruction on this application’s mapping features.

Distributing and Publishing

When you use Tableau for data visualization, you need to learn how to create visualizations. You also need to learn how to share those visualizations with other people. This is likely to be covered in a Tableau class.

Tableau Industries in Philadelphia

Philadelphia has a robust economy, offering many job opportunities in industries where Tableau is used. Select Greater Philadelphia reports, “Generating more than $450 billion in gross regional product, Greater Philadelphia exerts global influence as one of the nation’s biggest markets.” The organization reports that the area’s largest industries are healthcare, education, professional/tech services, manufacturing, and finance and administration. Tableau is used in all of these.

Tableau is often used in the finance industry, which plays a major role in Philadelphia’s economy. Select Greater Philadelphia explains, “Located at the heart of one of the most vital regions in the nation’s economy, Greater Philadelphia’s financial services industry has deep roots and far-reaching ambitions.” The list of major financial companies located there includes Vanguard, Lincoln Financial, FS Investments, Radian, Colonial Penn, and Delaware Funds by Macquarie.

Philadelphia also boasts a significant tech scene. Select Greater Philadelphia says, “The technology sector is booming in Greater Philadelphia.” It explains, “Every key technological innovation of the 21st century—robotics, ecommerce, artificial intelligence, advanced logistics, digital health, FinTech, telecommunications, and more—can be found in our 11-county region.” According to this organization, one reason that the Philadelphia tech scene is thriving is that this city encourages innovation. In fact, it says that Philadelphia has been named one of the best places in the world to start a business.

Tableau Careers in Philadelphia

Tableau is a popular tool within careers that involve data analysis. A common one is that of Data Analyst, which is a job that involves collecting, processing, and analyzing data. Data Analysts frequently use Tableau to help them visualize the data that they work with. Some of the skills that are used by people working in this field include strong math skills, analytical skills, and problem-solving skills. Data Analysts work in many different industries including IT, finance, retail, and healthcare. According to Payscale, a Data Analyst working in Philadelphia can expect to earn about $66,000 yearly.

Tableau is also popular among Data Scientists. A Data Scientist is an occupation similar to that of Data Analyst, however, there are also several differences. Data analysis is a job that involves analyzing existing data. Data Scientists analyze data too, but they often work to create new ways to analyze that data as well. Most Data Scientists also have a higher level of education and experience than Data Analysts do. They usually earn a higher salary as well. According to Payscale, the average salary for a Philadelphia Data Scientist is $98,000.

Many finance-related analyst jobs also involve the use of Tableau. For instance, Business Analysts may use it to help them visualize data. A Business Analyst looks at data with the purpose of helping businesses find ways to improve their business processes and products. Financial Analysts may also use Tableau. This job involves working with financial data, and analyzing that data with the goal of helping companies make better financial decisions. As reported by Payscale, a Business Analyst in Philadelphia earns approximately $72,000 yearly, and a Financial Analyst earns $64,000.

Should You Pursue a Certificate or Certification?

If you’re planning to learn Tableau, you may have the option of enrolling in a certificate or certification course. While these two terms may sound the same, they are actually quite different and it's important for prospective students to understand exactly how they differ. A certificate is something you are awarded by an educational institution after you complete a particular program of study. For instance, after you complete the Tableau Bootcamp offered by Noble Desktop, you are awarded a certificate of completion that you can use to share your accomplishment with others. Every school offers its own unique certificate programs. In contrast to a certificate, a certification is a standardized qualification that is the same no matter where you earn it. To earn a certification you generally need to pass a standardized test at an approved testing provider. An example of a Tableau certification is the Tableau Desktop Specialist certification, which is earned by passing a 60-minute exam. In some cases, you can take a certificate course or other type of class to help you prepare for a certification exam.

Certificates and certifications can both be beneficial to your career because they are a way to learn new skills and show employers that you are dedicated to your career. If you’re a beginner, certificate programs can be a good option because they are generally geared towards beginners. In addition, they are typically comprehensive. Many people enroll in a certificate course as a way to prepare for a career or transition into a new one. Certifications, on the other hand, are often pursued by professionals who want to gain additional expertise, advance in their careers, or differentiate themselves from competitors. Many employers pay attention to certifications because they prove a certain level of skill.

Top Tableau Certificate Programs in Philadelphia

The ability to use Tableau is an in-demand skill in many different industries. Enrolling in a certificate program is a good way to learn how to use this application. You’ll find several different course options in the Philadelphia area.

Tableau Certification Program

Noble Desktop’s Tableau Certification Program is designed to teach students how to create data visualizations with Tableau and also help them become a certified Tableau Specialist. The program includes two Tableau classes, which cover beginner through advanced skills including creating charts, mapping data, and dashboards and stories. Students will also work on individual projects using their own data. The class includes six hours of private tutoring where students can make sure they are fully prepared for the exam. Students finish the course by taking the Tableau Desktop Specialist certification exam. Proctoring and a free retake are included in the course fee. Students who don’t want to take the exam can get an extra hour of private tutoring instead.

Noble Desktop was founded in 1990. It is located in New York City, where it offers in-person classes. It also offers its classes in a live online format. This school is licensed by the New York State Education Department. Students receive a certificate of completion with this class, and the option of a free retake within one year.

Tableau Bootcamp

This bootcamp runs through NYC Career Centers. It is a combination of the school’s level I and level II classes and is designed to quickly give students the skills they need to create dashboards and data visualizations. NYC Career Centers is based in New York City, where it offers in-person classes. It also offers live online classes, including many data analytics classes.

In the first part of the bootcamp, students learn about working with their data, creating visualizations, formatting, Tableau calculations, and organizational tools. They also learn about distributing and publishing visualizations. The second part of the class covers more advanced techniques including mapping data, creating a dual axis chart, using storytelling, and modifying and updating data.

Tableau 501

Ledet Training offers this multi-day, bootcamp course, which covers beginner through advanced Tableau skills. Students learn best practices for data visualization and are educated in advanced Tableau techniques for data analysis. Ledet Training is an Atlanta-based school that runs both in-person and online training.

Beginner skills covered in this course include connecting to data, filtering, showing breakdowns of data, basic calculations, and sharing interactive dashboards. Students also learn many advanced skills including reference lines, parameters, groups and sets, distributions and forecasting, and animating data. They also learn how to use calculated fields and table calculations, customized mapping options, and data source options. Advanced chart types like bullets and waterfall charts are covered too.

Tableau Desktop—Part 1

TLG Learning offers a beginner course called Tableau Desktop—Part 1. This class gives students the foundation skills needed for the Tableau Desktop Specialist certification. It includes both classroom instruction and self-paced e-learning. Students should have already completed Excel level 1 and 2. TLG Learning is based in Bellevue, Washington, but also offers online classes.

Students who take this class will learn to connect to data, simplify and sort it, organize it, and slice it by date. They will also learn to build dashboards, and create cross tabs, pie and bar charts, and geographic maps. In addition, heat maps, treemaps, and scatter plots are covered.

Tableau Desktop Level 1: Introduction for Novice Users

Tableau Level 1 is offered by ONLC Training Center. Students will learn about creating and sharing data visualizations. They will learn about table calculations, telling a story with dashboards, formatting a visualization, and using row-level, aggregate, and level of detail calculations. Instruction also includes more advanced skills, including visualizing distributions, visualizing dates and times, and relating parts of the data to the whole.

In order to enroll in this class, students should have experience working with Microsoft Excel. ONLC also offers a Tableau Desktop Level 2 class. Students who take both the level 1 and level 2 classes are likely to be prepared to take the Tableau Qualified Associate exam. ONLC Training Centers has hundreds of training locations across the United States. It also offers live online classes. This school was founded in 1983.

Tableau Part 1

Tableau Part 1 is a beginner-level class offered by Computer Training Source, where students can learn to build visualizations and dashboards with Tableau. Students learn about connecting to data, creating visualizations, working with maps, creating dashboards, creating a story, and sharing Tableau information with other people. Specific skills covered include sorting and filtering data, formatting dashboards, creating story points from your dashboard, formatting data, line and bar charts, and floating vs. tiled objects.

Computer Training Source is a Chicago-based school that runs a variety of computer software training classes in the Chicago area and in a live online format. This school was founded in 1991. It also offers Tableau Part 2, which is a higher-level class that covers more advanced Tableau skills such as creating interactive dashboards and using forecasting techniques.

Data Visualization in Tableau

This certificate program is offered by eCornell, which is Cornell University’s executive education unit. Students take three courses—Creating Data Visualizations with Tableau, Enhancing Data Visualizations with Tableau, Telling a Data-Driven Story with Tableau—in addition to one elective course and a Leadership Symposium class.

Covered topics include collecting and preparing data, and creating a chart. Students also learn techniques for enhancing visualizations, which includes design techniques and adjusting a design for a target audience. They also learn how to use Tableau to tell a story, and learn about handling technical or complicated content and techniques for getting feedback. Elective course options are Planning and Delivering Effective Presentations, Problem-Solving Using Evidence and Critical Thinking, Strategic Decision Making, and Building Compelling Slide Decks and Reports.