Learn More About Adobe Classes in Virginia
Founded over 40 years ago, Adobe has multiple products and technologies that help you imagine, create, and bring your digital ideas to life. Their website lists over 90 available products, but their most renowned products are Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, and Dreamweaver. Adobe also offers a suite of products that incorporate artificial intelligence (AI): Sensei, Firefly, and Sensei GenAI, embracing the next frontier of technology and design.
Adobe products are used and loved by students and creative professionals, small businesses, and the world’s largest enterprises, highlighting just how versatile, helpful, and user-friendly these products are. Adobe was designed to help you unleash your creativity, accelerate document productivity, and power digital businesses.
What Can You Do with Adobe Training?
With Adobe training, you can gain the skills to create professional-grade visual content across various media like graphic design, web design, video editing, photo manipulation, and digital publishing. What you can do with Adobe training depends on which Adobe software programs you learn. A few are outlined below so you can get a better idea:
- Photoshop and Illustrator: Create logos, brochures, and social media graphics, and manipulate and enhance photographs.
- Dreamweaver and XD: Design user interfaces and layouts for websites.
- InDesign: Create layouts for magazines, brochures, and other print materials.
- After Effects: Design animated graphics and visual effects.
Adobe’s suite of products can be used for a variety of creative outlets; the sky is the limit with what you can create. Becoming an expert in Adobe can be advantageous for a career in design or the arts, but it can also expand the capabilities of your artistic hobbies.
What Will I Learn in an Adobe Class?
What you learn in an Adobe class will depend on the applications that your chosen course covers. Illustrator will cover different topics than After Effects, and a Premiere Pro course will have a different curriculum than a class covering Acrobat Pro. While they are all distinctly different, you can expect a quality course to cover the same general categories of knowledge, which are outlined below.
Digital Literacy
Simply put, digital literacy is being knowledgeable about computers and their related technology. Knowing how to efficiently use and navigate computers, tablets, and mobile devices is essential in any professional role, but especially for those utilizing various Adobe products like Photoshop, Acrobat, Illustrator, and more. Mastering basic technologies like these will also help you understand how your work (photos, emails, videos, flyers, etc.) can be compatible with various formats (like making sure emails are mobile-friendly, for example).
Analytical and Research Skills
Regardless of your industry, learning about different methods for collecting data, writing reports and presentations, and making sense of information is extremely valuable. It’s important that you know how to find the best sources, formulate a research question, gather data, and analyze information. An analytical mind and strong research habits can help you produce better work with more successful results.
Software and Applications
Below is a list of basic software and applications that you will commonly utilize in any professional field. Whether it’s for creating mock-ups, taking notes and feedback, presenting your work, or tracking results, having a basic understanding of the tools below will come in handy while you develop your projects in various Adobe programs.
- Word processing: Microsoft Word is the standard word-processing software, but your company might use Google Docs or something similar. Word is ideal for designing mock-ups and working out the kinks in your layouts. It’s also a useful tool for note-taking and cataloging your brainstorming ideas or feedback from team members.
- Presentations: A good presentation holds your viewers’ attention and shows off what you have to say visually. You may make presentations at the start of a project, showcasing your ideas, or you may create a presentation after completing a project that summarizes your work and reports on the success of your launch. Knowing how to present your work effectively through PowerPoint or Keynote will allow others to see what you have to say better than sharing a text document on-screen.
- Spreadsheets: Turn cluttered data into clear information. Basic knowledge of Excel or Google Sheets will give you a leg up in the workplace, even if you don’t use them to crunch numbers.
- Communication: You should be able to effectively communicate your ideas, thoughts, and opinions verbally or in writing with tools such as Slack, Skype, and Zoom when collaborating with others on a project or piece of work.
Teamwork
Creative work often necessitates collaboration. You could work with other designers, program managers, sales, or more technical roles in web and software development. Any team will include various personalities, work styles, backgrounds, and opinions. If you’re able to take constructive criticism and feedback, understand what everyone brings to the project, and know how everyone’s roles relate, you can avoid frustration and contribute to everyone’s success.
Attention to Detail
Adobe products are designed to help you bring your unique visions to life. While the tools and software help to streamline this process, keen attention to detail is your responsibility as a creator. Taking the time to think critically and work systematically will help ensure your work is free from errors, communicates a clear message, and accomplishes its original goal.
How Hard Is It to Learn Adobe?
While Adobe’s suite of products is generally considered user-friendly, they do present some challenges. The interfaces of the programs can feel overwhelming at first, with many tools and options, which can be daunting for beginners. Key tools like the Pen Tool, Shape Tool, Selection Tool, and Layer panels are essential to learn first and can take some time to master. Additionally, individual programs will have their own hurdles. For instance, the concept of vector graphics, which allows for resizing without quality loss, is crucial for effective use of Illustrator.
What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Adobe?
Some of the most challenging aspects of learning Adobe are a steep learning curve due to the complex interface and vast array of features; understanding advanced techniques; navigating color management; mastering layer manipulation; and adapting to the software’s workflow. Because Adobe has a wide range of software programs, mastering them all will take substantial time and pose many challenges unique to each program, as previously mentioned.
Here’s the good news: Adobe’s products are set up so that you can pick and choose which ones you need, depending on the work you are doing. If you only need to learn Photoshop and Illustrator, you can focus on those and set aside the remaining programs for later. Additionally, several of Adobe’s programs work together, so mastering one can help you master another more easily. And, no matter what challenges you encounter, mastering Adobe is possible with the right amount of dedication and passion. (Learning through a professional training program can help, too.)
How Long Does It Take to Learn Adobe?
The time it takes to learn Adobe applications can vary depending on the program, but it can generally take anywhere from a month to a year. Your previous experience will greatly impact this length of time, so knowing any Adobe programs will help you learn others more quickly. General lengths per application are outlined below:
- Adobe InDesign: A basic understanding can be learned in one to two days, but mastering the program can take a few weeks to a few months.
- Adobe Premiere Pro: You can learn Premiere Pro in less than a week by taking a course, or it can take 150 hours of instruction and practice to become an Adobe Certified Professional in Digital Video.
- Adobe Illustrator: You can download Illustrator and experiment with vector graphic design within minutes, but mastering the program can take a significant amount of time and training.
- Adobe After Effects: Some say that After Effects is the most difficult Creative Cloud tool to learn, but you can cover beginner to intermediate skills in about eight weeks if you focus on key concepts.
What Should I Learn Alongside Adobe?
Because Adobe is industry-standard creative software, employers will look for applicants proficient in its multiple applications. Many companies, however, will also use other programs to build upon Adobe projects or promote collaboration with colleagues who may be familiar with less complex programs. So, once you are comfortable with Adobe, consider learning Figma, Sketch, JavaScript, or Cinema 4D, depending on the industry you want to enter. You could also look into design theory, HTML and CSS, and project management to help you decide what skills you want to tackle next.
Virginia Industries That Use Adobe
Revered for its natural beauty and rich history, Virginia is becoming equally well-known as an ideal location for working in animation. Several industries are thriving in the region, each of which will have a need for investment experts for a variety of roles.
Healthcare and Social Assistance
Healthcare and social assistance consistently has the highest employment of any industry in the Commonwealth, according to QCEW annual averages. The industry is responsible for 13.1 percent of total employment in Virginia, with an annual average of 488,927 jobs in 2020. This sector also accounts for 11.1 percent of total wages at $27.1 billion. Additionally, wages have risen steadily over the last five years, showing continued demand and growth for healthcare professionals.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
This industry has the second-highest average annual employment in the Commonwealth, accounting for 446,738 jobs in 2020, or 11.9 percent of total employment in Virginia (a 10 percent growth in employment since 2015). Additionally, professional, scientific, and technical services account for more than $50.7 billion in total wages, approximately 20.8 percent of total wages in the region. Computer systems design and related services account for roughly 38.1 percent of all employment in this industry and have added more than 16,700 jobs over the last five years. The management consulting services sector has also contributed to the growth of this industry, seeing an increase in employment of 18.8 percent during the last five years.
Retail Trade
The retail trade industry accounted for 10.4 percent of statewide employment in 2020, just about 390,953 jobs. Grocery stores are one subsector that has seen impressive employment growth. Since 2015, grocery stores have added over 6,000 jobs, an increase of 8.4 percent. Employment growth in some specific subsectors of the retail trade industry has helped to offset the losses of traditional department stores and clothing stores, helping to keep this large and constantly changing industry alive and well.
Accommodation and Food Services
This industry employs around 279,000 people and accounts for 2.4 percent of Virginia’s total wages at just over $5.8 billion. The full-service and limited-service restaurant subsectors alone are responsible for 78.0 percent of the total industry employment. Wage growth, coupled with an increase in the number of establishments, indicates that accommodation and food services is likely to continue to be one of the largest employing industries in Virginia.
Adobe Job Titles and Salaries in Virginia
Perhaps one of the top reasons to learn Adobe Creative Cloud is its widespread use across industries and job roles. With applications covering a wide array of creative tasks, you’ll find Adobe expertise required by more jobs than you may think. Outlined below is a selection of job titles that commonly require Adobe experience. You can consider any of these roles for your future, or look into the many other positions that commonly use Adobe.
Graphic Designer
As a Graphic Designer, you could work on everything from magazine layouts to graphic illustrations to product packaging. You could also design company logos or branded merchandise. Graphic Designers rely heavily on Adobe’s applications to create fresh, innovative, and easily digestible content. The average salary for a Graphic Designer in Virginia is around $65,000–$80,000, but you can make much more in a senior role.
Digital Marketer
A Digital Marketer is a marketing professional responsible for leveraging digital channels to promote products, services, or brands. They often work on a variety of digital tactics, from social media posts and emails, articles and paid ads, even SEO and text messages. It’s their job to connect the target audience with the brand, foster an ongoing relationship, and generate engagement and sales. The Adobe Creative Cloud is used frequently by Digital Marketers to bring their content to life. You can expect to make $67,000–$99,000 in Virginia in this role.
UX/UI Designer
A User Interface (UI) Designer manages how an application or webpage looks and feels by using colors, fonts, patterns, textures, icons, and buttons to improve the user’s experience. UX Designers are similar to UI Designers, except they focus on prototyping, user research, and user testing to ensure that digital products offer a seamless user experience. You’ll most likely collaborate with computer programmers, developers, Project Managers, Product Managers, and clients in both of these roles. You can expect to make anywhere from $83,000 to $150,000 as a UX or UI Designer in Virginia.
Web Developer
As a Web Developer, your primary role is to create and maintain websites and web applications that are functional, user-friendly, and secure. From planning to coding, testing to debugging, web developers’ sole focus is to create and maintain functional and engaging websites. A Web Developer primarily uses Adobe tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Adobe XD to design visual assets for a website, create interactive prototypes, and export design specifications for developers to implement. You can earn around $93,000 as a Web Developer in Virginia.
Adobe Classes from Noble Desktop
Noble Desktop offers many live online training options that can help offer you more flexibility without sacrificing course quality. Their courses come with many benefits, like one-on-one mentoring and a free retake, in addition to a top-notch curriculum taught by industry experts. A few of their courses are outlined below:
This in-depth Noble Desktop Graphic Design Certificate still offers face-to-face interaction through its live online format. This three-month part-time (or one-month full-time) training offers hands-on experience in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, three essential programs for Graphic Designers. You’ll learn to edit & retouch photos in Photoshop, create vector graphics in Illustrator, and design page layouts in InDesign. Throughout the course, you’ll create a stunning portfolio to showcase your talent to potential employers or clients. Tuition for this course includes one-on-one mentoring, setup assistance, and a free retake. Payment plans and other forms of financial assistance are available for those who need them.
Also held live online through Noble Desktop, the Adobe Photoshop Bootcamp course focuses solely on developing your skills within Adobe Photoshop. You’ll master removing unwanted elements from photos, making selections, and saving files for print or web. You’ll also get familiar with the more minute details of the software, like adjusting color and contrast, removing unwanted elements from photos, making selections to work with specific parts of an image, and taking part of one photo and putting it into another. Through project-based training from experts, you’ll walk away from this course confident in your skills and with a portfolio of work in hand. This course includes a free retake, a proprietary workbook, and a verified digital certificate upon completion. Payment plans and financial assistance are available upon request.
Build your skills in animation, video editing, and special effects with this Motion Graphics Certificate course that prepares you for opportunities in the world of motion design and video production. You’ll learn the art of motion graphics and visual effects using Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Cinema 4D Lite. You’ll practice advanced techniques like greenscreen removal, rotoscoping, and motion tracking with Adobe After Effects, learn the fundamentals of video editing with Adobe Premiere Pro, and create 3D models using Cinema 4D Lite. Apply your skills through hands-on projects that mirror industry standards. You’ll also develop a professional demo reel showcasing your work in motion graphics, special effects, and video editing, giving you the tools to impress potential employers or clients with your expertise.
Adobe Corporate Training
If you’re looking to offer in-person or online training to your office or team, Noble Desktop can help. They offer a variety of corporate training programs, including Adobe training. You can order vouchers in bulk at a discount, choose which courses are available to employees, and even let your employees choose their own schedule. Plus, you can choose to have your training hosted at a location of your choosing, live online, or at Noble Desktop’s Manhattan office.
With a top-notch customizable curriculum and instructors who are experts in their industries, Noble Desktop’s corporate training is designed to cater to your business or organization’s needs. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, you can reach out to Noble Desktop at corporate@nobledesktop.com.
Learn From Noble Desktop’s Experienced Adobe Instructors in Virginia
Virginia’s professional community is, without a doubt, an impressive one. The state is home to some of the largest companies in the world, and with its proximity to the nation’s capital, its connections to the government and public service sectors are undeniable. Needless to say, those looking to gain new skills in tech, data, business, or design are well-positioned to do so.
Virginia students can take classes at the modern facilities located at 600 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, D.C., 20024. This is right off L’Enfant Plaza. It’s a professional yet welcoming environment that allows students to jump right into their studies. If you’re coming from Virginia, you’ll have no trouble getting here. While the trip will depend on where you’re coming from within the state, those in the Northern Virginia (NOVA) region can hop on the Virginia Railway Express to Union Station and take the Metro for a short ride to L’Enfant Plaza. Driving is still an option, with various parking garages available to make the trip easier. Otherwise, there are bus routes connecting from NOVA to D.C. With so many options, attending classes and workshops in D.C. is convenient and simple.
Adobe’s creative tools are essential for design, media, and communication roles across Virginia. With this, the students at Noble Desktop have an opportunity to learn each application through project-based lessons led by instructors with real creative expertise. The school's instructors offer decades of experience and insight into the field that enables you to make a real difference in the Old Dominion.
Brian Simms
A seasoned educator and training leader, Brian brings ample experience to the classroom, particularly in designing and delivering learning programs in project management and emerging technologies, like AI. He has created adaptive learning models that blend instructor-led lessons, live experiences, and self-paced study, making professional development flexible and accessible to everyone. Brian has also focused heavily on integrating AI into training, which helps organizations and professionals by applying AI to real-world situations that can fix challenges, assist leadership, execute projects seamlessly, and make more informed decisions. Beyond teaching, he has led curriculum development, managed large-scale training initiatives, and implemented collaboration tools that have led to higher retention rates and increased engagement from students.
Clarissa Corbin
Clarissa has over 25 years of experience as a corporate trainer, Project Manager, and Business Consultant. She has designed and delivered highly effective training sessions for federal agencies, private corporations, and international organizations, making her a well-versed and experienced trainer and educator. She is currently the President and CEO of Projections Training Solutions, which has trained over 10,000 professionals worldwide, including clients like the Department of Defense, NASA, Microsoft, and FEMA. Not to mention, her work has taken her to places like China, Japan, South Korea, Africa, Singapore, and the Caribbean. Her programs span subjects like leadership, project management, business analysis, and emerging technologies. At Graduate School USA, Clarissa is a trusted and well-respected instructor who teaches and helps develop several programs.
Alan McCain
As a retired combat veteran who served as both an Air Force enlisted member and a Navy officer, Alan brings more than 30 years of experience across federal and commercial sectors. His background consists of work in budgeting, auditing, programming, operations, global logistics, supply chain management, and IT acquisitions. He has worked extensively with federal, state, and local governments, such as the Executive Office of the President and various departments (such as the State, Defense, Health and Human Services, and Education Departments, to name a few). Alan’s consulting work includes strategic planning and business development with the D.C. government, federal agencies, Lockheed Martin, and more. Overall, he’s a well-equipped educator due to his experience and expertise, but he also holds a teaching certification from Harvard’s Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. His expansive background makes him a perfect fit to teach subjects like finance, accounting, and project management.
Johnny Cahn
With more than fifty-five years of experience in federal and non-profit financial management, Johnny is a retired senior Federal Manager and Vietnam combat veteran. His degrees are from Herbert H. Lehman College and St. John's University. He has been working as an adjunct faculty member at the Graduate School USA since 2011, teaching Appropriations Law, as well as a range of federal budget-related courses, including finance and accounting. His career also includes leadership roles, such as the Chief of Budget Execution for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel and the Budget Officer for the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General. His impressive career experience and education allow him to share his wisdom with others, fostering a supportive and structured learning experience.
Charles Byrd
Charles Byrd is an experienced Employee and Labor Relations Consultant with a strong background in federal human resources management and legal counseling. He obtained his B.A. in Business Administration and Political Science from Loyola University and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of Law before diving further into his career. Over the years, he has advised agencies on complex HR and labor matters, managed HR programs, and represented organizations in legal proceedings. In addition to this, Charles has developed and delivered specialized training in subjects like project management and human resources. He has been recognized for his professional excellence as well as his teaching abilities and leadership skills, acquiring awards and accolades throughout his decades-long career.
Natalya Bah
Natalya has been a part-time instructor at Graduate School USA for over 15 years, where she teaches project management, leadership, and human resources courses. She has developed original curricula, including Change Management Workshops and specialized project management programs. In addition, Natalya has served as an action learning coach and facilitator in government leadership initiatives. She runs her own consulting business, offering coaching and training for public and private entities. Moreover, she created the Define and Achieve Your Goals Process and is a certified Birkman Method Consultant. Her M.S. degree in Project Management from George Washington University’s School of Business provides her with the credibility and skills that have allowed her to excel in this field for so long. Between her experience and knowledge in the field, she’s well-equipped to provide insight into the project management field.