Self-paced education: an easy way to step into IT world

The modern world has changed dramatically. Consider that just a few decades ago, some of the most important things we use nowadays were considered sci-fi. The same is true for education: until recently, high-quality IT skills were strongly associated with schools and universities, lecturers, and on-site classes. But today, most professions, or at least their basics, can be mastered at home, at a comfortable pace.

This trend is brightly illustrated by the IT industry. According to the 2021 StackOverFlow survey, which has interviewed over 80,000 developers from all over the world, nearly 60% of respondents learned to code from online resources. Younger respondents prefer online courses and forums, while older respondents opt for books. Among online learning methods, the self-paced format is rapidly gaining popularity. In this article, we will discuss its benefits.

So, what is Self-paced education?

Simply put, a self-paced educational format is a type of learning in which students set their own pace and schedule for a given course or program. They are provided with pre-recorded lectures, video tutorials, and educational software programs that they can access at any time and complete at their own pace, with no strict deadlines.

Self-paced educational format is becoming increasingly popular due to the convenience and flexibility it offers. It allows students to fit their learning around other aspects of their lifestyle. This format also caters to students with different learning styles and abilities, as they can spend as much time as they need on difficult topics and quickly move through material that they are already familiar with.

TOP-5 benefits of self-paced education.

1. Flexibility. The self-paced format eliminates the need to adhere to a strict schedule, which is common in traditional educational programs. There are no deadlines, so you don't have to put off everything important in order to check out a new topic or do homework. This is especially useful if you simultaneously work, or study at a university.

2. Unlimited access to course materials. You can return to any topic at any time. You can improve your understanding of the topic by reviewing lectures, repeating exercises, and completing additional tasks. This is a real deal for those who are having a hard time learning or want to delve into individual topics deeper.

3. Personalized learning speed. There is no need to rush, so the quality of learning does not suffer because of the pace. It all depends on your needs and capabilities.

4. Ability to take several courses at a time. If you are not sure about a particular profession, you can register for a couple of courses at the same time and decide later. Get complete control over your progress!

5. Networking. Communication with like-minded people is a priceless learning tool, and the participants of self-paced programs are usually provided with communication channels to discuss materials, share knowledge, ask for help and give advice. The most important aspect of learning —community — will always be with you.

Can’t escape those — here are some downsides of the format to consider:

1. The lack of deadlines can lower motivation to study and tempt you to prolong the educational process.

2. Without clear understanding of goals, it is difficult to create and stick to a learning trajectory, take personal responsibility for your own progress.

3. It can be difficult to find additional information and answers to some specific questions on your own.

Still, all of those downsides are relative and might inspire you to work on your self-discipline and motivation ;)

Self-paced education opportunities at EPAM

At EPAM, we believe in investing in talents. For over 30 years, EPAM has expanded its global educational activities to help beginners step into the IT industry, gain job-ready skills and adopt a lifelong learning mindset. Self-paced courses have been one of our most successful innovations, assisting thousands of enthusiastic newcomers in taking their first steps in IT.

Currently we offer over 10 self-paced trainings that are available in 10+ locations. These courses cover fundamentals of the most in-demand IT directions and help motivated novices to smoothly step into a promising IT industry.

Check out the list of available trainings and don’t miss out your chance to reskill: