Terms such as process mining, process automation, cloud integration and artificial intelligence are more than just much-discussed buzzwords. They represent current and future solutions for process automation in companies. As these technologies continue to evolve, companies must find ways to keep their employees' knowledge of the new technologies up to date and offer them process automation training in the first place. Manufacturers and training institutions are the obvious places to go for corporate staff developers in this regard.
What do renowned Process Automation training providers offer?
The idea that the technology suppliers also offer corresponding training courses at the same time so that employees understand the technologies and their possible applications is only realistic to a limited extent. In view of the importance of these technologies for process automation and the associated increase in efficiency of companies on the one hand, and the partially limited range of courses offered by manufacturers on the other, one would think that the training courses on the subject of automation, especially those offered by the renowned process automation training providers, would spring up like mushrooms. We have taken a closer look at whether this is the case.
#1 Automation Training at the Bots & People Academy
As the first vendor-independent Process Automation training provider, the Bots & People Academy offers more than 50 E-Learning courses around digitalization and automation. Bots & People's customers benefit from 20 industry experts and become empowered to acquire all needed competencies to sustainably build and effectively scale process automation internally. Already over 500 automation experts have been educated within the Automation Academy.
With hands-on training and interactive learning using videos, quizzes and much more, Bots & People certifies Automation Starters to Citizen Developers. In the platform-internal community, learners have the chance to exchange ideas and ask questions with other learners.
The defined online learning tracks are based on innovative learning concepts but offer enough scope for personalization according to individual needs. All learning tracks include modules referred to Process Automation, technologies like Robotic Process Automation, Process Mining, Artificial Intelligence, IPaaS & Co as well as the respective tools.
- Automation Starter: Certificate Course, 8-10 Hours in total
- Automation Agent: Certificate Course, 15 Hours in total
- AI Pioneer: Certificate Course, 15-17 Hours in total
- Citizen Developer Rookie: Tool Certificate of choice (MS Power Platform, UiPath, etc), individual time invest (6 weeks to 6 months)
- Citizen Developer Advanced: Tool Certificate of choice, individual time invest (6 weeks to 6 months)
#2 Automation Training at the Bitkom Academy
As the renowned flagship of Bitkom (the German Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications, and New Media), the Bitkom Academy offers around 400 training and continuing education events each year for specialists and managers in the field of the digitalized world of work.
The list of topics includes digital transformation, IT security, data protection, project management, digital marketing, and law & finance. In addition to in-house training and numerous seminar offerings, the Bitkom Academy offers around 200 dialog-oriented live online seminars in which experts impart basic knowledge on current topics and provide exciting insights into the latest technology trends. The online certificate courses are conducted with Zoom.
The offerings, which focus specifically on automation and artificial intelligence, currently include two online workshops (Customer Acquisition and Retention with Automation and AI/Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Enablement) and four live online seminars
- Machine Learning (ML) with Swift - Certificate Course, 3 days
- Training as AI Manager - Basics of Artificial Intelligence and Application Potentials for Companies - Certificate Course, 5 Modules, 8 Days
- Expert Conversational AI - certificate course, 3 days, both online and on-site.
- Supervised & Unsupervised Machine Learning, seminar both online and on-site, 2 days each.
In addition, the Bitkom Academy offers an in-house Robotic Process Automation training course for Managers, as well as a variety of videos on various topics related to digitization, e.g. AI Manager - certificate course with 8 videos for 5 modules.
#3 Automation Training at the Haufe Akademie
The Haufe Akademie, a company of the Haufe Group, is committed to the qualification and development of people and companies in German-speaking countries and, according to its own statements, offers custom-fit solutions, unique services, the highest level of consulting expertise, and individual qualification.
The comprehensive offering includes seminars, qualification programs, courses, conferences, and congresses and aims to support HR managers with customized corporate solutions, digital learning solutions, managed training services and consulting. In 2020 alone, Haufe Akademie conducted 3,600 in-house qualification measures. Whether online, virtual or digital, whenever possible the training courses take place directly in the company's system. Microsoft Teams or another collaboration tool used by the company is used.
The online in-house process automation training courses always take place at several locations and are tailored to the respective needs of the company. Specifically, the Haufe Akademie currently offers the following training courses in the environment of automation and artificial intelligence:
- The Digital Business Analyst - Virtual and digital: the modern agile business analyst, 2 days in 4 blocks,
- Efficient process management with process mining & RPA- methods, technologies, and their implementation, 2 days/8 hours
- BPMN 2.0 - Modeling processes according to requirements, 2 days/8 hours, Microsoft Teams
- Process & Business Automation, 2 days/8 hours (technical lecture, live demos, group work, case exercises, best practices, discussion.)
- Future Skills - Future Jobs Challenge for HR, 1 day/8 hours, digital key skills and digital Mindset
The offer is supplemented by a practical workshop - Experience Process Digitization! Automation projects from the idea to implementation (2 days/8 hours) as well as 2 crash courses - Innovative Process Management - Introduction to Process Mining and Robotic Process Automation (1 day/9 hours) and Efficient Process Management with Process Mining & RPA - Methods, Technologies and their Implementation (2 days/8 hours).
As part of the "Digital Learning" offering, interested participants can access 54 videos and 25 practical modules (approx. 4 hrs. learning time) on the topic of Artificial Intelligence and 53 videos and 33 practical modules (approx. 3.5 hrs. learning time) on the topic of the departure into digital times.
#4 Automation Training at the WBS Academy
According to WBS AKADEMIE, it imparts practical knowledge for digital transformation and valuable skills for Working 4.0. The latest content is designed to advance the careers of academy graduates.
WBS Akademie offers a master's degree program and advanced training as well as WBS LearnSpace 3D®, a virtual classroom or virtual co-working space for companies, but does not have any special events on automation, process mining, RPA, or IPaaS on offer.
#5 Automation Training with Linkedin Learning
Linkedin Learning gives companies access to a deep international learning library available in English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese, Mandarin, and Brazilian Portuguese as part of their employee training. Whether to prepare for a big career move or just to acquire specific skills, Linkedin Learning's current course offering provides relevant Learning Paths and more than 1,000 short videos for individual training. Linkedin Learning relies on learning content developed by trainers with practical experience. Despite the extensive range of training and further education courses for companies and their employees, Linkedin Learning does not offer any specific courses on the topics of automation, process mining, cloud integration, and artificial intelligence.
#6 Automation Training with Skillsoft
Skillsoft has focused its training offering on learning with interactive videos and hands-on simulations. Learners have access to an extensive course library. Through cloud access, learners have 24/7 access to a platform for smart learning experiences that offers a modern, simple, and intuitive design. A mobile app enables learning anywhere, anytime, and on a variety of devices. From a personalized home screen, learners can create their playlists, pick up learning where they left off, and receive their assignments. They can choose to learn using videos, books, or audiobooks.
Learners can choose from 581 interactive courses and so-called "channels" on the topic of automation, ranging from IT Infrastructure Automation for Beginners to Process Automation Tools, Exploring Business Process Automation, Key Automation Technologies, Implementing an Automation Software Strategy, DevOps Automation, and the Digital Visionary Mindset Journey. The courses consist of multiple videos totaling approximately 60 minutes in length, including assessments. Upon successful completion of a course, one can earn a digital badge. The so-called channels include courses, books, and audiobooks.
Percipio, a homegrown platform, provides pre-curated, prescriptive, role-based, and competency-based learning paths that prepare employees for high-demand roles. Percipio uses AI algorithms to provide the learner with curated content based on the learner's personal interests and activities.
#7 Automation Training at Udemy
Udemy's marketplace content model offers 130,000 online video courses that are updated monthly with the latest high-quality content for virtual training. The online courses are delivered by global experts in technology and business. Udemy boasts of always having the latest knowledge on the most important topics employees need. Companies can purchase user licenses for different numbers of employees.
The learning material is divided into 100 categories. The Artificial Intelligence category includes approximately 305 courses covering a wide variety of topics and facets of AI. The Business Analytics category offers a BPMN for business analysts course consisting of 5 hours of on-demand video, 22 articles, and 9 downloadable materials. However, specific content or courses on automation, process mining, and cloud integration are not found in any category.
#8 Automation Training at Udacity
Udacity began as an experiment in online learning when Stanford instructors Sebastian Thrun and Peter Norvig decided to offer their "Introduction to Artificial Intelligence" course online for free to anyone. Over 160,000 students in more than 190 countries now use the digital education platform. Companies rely on Udacity to equip their employees with critical skills in data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and autonomous systems. Learners can access their classroom through online access. The learner's Nanodegree programs are displayed on their personal Classroom homepage, where they can also select which program they want to continue with and where.
A total of 80 courses are offered, but only three deal with artificial intelligence and process automation:
- AI for executives: basics of artificial intelligence to be able to implement AI strategically in the company (4 - 8 weeks at 5 hrs./week).
- Expand your knowledge of artificial intelligence: teach key concepts of artificial intelligence including optimization, planning, pattern recognition (3 months once a week from 12-15pm).
- Become an RPA developer: what do the operational processes look like that will empower the companies of the future (4 months, at 5-10 hrs/wk).
#9 Automation Training at the Digital Workforce Academy
The Digital Workforce Academy offers RPA training for the leading RPA technology platforms Blue Prism and UiPath. To date, over 150 global organizations have taken advantage of the Digital Workforce Academy's offering to improve their employees' robotic process automation skills through RPA training.
The role-based courses in RPA Analytics, Automation Development, RPA Program Management and other key RPA and automation functions are designed to prepare for further qualification as a Leader in Automation, RPA Business Analyst, RPA Developer, RPA Controller, and RPA Technical Architect. In addition to role-based training, there is technology-specific training (Blue Prism, UiPath) and customized training such as RPA awareness training that enables organizations to spread high-level knowledge and understanding of RPA. Intelligent Automation courses explain how Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning can be used to maximize the potential of process automation in the organization.
The courses are offered as either eLearning or classroom training and include a final exercise that is reviewed by the DWF Academy training team. Upon completion of the course, the participant receives a digital diploma from DWF Academy.
Conclusion: Are independent Process Automation Training Providers worthwhile?
Looking at the offerings of the listed training providers from the general perspective of artificial intelligence and digitization, all providers can score points - sometimes more and sometimes less. A general transfer of knowledge in the area of artificial intelligence is certainly desirable and conducive to a general understanding of the effects and possibilities as well as the acceptance of artificial intelligence. However, it does not yet trigger any impetus for active action on the part of the employees to implement AI in the company or to drive implementation forward. The topic of AI is too complex for this.
When it comes to expert knowledge, the picture is similar. Here, too, every provider has at least one arrow in its quiver. But the training courses for Experts, for example in Conversational AI or Supervised & Unsupervised Machine Learning, on the other hand, start at a point where it is more about the finer points of automation with the help of artificial intelligence. Here, experts are needed to whom the facets of process automation no longer need to be explained.
However, if one assumes that process automation in its various forms will continue to play a decisive role in the strategic orientation of companies and their success in the coming years, one has to admit that there are incomprehensible deficits on the part of one or the other provider. Because the undisputed automation wave of the next years is carried by the commitment and the knowledge and understanding of the employees around processes, the possibilities of automation, and the meaning of the automation of processes. Against this background, only Bots & People, Skillsoft, and the Digital Workforce Academy can really convince.
