How would you like to say your office is on Silicon Beach? That could be your address if you’re a techie in Los Angeles. Silicon Beach has earned its reputation as a mecca for technology, with more than 500 tech companies and more startups revving their engines every day. This swath of tech excellence stretches from Los Angeles International Airport north to the Santa Monica Mountains and does not even include all industries across Los Angeles. Suffice to say, L.A. is the place to be in technology, especially with major companies anchored in the city like Google and YouTube.
Los Angeles' tech scene is booming as those who are escaping high-priced areas such as the Bay Area find the City of Angels a location that welcomes technology-based ventures to warm, sunny beachside and city office locations. L.A. saw a 31% increase in migration from the San Francisco area alone in 2020, which does not account for other business-related entities moving in, especially with the rise in remote work opportunities.
As the new decade began with buzz about technology-based businesses, the talk of the town in L.A. continues to sizzle. More than 7,000 investors have poured money into 4,768 startups, ranging from innovative newcomers generating revenue across all sectors of tech. Some of the new ventures that Los Angeles sees are in the aerospace and AI industries, with many looking towards commercial spaceflight. As the dream to go to space for anyone who can buy a ticket has already become a reality, shining stars in the largest commercial aerospace companies are leaving their corporate spots and introducing new businesses such as Relativity Space and Elementary Robotics.
If California were a country, the $3.1 trillion economy would make it the fifth-biggest in the world, ranked between Germany and the United Kingdom. Los Angeles is the biggest city in the state, coming in with a population of about 4 million residents, making the economic influx exceptionally ripe for those just starting out or looking to meet career goals. Fortune 500 companies such as CBRE Group, AECOM, Farmers Insurance Group, and Reliance Steel and Aluminum, credit much of their success to having their headquarters in L.A., providing tech professionals with a wide range of options to choose from.
Of particular interest is the rise of businesses led by women and minorities, who now own more companies and hold board seats than any other location in the nation. Female entrepreneurs have disrupted the formerly male-dominated business culture with companies such as Cote, Folia Collective, and Genever. With leadership in roles that had formerly been at a lower percentage for these groups, L.A. shows the rest of the U.S. that barriers can be broken.
For a career in any type of technology, Los Angeles is the place to find a wealth of opportunities that pay higher salaries than most U.S. cities, according to Inc.com, which places the city 7th overall. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there are around half a million manufacturing jobs in Los Angeles, making those with AutoCAD experience, operations, logistics tech expertise, and mechanical engineers sit up and notice.
According to TechCrunch, in the past decade, metrics show the region was the third-most prominent technology hub in the world. Any field of technology someone wants to work in is wide open for finding opportunities for someone with the right training. The most popular occupations in Los Angeles are software engineering, project management, and operations management. With an influx of eager new tech professionals emerging from one of the nation’s largest universities, the University of Southern California, forming collective strength to get an innovative concept up and running is not hard.
Los Angeles is a big city with an excellent public transportation program that many people don’t know about. The city offers subways, light rail, buses, and shuttles to nearly every corner of the Greater Los Angeles area, and there are even free tour maps to see the sights in the area without needing a car. Additionally, as the home of one of the world’s largest international airports, LAX is conveniently located near the city center and has made great strides in making travel smoother. For those with free time between flight connections, the restaurants and bars in every terminal offer much more than an average airport, and diversity reigns when it comes to ethnic specialties.
Adding to the advantages is that L.A. has one of the biggest tech networking professional groups in America. Digital LA connects more than 50,000 people in the metro area and provides everything from niche professional sub-groups to hosting enormous tech conferences. Los Angeles is a city known for utilizing the power of networking and mentorship to advance careers regardless of the industry, so joining this organization is a must.
In the past decade, metrics show the region was the third-most prominent technology hub in the world, according to TechCrunch. Any field of technology someone wants to work in is wide open for finding opportunities for someone with the right training. The most popular occupations in Los Angeles are software engineering, project management, and operations management. With an influx of eager new tech professionals emerging from one of the nation’s largest universities, the University of Southern California, forming collective strength to get an innovative concept up and running is not hard.
With so much excitement about tech in Los Angeles, professionals are encouraged by the option to live either in the city or in one of the well-known beachside or inland neighborhoods. Salaries for most positions in technology make a living on beachfront property attainable. Those looking for a more urban vibe can find housing deeper in the city center, including funky, upcycled former factory lofts or spacious apartments and houses. Another major draw is the warm weather, which is why Disneyland and Hollywood exist today—balmy days full of sunshine created the ability to make dreams come true, giving further motivation to call the area home.
Across any tech sector, an average salary for a Technology Generalist lands at about $89,000, making it possible to live and work throughout the metro area and with coworking spaces and remote work options, creating a satisfying career in L.A. is certainly within reach.
Los Angeles can stretch its large population across miles, a bonus that means more room for residents to live, work, learn, and play. It’s helpful to know that there are schools that offer tech classes throughout every corner of L.A., making it easy to find a location, subject, and class for every situation. More than twenty-five schools provide a range of courses in a vast array of subjects in technology, including design, coding, FinTech, cybersecurity, and many more fields. Most schools offer a choice of in-person, virtual, and on-demand courses, making it possible to find a class that works for every student. Two schools, Certstaffix and ONLC, hold classes in a computer lab, pre-loaded with the latest equipment and software, led by a live, offsite instructor. Noble Desktop, creator of this tool, recommends the highest-ranking schools for schools that offer programs in technology, held in-person, online, and on-demand.
Los Angeles offers more than 100 in-person graphic design-related classes, all in close proximity to Central L.A. such as in El Segundo, Santa Monica, and Westwood. Those wanting to pursue a design career have more than enough options to learn any type of design area they desire, and many schools also offer live, online options. Types of programs that can be found include bootcamps/immersives, certificates, and classes. Topics across the graphic design spectrum are Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Visual Design, and UX Design. Some schools in the L.A. area include Ledet Training, Sonic, headTrix, UCLA’s Extension Program, Training Connection, Lumenbrite, New Horizons, Beachcoders, Academy X, Accelerate Computer Training, and General Assembly.
The UCLA Extension Program is just one example of a school that offers an in-person graphics design program: the Design Communication Arts Certificate. Designers boost existing skills by polishing their portfolios to an impressive level, setting them up to stand out from their competition. In this program, they learn how to effectively use several design tools to their fullest capabilities by combining a number of classes for a comprehensive learning experience. Courses in this certificate include Portfolio, InDesign, Color Methodologies, Design I: Fundamentals, Design II: Collateral Communication, Design III: Branding, Design IV: Capstone, Photoshop I, Illustrator I, Design Context and History, and Typography. Students can also attend two or more electives such as Motion Graphics and User Experience courses.
Schools that offer in-person Data Science classes in L.A. include five institutions that offer bootcamps, diving deeply into hands-on instruction in this fast-growing field. Subjects within the realm of Data Science include Python, SQL, Machine Learning, and R. The schools that offer a range of data science courses are located throughout the Los Angeles Basin and include General Assembly, Coding Dojo, Galvanize, DevMasters, and Viterbi Bootcamps.
An example of a school that offers an in-person Data Science Bootcamp is General Assembly. Their Data Science Immersive capitalizes on the advantages of a curriculum that is guided by the Data Science Standards Board and includes Python, data analysis, and statistical models. Additionally, students branch into machine learning with algorithms of increasing complexity, from decision trees and random forests to natural language processing and neural networks.
For in-person classes in Los Angeles in Web Development, students can choose from ten schools with traditional classrooms and two schools that offer live instruction in a state-of-the-art computer lab with a live, offsite instructor leading the session. Schools that hold web development programs include Sabio, Beachcoders, Hack Reactor, General Assembly, Training Connections, Codesmith, Galvanize, UCLA Extension, Academy X, and Ledet Training. Hybrid-style schools that offer computer lab access and a remote instructor are ONLC and Certstaffix.
One example of an in-person web development class is Open Source HTML and CSS 1010 by Ledet Training, located in El Segundo. Students in this course develop confidence in web development by applying skills in HTML and CSS to create and publish a website. This course shows best practices in web development such as how to layout a webpage, use design elements such as color and text, and the proper use of multi-column layouts. Additionally, students learn how to create forms for data collection.
There are over 110 options for in-person coding classes and bootcamps in Los Angeles. Schools in the area include Beachcoders, Hack Reactor, General Assembly, Training Connections, Ledet Training, Codesmith, Galvanize, UCLA Extension, Academy X, Sabio, Sonic, Coding Dojo, DevMasters, and New Horizons. Additionally, two schools, ONLC and Certstaffix, hold courses in professional-level computer labs led by offsite instructors.
In this subject, students can find coding-related options in Web Development, Data Science, Computer Science, iOS Development, Front-end Development, Back-end Development, Python, JavaScript, Java, SQL, HTML and CSS, and PHP and MySQL. Offerings range from comprehensive and immersive bootcamps to extensive information-rich certificates and classes. Most courses are also available live and online and at a variety of times and durations. For more extensive programs, financial assistance is often available.
Just one example of a program that can be found in an L.A. area school is Coding Dojo’s Onsite Coding Bootcamp, a fourteen-week full-time program with a curriculum that teaches students what they need to become full-stack engineers. Students learn the fundamentals of front-end development with lessons in HTML and CSS, progressing to learning Python to set up the back-end of a website.
Those looking for in-person Web Design classes in Los Angeles can choose from schools that are located throughout the L.A. Basin. Subjects within web design include front-end web development, visual design, UX design, WordPress, HTML and CSS, JavaScript and jQuery, Sketch, and Adobe XD. A wide variety of programs related to web design are offered by schools such as Beachcoders, Training Connections, Ledet Training, Codesmith, Galvanize, the UCLA Extension Program, Academy X, Sabio, DevMasters, Sonic, Coding Dojo, headTrix, and General Assembly. Two schools, ONLC and Certstaffix, hold courses in dedicated computer labs, led in real time by offsite instructors.
An example of a web design-related program is the UX Design Immersive offered at General Assembly. This deep dive into the world of User Experience (UX) provides students who have little to no experience the opportunity to learn the standard tools and concepts that launch their career. Students in this program start their UX journeys by learning UX fundamentals, including the design process, affinity mapping, rapid prototyping, and usability testing. The course progresses further, looking into User Interface foundations, design iteration and development, as well as best practices when working on a design team.
In-person Digital Marketing classes in Los Angeles are plentiful and can be found throughout the area, both in the city center and nearby neighborhoods. Topics within digital marketing include Google Analytics, Google Ads, SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, and ecommerce. Schools that present an array of digital marketing programs and topics include General Assembly, the UCLA Extension Program, headTrix, Academy X, Sonic, and Ledet Training. These schools all offer live online classes, and two additional schools, ONLC and Certstaffix, hold courses in computer labs with a live, remote instructor leading the class and available for immediate assistance.
For example, a class offered by one L.A. school, General Assembly, SEO Essentials—Introduction to Search Engine Optimization—is essential for all online marketing efforts. This two-day introductory workshop is an experiential learning session that teaches search engine optimization best practices and the abilities necessary to execute the skills presented. Specific topics include keyword research, content creation, manual optimization, click-through rate improvement, and SERP ranking optimization. This session also features how to avoid pitfalls, search basics, blog optimization, and SEO creativity.
Top schools in Los Angeles that offer in-person Python training include General Assembly, the UCLA Extension Program, Academy X, Sabio, and New Horizons. Two additional schools offer classes in computer labs with pre-loaded professional-level software and are led by a live instructor who is offsite. Most of these schools also offer fully online and on-demand courses at times convenient for attendees. Python is essential for most careers in technology, and certain professions require knowledge in specific syntaxes of the language. Instruction in Python for all levels and career-related topics can be found throughout the schools listed.
New Horizons is only one example of a school in L.A. that offers numerous types of Python courses such as Data Wrangling with Python. This course is a three-day comprehensive, immersive learning experience that equips students with skills in the most critical data analysis tools. Students learn how to work with NumPy, Pandas, and Matplotlib to calculate descriptive statistics, work with alternative data sources, and scrape web pages. The course culminates with a real-life data-wrangling project.
In Los Angeles, students can take in-person courses in video editing from schools that stretch from Long Beach north to Sherman Oaks. Places to find video editing instruction include headTrix, Training Connections, Lumenbrite, the UCLA Extension Program, Academy X, Accelerated Computer Training, and Ledet Training. Additionally, two schools, ONLC and Certstaffix, offer courses in fully-equipped computer labs led by a live, offsite instructor. General areas of study include motion graphics, Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Final Cut Pro.
For example, a course offered by one school, Ledet Training, is the Adobe Video Production Premium Bootcamp, an intensive ten-day program that allows students to master After Effects, Premiere, and Audition. Premiere is used because of its video editing abilities, After Effects for its graphics capabilities, and Audition for its mixing abilities. This bootcamp allows students to make jaw-dropping videos using multiple print or digital canvases. Specific topics in the curriculum include formatting a script, collaborating in a virtual environment, editing moving and still images, creating motion graphics, and audio mixes.
In-person UX Design classes and bootcamps in the Los Angeles area are offered by prominent schools that stretch from the northern inland city of Glendale to the southwestern side in Manhattan Beach. Schools in the L.A. area include Beachcoders Academy, Ledet Training, headTrix, Sonic, the UCLA Extension Program, and General Assembly. These schools offer comprehensive overviews of the user experience (UX) and place particular emphasis on Sketch and Adobe XD.
One example of a user experience-focused class from General Assembly, a school in the heart of L.A., is their UX Design Immersive. This beginner-friendly bootcamp provides all of the information a student needs to get started in UX Design. Beginning with the foundations and fundamentals in UX, students learn about the design process, affinity mapping, rapid prototyping, and usability testing. Throughout the course, students practice UI foundations, including design iteration and development and best practices when working with a product development team.
In-person or live online Excel courses in Los Angeles range from three hours to three days and are provided by top-notch schools, including Training Connection, the UCLA Extension Program, Intelliquest, Sonic, Ledet Training, Accelerate Computer Training, and General Assembly. The need to have Excel skills stretches into most professional career areas, so general and specific classes in the software are available throughout the L.A. area, including Long Beach, Glendale, Manhattan Beach, and the heart of Los Angeles. Two more schools, ONLC and Certstaffix, hold their Excel courses in computer labs, with a live remote instructor available for assistance during class time. In all, there are forty-six options for learning Excel in-person, online, or on-demand.
Prime examples of Excel workshops are those from New Horizons, aptly titled Excel 2019—Part 1,2, and 3. Each one-day seminar provides tips and tricks helpful for all professionals, from those with little computer experience to advanced users. Classes progress from the basics, like manipulating and organizing data, navigating the interface, managing workbooks, and performing calculations, onto advanced topics such as using lookup functions, creating and deploying macros, and the use of the goal seek feature.
Technology enters every industry sector in some way, especially in a major city such as Los Angeles. Offering corporate onsite training in technology in a variety of subjects is a terrific way to upskill a team or even an entire workforce. Noble Desktop, creator of this tool, will tailor a technology course to be held on-location that provides face-to-face instruction in any chosen tech topic, or a live online session can be held via a video conferencing platform. An additional choice is to offer employees the opportunity to attend a class during an open enrollment session by purchasing vouchers. There is a corporate discount on the purchase of multiple vouchers. Contact Noble Desktop for information regarding obtaining corporate training in tech subjects.