As one of the happiest jobs in the world, and one where there’s no shortage of job opportunities; Quality Assurance is one of the most desired career changes in today’s world. However, its appeal does bring with it a few questions, first and foremost being where do I start? And that’s why the team at Test Pro wanted us to offer you this article.
There’s no shortage of venues to start your QA training online and in person, but abundance itself isn’t a guide. So instead of just guiding you into a given course or guide, today we wanted to focus on the essentials you should be looking for when you start your training. That way you’ll have the criteria to know what good training looks like. And once you grasp those key concepts, we have no doubt you’ll come to appreciate what Test Pro has to offer even more.
Theory only gets you so far
Learning the theory will only get you so far, and that’s something you should keep in mind when looking into any course curriculum or QA training course.
Now, we want to make it clear: We don’t mean to say theory doesn’t matter. You need to learn what Quality Assurance is, what is expected of the position, and what the standard workflow is like. A beginner’s course that doesn’t offer any theory components is already a red flag. However, your course mustn’t end up being just theory.
The fundamentals of any topic are essential to begin your career, but QA is an intrinsically practical profession. You will always be doing real work in real-life situations and that means that the best (and honestly only) way to learn is to get to do practical work.
So when looking at courses make sure that they promise to put you both in practical lessons and real-life collaborations. Getting to do real work will not only allow you to finally understood how all you’ve learned works in practice and prepare you for your future profession; it also lets you build your curriculum and make it easier to get employed. So take a close look at the curriculum and make sure any course you take truly offers real opportunities to let you put your skills to the test.
Look for training aimed at your skill level
We don’t all start with the same skill levels, and that’s perfectly fine. Just like college has undergraduate, postgraduate, and Masters levels, you should look for training courses that appeal to your current skill level.
Many courses online are aimed at professionals that already work in the field, and that means they focus not on the fundamentals but rather on letting you polish your skills in a given area of expertise. These are wonderful opportunities for people who want to go deeper on their career path and are looking for better positions or a raise. However, if you are just starting in the world of coding? Then you likely won’t get anything from those.
Alternatively, beginner-friendly courses which are designed to guide people regardless of their existing background (like the ones at Test Pro) are ideal for those who are just starting their careers. The access to tools regular people might not own or even know makes a huge difference when you are just starting, and as we said before, everybody needs to learn the fundamentals at some point. Though likewise, people who already have years on the field might not get as much out of a course like this.
So always keep in mind where you are skill level-wise, and make sure that the course you do pick reflects that. You’ll always have the chance to go for more complex ones later, so there’s no need to rush into it.
Your time will be the defining factor
Ultimately the single most important factor when you do decide to start your QA training will be your schedule and time availability. If there’s an amazing course that requires you to be available for 5 hours daily and you already work a full shift then you won’t be able to participate in it at all. That’s just a matter of logistics.
So try to look for a training course that offers either a flexible schedule or at least works alongside your existing responsibilities. Most online courses are designed to provide comfort and make it easy for their students to take part in them, but do take some time to take a look at how well the proposed time demands fit your current life habits. Trying to fit an unsustainable schedule in your life might burn you out in the long run, so going slow but steady might be the best route in some cases.
