Local or Online training with or without Certification

[Bill Davis]

Mads,

Here’s my 2 cents.

First, education as an industry is definitely changing. Even the hallowed traditional institutions are scrambling to put curricula on-line, because they know that this is what the market wants.

At the same time, there are more “entities” than ever that are trying to simple sell education as a way to make a lot of money. In the US, the “on line university” has a checkered past. There are lots of respectable players, but there are also lots of “credential mills.” There are also lots of both on-line and physical “education sellers” that relied on government tuition guarantees to sign up lots of warm bodies – get LOTS of tax generated money – and produce abysmal actual training/graduation/knowledge metrics.

All of the above says, you’re very smart to be a careful consumer of training and education these days.

As to specific Lynda.com offerings, I’ve got no opinion about how rigorous or not their credentialing program might be.

I can tell you that just having gone through Apple’s Internal FCP X certification system, it’s VERY rigorous. Scoring 85% or better on those exams requires a pretty deep understanding of the software’s operations. And they’re not “selling” the training. You can learn on your own, and just pay the relatively modest cost of the exam (currently $250 or so.)

I see young people coming out of the traditional system with literally 20 years of educational debt to work off, and I’m not sure – at least in the creative fields – the degree will make it any easier to pay that debt off.

So I think that’s where the market is heading.

But it’s just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.

Know someone who teaches video editing in elementary school, high school or college? Tell them to check out http://www.StartEditingNow.com – video editing curriculum complete with licensed practice content.

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Bill,

Good stuff, thank you.

For now I’ve opted for the next course in my university degree whilst updating my skills through Classroom in a book series. Although that won’t give me any certification, it does update my skills from Adobe CS1 to CC 🙂

However, I will keep looking for that method of certification that will bring video production in line with other businesses (businesses that are actually businesses and are making money).

One thought is what we in the UK call the CPD certifications (Continuing Professional Development) which are used by professions such as accountants, lawyers etc. But there doesn’t seem to be a formal structure for the media industries.

Please do correct me if I’m wrong. Also, doesn’t change the fact that most people in production is getting work based on personal connections, word of mouth, CV and show-reel – which for the foreseeable future will make everything else redundant, or will it?

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk

[Bill Davis]

[Mads Nybo Jørgensen] “Please do correct me if I’m wrong. Also, doesn’t change the fact that most people in production is getting work based on personal connections, word of mouth, CV and show-reel – which for the foreseeable future will make everything else redundant, or will it?”

Mads,

It has always been this way and always will be this way.

Companies don’t actually hire people. People in companies hire people. So it’s always a human connection that matters. If you want to work in any field. Work hard to get to know some people in that field. That’s how it works.

Also do note that there are real trends in industries where both specific skills AND industry trends are important to follow. One year, the folks hiring want specialists – a few years later they’re looking for generalists. This morning the BBC announced their news operations are moving to FCP X. Some months ago, a different division announced adopting Premier CC. So right there, no matter what software you’re best in, you’re competing against others that might be a better fit unless you’re really solid in both.

Welcome to the modern era.

Good luck!

Know someone who teaches video editing in elementary school, high school or college? Tell them to check out http://www.StartEditingNow.com – video editing curriculum complete with licensed practice content.

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Bill,

Yes, you are right – I’ll snap out of my day dream 🙂

Although, as an interesting side comment: I see the BBC as being a competitor, rather than that of an employer/client. They have entered the race to offer their creative production services to the outside world, whilst making a large number of News staff redundant. The FCP announcement is not a surprise, although I would have thought that Adobe CC would be a better bet for the foreseeable future – unless you are looking for an app that can work on the presenters/field-journalists iPad and do auto-editing…

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk