Financial Technology, commonly known as FinTech, refers to the convergence of financial services and technology. When you use your online banking app, you’re using FinTech. If you use cryptocurrency, peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms, or mobile payment apps, you’re also using FinTech. A FinTech company’s goal when creating a new product is to create something that will make the delivery of financial services faster and more secure for consumers.
Although some people may see FinTech as a relatively new idea, FinTech in the U.S. dates back to the 1950s and 1960s. During these two decades, Americans began using credit cards and electronic payment systems more. Since then, the FinTech industry has expanded to encompass a range of products and services. The industry continues to grow alongside technological advancements and the U.S. economy. FinTech companies have also ensured that shifting consumer preferences are considered to maintain a user-centered approach in their products.
What Can You Do with FinTech Training?
Sign up for FinTech training if you’re looking to start a new career. As companies turn toward new technologies to keep up with consumer needs, FinTech products become more and more commonplace. You won’t just find FinTech present in the financial services industry; FinTech products are used in healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, food services, and by the government. This makes your career paths nearly endless once you’ve received FinTech training. Most FinTech bootcamps will prepare you for a career as a Data Scientist, Software Engineer, or Financial Analyst. Depending on your training, you can also specialize in a niche area of FinTech.
FinTech training offers the benefit of improving the financial literacy of students. If you’ve ever struggled to manage your finances or have trouble understanding finance terminology, you can count on FinTech training to help. FinTech bootcamps focus primarily on helping students develop the necessary tech skills, while also teaching important finance concepts. Students who want additional help in understanding finance concepts can take a finance class prior to enrolling in FinTech training.
What Will I Learn in a FinTech Bootcamp?
A FinTech bootcamp will help you learn the essentials of FinTech so that you can land an entry-level role in the industry. Beginner-friendly FinTech bootcamps cover the essential principles of both finance and tech while introducing you to the world of financial technology. Advanced-level bootcamps narrow in focus and can teach you about specific areas of FinTech that you may decide to pursue as a career.
In most beginner-level FinTech bootcamps, you can expect to learn the basics of programming, financial modeling, artificial intelligence (AI), and data science. FinTech bootcamps will also help you develop your communication skills.
Programming
FinTech professionals, like programmers and engineers, use programming languages like Python and C++ to create FinTech products. With programming skills, you can learn how to automate financial processes, perform data analysis, create machine learning algorithms, and build multi-factor identification systems to secure customer accounts. FinTech bootcamps may teach the basics of programming, while more specialized classes often teach students how to use specific programming languages in a variety of areas of FinTech. For example, some schools offer classes that focus on Python for finance, like Noble Desktop. Another way you can learn to program is by enrolling in a programming bootcamp.
Financial Modeling
FinTech companies utilize financial models to predict risk and forecast future performance. Financial Analysts and Data Scientists use their knowledge of financial modeling to help companies figure out the risks of certain business decisions. They can also use financial modeling to determine the overall health of a company and project revenue. Financial models use data and other variables to predict risk and forecast the future. If you want to work in a role that requires you to create financial models, enroll in a financial modeling course. You can also learn about financial modeling in a FinTech bootcamp.
AI
FinTech companies have increasingly started to rely on AI. Professionals working in FinTech use AI to make certain processes more efficient. For example, companies looking to detect fraud must rely on models to find unusual patterns in financial transactions. With AI, they can create machine learning models that will quickly find these unusual patterns. FinTech companies also depend on AI to improve customer experience. Companies have turned to AI-driven chatbots more in the last decade. With the availability of an AI chatbot, customers can receive help or answers to their questions around the clock rather than having to wait until a customer service representative is available. Look for an AI-centered FinTech bootcamp to learn more about how FinTech companies depend on AI.
Data Science
Data science is the use of statistics, scientific computing, advanced analytics, and AI to determine insights from data. FinTech companies hire Data Scientists to help them make business decisions. The work of a Data Scientist may help a company calculate risk. They gather data from a variety of sources, like databases, to analyze and present their findings via a written report or presentation. Their findings may include recommendations, but sometimes companies rely on Business Analysts for recommendations instead. Enroll in a data science bootcamp to learn how to perform data analysis and work with AI. You can combine the knowledge you learn in a data science bootcamp with your FinTech training to bring your knowledge up to the next level.
Communication
Most FinTech bootcamps emphasize hands-on learning. Instructors guide students through lessons and help them as they work on individual and group projects. While working on these projects, you’ll develop your communication skills. Depending on the bootcamp, you may need to write a report or give a presentation when working on an individual project. Group projects will help you learn how to communicate with team members. Your team will need to learn how to combine ideas and resolve conflict. You might also gain experience giving group presentations when working on group projects. Developing good communication skills early will help when you pursue a career in FinTech. Most roles in FinTech require employees to know how to communicate within teams, with stakeholders, and to managers.
How Hard is It to Learn FinTech?
You may find learning FinTech challenging depending on your background, the areas of FinTech you want to focus on when training, and how knowledgeable you want to become. A background in finance or tech will go a long way when learning FinTech. Having prior experience will lessen how much you need to focus on the basics before you dive into more challenging FinTech concepts. Students with no prior experience can still learn FinTech, but they’ll need to make sure they understand the basics of finance and tech first.
Beginner-level FinTech classes focus on the basic concepts of FinTech. From there, you can enroll in intermediate and advanced-level classes that will teach you more specialized topics. When deciding to enter the FinTech industry, you’ll find that you have different areas you can focus on, including payment systems development, blockchain technologies, or emerging technologies such as AI. You’ll have to get used to the learning curve of the area you choose to focus on and understand that the finance and tech knowledge necessary for working in one area may be different from another. If you plan to focus on more than one area of FinTech, you should also carefully consider the workload you’re taking on.
How Long Does It Take to Learn FinTech?
You can learn the basics of FinTech in about three to six months. Beginner-level classes and bootcamps will teach you the essential principles of finance and technology before moving onto core FinTech topics such as digital payments and blockchain. After six to 12 months of lessons and practice, you should develop intermediate-level FinTech skills. At this level, you’ll have learned about industry regulations, blockchain-based systems, and frequently used financial technologies. Taking intermediate-level classes will ensure that you also gain the hands-on experience needed to achieve a career in FinTech.
Developing advanced-level, or mastery-level, FinTech skills can take anywhere from one or more years. Many students spend two years mastering FinTech by enrolling in a post-graduate program in FinTech or financial engineering. Advanced training will teach you how to develop financial products by working on real-world projects in a team-based environment. Oftentimes, these programs also help students prepare for a career in FinTech by offering career prep services.
Should I Learn FinTech in Person or Online?
Before looking for a FinTech class to enroll in, consider the type of class you want to take. You can find FinTech classes offered in-person, live online, and on demand. Consider the type of class that best suits your schedule and learning goals before seeing what is available to you.
Local schools and training centers offer in-person classes on weekdays, evenings, and weekends in classrooms or computer labs. Students who need to learn in a traditional learning environment should seek out in-person classes. In an in-person class, an expert instructor will guide you and your classmates through lessons. The instructor can answer your questions, provide feedback, and offer demonstrations. Fees for in-person classes vary depending on the length of the class. Short-form classes may cost several hundred dollars, while bootcamps and certificate programs can cost thousands of dollars. You can find in-person classes fairly easily if you live in a metropolitan city but may have more difficulty finding a class to attend if you live in a rural area.
Luckily, online classes provide students who can’t attend in-person classes the chance to learn FinTech. Live online classes mimic in-person classes; a live instructor teaches students and answers their questions. This class style eliminates the need to commute, instead allowing students to attend their scheduled classes from the comfort of their home or office. Classes offered in an in-person and live online format by a school usually follow the same curriculum and cost the same. The main difference between the class types is that live classes take place remotely over a web conferencing platform.
The final class type to consider is the on-demand class. On-demand, or asynchronous, classes offer no live instructor. Instead, students enter a virtual classroom upon enrollment where they have instant access to course materials, like video lectures. Students must work through the class material by themselves, which means they need the motivation to self-teach. Some students find this aspect of on-demand classes to be challenging. However, on-demand classes provide the benefit of a flexible schedule. If you work or attend school, signing up for an on-demand FinTech class allows you to learn when you have free time, rather than struggling to fit in live classes. On-demand classes also usually cost substantially less than their live counterparts.
Can I Learn FinTech for Free Online?
You can learn the basics of FinTech for free online before enrolling in formal FinTech training. Online learning platforms like Udemy and Coursera offer free, short-form, on-demand FinTech classes. These classes cover a range of topics relevant to FinTech, like Python programming and accounting. In addition to learning on-demand, you can watch video tutorials and training videos online. Schools and training centers, like Noble Desktop, often upload videos to YouTube to help beginners learn the basics of FinTech and related topics.
When self-teaching, you may find that you have questions. In that case, look for online forums where beginners and experts meet to ask and answer questions. You can find FinTech forums, programming forums, and data science forums that can help you work through challenges you face when learning. Contributors to these forums also often offer each other professional advice.
After learning the basics of FinTech for free online, consider the formal training options available to you that will help you learn more about FinTech.
What Should I Learn Alongside FinTech?
In a FinTech class, you can expect to learn essential FinTech skills. If you attend enough classes to develop advanced-level skills, you should have plenty of experience needed to create financial technologies. Some students whose goal is to develop the FinTech skills needed to work in FinTech also develop related skills to help them become more well-rounded candidates. Studying related topics also helps if you plan to transition into another role at some point. When studying FinTech, consider also learning about cybersecurity and project management.
FinTech companies create software and technologies aimed at maintaining cybersecurity for a variety of organizations and companies. Some FinTech specialists, therefore, focus on cybersecurity when learning FinTech. You can opt to take cybersecurity classes when learning FinTech to help you secure a job at a FinTech company that creates cybersecurity systems. Another option available to you is to work in cybersecurity somewhere, like a hospital, a bank, or even the government. Learning both FinTech and cybersecurity will prepare you to work in cybersecurity in many industries.
Learning project management skills alongside FinTech can help you work in project management at a FinTech company. Project Managers oversee projects from start to finish. Part of this process includes communicating with stakeholders, so Project Managers must have good communication skills. A Project Manager at a FinTech company should also understand the company’s products and services. Attending a project management program can help you learn the role of a Project Manager at a FinTech company.
Industries That Use FinTech
Ready to find a job in FinTech? Check out these major industries in Virginia that are looking to hire FinTech professionals.
Financial Services
Virginia’s financial services industry contributes significantly to the state’s economy. Key players in the industry include banks, insurance companies, FinTech companies, and wealth management firms. Within the state, several cities play a prominent role in the industry. Arlington and Alexandria play large roles thanks to their proximity to Washington, D.C. In these cities, you’ll find banks, insurance companies, and financial consultants. Richmond, the state’s capital, has a strong focus on banking, insurance, and investment management. FinTech professionals can readily find work in this industry. Financial services companies look to hire professionals who can develop financial technologies for them and perform data analysis to help the company make decisions.
Real Estate
The real estate industry in Virginia encompasses residential, commercial, and industrial real estate. The state’s location in relation to Washington, D.C. plays a large role in the industry’s growth. Professionals working in the nation’s capital frequently look to buy and rent in nearby cities like Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax. The high volume of people looking to move to the DMV area has driven growth in Virginia’s real estate industry and led to a higher cost of living in Northern Virginia. Other cities in the state have attracted companies and government contractors who typically look for commercial real estate throughout the state. FinTech professionals working in real estate help the industry innovate financial processes that are commonplace in real estate. For example, FinTech professionals develop digital mortgage platforms and P2P lending platforms. Companies may also ask these professionals to use big data and AI to provide them with insights into market trends.
Healthcare
Virginia’s healthcare industry currently aims to innovate and expand services to underserved areas of the state. Northern Virginia is home to medical research centers and government agencies. Other areas of the state, like Central Virginia, contribute to the industry’s growing medical research sector. Meanwhile, parts of Southern Virginia have seen an emphasis on community-based care in recent years. The state also has a strong presence of insurance companies, health tech startups, and long-term care services. Take your FinTech skills to Virginia’s healthcare industry and contribute to innovating and streamlining the financial processes in use by healthcare institutions.
FinTech Job Titles and Salaries
Rapid growth in the FinTech industry and the increased adoption of FinTech technologies have led to an increased demand for FinTech professionals. Here are several FinTech roles that you may have the skills to succeed in.
Software Engineer
Software Engineers work on software systems and applications, from the design to development stages. Within the FinTech industry, Software Engineers develop software systems tailored to financial activity. This includes payment systems, banking apps, and lending platforms. They also implement security measures and may need to develop algorithms that can analyze large amounts of financial data for their company. Software Engineers need to know how to program using coding languages like Python and Java. A good Software Engineer also knows how to communicate with team members and stakeholders. In Virginia, Software Engineers make an average annual salary of $111,000. Salary will vary by city, with higher salaries expected in cities with a high cost of living (HCOL).
Data Scientist
Data Scientists working in FinTech analyze datasets to help the company they work for make data-driven decisions. These decisions may help the company improve their products or cater services more toward their target audience. Data Scientists need to know how to analyze financial data, build predictive models, develop machine learning models, and create data visualizations. In Virginia, Data Scientists make an average annual salary of $121,500. Data Scientists living in cities with a HCOL and working in industries with a greater need for Data Scientists may have a higher salary than Data Scientists living in cities with a low cost of living with a lower demand for Data Scientists.
Risk Manager
Risk Managers identify, assess, and mitigate risk for companies. When a Risk Manager works for a FinTech company, they primarily focus on managing risk toward the company’s operations and reputation. FinTech companies hire Risk Managers who can use risk management strategies to help mitigate risk. Examples of this include stress testing and scenario analysis. The average salary of a Risk Manager working in Virginia is $110,500 per year. Salary will vary based on the cost of living.
FinTech Bootcamps Near Me
You can find FinTech classes offered across the state of Virginia and live online. Consider the type of class you’d like to enroll in before checking out the FinTech classes below.
Attend Noble Desktop’s live online FinTech Bootcamp to learn the skills you need to work in FinTech, including Python programming. The course covers five units that focus on Python and its uses in FinTech along with SQL. An expert instructor will guide you and your classmates through lessons as you cover various aspects of FinTech. In addition to the five units included in the bootcamp, you’ll have the option of choosing to take two electives offered by Noble for free. Noble has also included access to six 1-on-1 mentoring sessions. During these sessions, you can ask an expert for professional advice. This bootcamp comes in a four-week, full-time schedule and a four-month part-time schedule.
Noble Desktop also offers a Python for Finance Bootcamp. The live online bootcamp provides lessons in advanced-level Python for finance. Lessons cover how to use Python financial libraries, manipulate financial data, and how to use financial APIs. The bootcamp emphasizes hands-on learning so that you can finish the program ready to begin a career in FinTech. This class is also useful if you already work in FinTech and want to improve your skills or if you want to transition from a related career to FinTech.
General Assembly’s Data Science Bootcamp will teach you the ins and outs of data science. Data science plays an important role in FinTech. FinTech companies depend on Data Scientists to help them make data-driven decisions, including decisions that will improve operations. The program is full-time and will prepare you for a role in FinTech, business analytics, or machine learning.
Students can enroll in Certstaffix Training’s four-day Introduction to Python Programming Course to learn about Python programming and prepare for a FinTech bootcamp. The class covers the basics of Python, including how Python works, to prepare students for a variety of roles. Python is one of the most widely used coding languages in FinTech, so attending this class can help aspiring FinTech professionals start their journey. After finishing the course, students can enroll in Certstaffix’s Advanced Python Programming Course. Certstaffix also offers a free retake within six months that students can use to refresh their knowledge.
FinTech Corporate Training
Do you want your team to receive FinTech training? Noble Desktop can provide your organization with training that meets your employees’ learning objectives and scheduling needs. When enrolling in corporate training, you have the option of selecting live online or onsite training options. Teams interested in corporate training can purchase group vouchers in bulk at a discount from Noble Desktop. When purchasing group vouchers, you can select the courses available to your team to choose from. They can then schedule their training at a time that fits their schedules.
Reach out to corporate@nobledesktop.com to learn more about Noble Desktop’s corporate training services and receive help in determining which options best fit your team’s needs and goals.