The Future is Blockchain: 5 Blockchain Courses to Get Ahead
Blockchain has become increasingly well known as the technology behind the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. However, beyond its use in crypto, it has emerged as a revolutionary new technology that can be applied in many different industries including energy, supply chain, healthcare, financial services, art, music, real estate, and more.
Why the hype? Well, simply put, blockchain technology allows information to pass between parties in a secure, fully automated, and immutable way. The benefits it can offer businesses involved in modes of legal exchange, be it the transfer of value, goods, or ownership include improved efficiency, security, accuracy, and cost. What business wouldn’t want that? This is why blockchain technology is here to stay and something you might want to look into.
In fact, a recent survey by Deloitte found that 49% of business executives said their companies will invest at least $5 million in blockchain in the next year. A similar report by ReportLinker estimated that the global blockchain market will increase an astonishing 80% between 2018 and 2023, to reach a global value of $23.3 billion, so you can imagine how much business investment will grow!
Yet, despite this, 63% of senior executives still don’t know what blockchain is. A realization that we heard echoed across global blockchain conferences this season. To help, we reached out to leading minds in the industry to help us compile a list of recommended blockchain courses. Whether you are in business, finance, or tech, NOW is a really great time to seize the opportunity to jump ahead, learn about blockchain, and leverage it in your career or company. After all, the future is blockchain!
5 Blockchain Courses To Get Ahead
- Corda Training
- Blockgeeks
- Coursera
- IBM Training
- Three Points School for Digital Business
> Bonus: We’ve added an exciting new addition to this recommended list below.
Corda Training
Created by R3, Corda is a blockchain platform for business use that allows you to build blockchain networks that transact in strict privacy. To help developers and tech professionals learn how to develop a blockchain app, R3 has developed an online Corda blockchain training course, that covers theory as well as hands-on experience. Each virtual session ranges from 38 minutes to 105 minutes and covers security, network design, and architecture. You can complete your training by passing a Corda Developer Certification test.
Best for: Enterprise developers, consultants, freelancers, startup founders, and CEOs
Level: Intermediate — software development experience recommended
Method: Classroom, private, or self-paced online
Certification: Available
Cost: Free and paid options
Blockgeek Academy
With a thumbs-up from Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple) and Vitalik Buterin (co-founder of Ethereum), Blockgeeks is a great resource to learn more about blockchain. Founded in 2017, this website and community are dedicated to sharing and growing knowledge around blockchain technologies has grown into a diverse platform for beginners and experts alike.
Their learning hub “Blockgeek Academy” offers a lot of good information for free such as its What is Blockchain Technology Guide, a great 101-type intro. Plus, they have six different training tracks for developers, business professionals, and crypto-enthusiasts available via subscription. Get unlimited access to over 1,600 courses, guides, tools, exercise files, and job listings. Earn rewards and course completion certificates — verified on Ethereum blockchain, of course! They have also just launched intensive 12-week Blockchain Development Bootcamps.
Best for: Developers, business professionals, and cryptocurrency investors
Level: Beginner to expert
Method: Online; self-paced
Certification: Available
Cost: Membership starts at $6 USD per month; Bootcamps priced separately
Coursera
Coursera, the high-quality online learning platform taught by top universities and companies, offers blockchain curriculums.
Beginner: Blockchain: Foundations and Use Cases — offered by Consensys Academy, this course is the perfect introduction to both developer and non-developer audiences. Get an introduction to the philosophy behind decentralization and what makes it all so exciting.
Intermediate: Blockchain Specialization — Offered by University at Buffalo, The State University of New York. This course offers an introduction to blockchain and prepares students to program on Ethereum blockchain.
One great feature of Coursera is that you can see previous students’ career outcomes. See how many students started a new career after completing specialization courses, how many got a pay increase or promotion from it.
Best for: Developers and business professionals
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Method: Online
Certification: Available
Cost: Pricing varies and starts at around $39 USD. Financial aid is available.
IBM Blockchain Training
IBM offers a wide range of blockchain courses from beginner level to tech deep-dives on topics including blockchain for business, security training, architecture training, Hyperledger training, and much more. Courses are primarily digital and range from 1.5 hours to 2 days. With IBM’s strong reputation in blockchain, their training is a good place to start.
Best for: Developers and business professionals
Level: Beginner to advanced
Method: Mostly online
Certification: Available
Cost: Free and paid options available
Three Points School for Digital Business
Three Points School for Digital Business in conjunction with the University of Barcelona offers a Spanish-curriculum Master in Blockchain and its Business Applications course through its Online Business School (OBS). The full-time program runs for 12 months starting in May 2021 and is aimed at teaching business students and professionals the skills to lead the development and management of blockchain and distributed ledger technology projects.
“There has been a 26% increase in the demand for qualified blockchain professionals.” – Three Points, The School for Digital Business
Best for: Business professionals
Level: Beginner to intermediate
Method: Accredited 12 month online program (60 ECTS)
Certification: Master degree
Cost: 7.200 Euros
Bonus: European Tech School — Coming Soon!
The founders of the European Blockchain Convention and #ebcTALKS, Victoria Gago and Daniel Salmeron will soon launch the European Tech School — keep your eyes peeled for this exciting entree!
Whether looking to increase your job prospects, to up-skill your current career, or to change careers altogether, blockchain technology offers lots of opportunities.
With so many new course options available, there’s bound to be one that suits your schedule, level, interest, and budget. Be sure to look for courses from reputable universities, businesses, or online platforms that are taught and endorsed by industry professionals. We hope this expert-curated list will help guide you towards one that’s just right for you.
If you're looking to apply your new-found blockchain skills in a career in financial technology (fintech), we recommend checking out our series on working in fintech.
