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    Blog How to pick a beginner-friendly tech course when you have zero experience
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    How to pick a beginner-friendly tech course when you have zero experience

    General Assembly
    October 28, 2025


    Welcome.

    You’ve arrived at literally everyone’s first step into tech. You don’t need to speak fluent Python or buy three monitors to get started. You just need one beginner-friendly tech course that fits your goals (and maybe a little curiosity).

    Here’s how to find it.

    Step 1: Test the waters with a free tech skill class

    Not ready to commit? Totally fair. That’s where our free tech skill classes come in. Think of them as test drives for your brain—a low-stakes way to explore a new topic, meet an instructor, and see what sparks your interest. Plus, you can network with other tech newbies in the virtual classroom.

    Curious about UX design, data analytics, or AI? Dip your toes in. You’ll walk away with real insights (and maybe a new obsession) without spending a cent.

    Step 2: Go deeper with a tech workshop

    Once you’ve found something that clicks, get ready to dive deeper. Our tech workshops take what you learned in a free class further—more time, more interaction, more “aha” moments.

    Each tech workshop runs three to eight hours, over one to two days, in a live, instructor-led Zoom classroom. You’ll collaborate, ask questions in real time, and work through hands-on exercises that push your skills to the next level.

    They’re still practical and beginner-friendly, just with more depth—and when you’re done, you’ll earn a digital badge to show off your new expertise (and your commitment to leveling up).

    Step 3: Build lasting skills with a tech short course

    If you’re ready to go beyond the fundamentals of a tech skill, a tech short course is where things start to click in a bigger way. These 40-hour programs mix the structure of instructor-led sessions with the flexibility to fit around your schedule—so you can learn without hitting pause on everything else.

    You’ll work through real-world challenges with guidance from industry experts who’ve actually done the work. Expect hands-on projects, group collaboration, and honest feedback that helps you connect what you’re learning to how people use those skills on the job.

    By the end, you won’t just have new tech skills—you’ll have a digital badge (and a portfolio project to match) that shows employers you’re not just learning the lingo—you’re putting it into practice.

    When in doubt, talk to a real human

    If you’re overwhelmed determining which path fits your goals—or your budget—that’s what our Admissions team is here for. They’ll get to the bottom of your “why” and help you find the right learning path, financing options, and schedule that make sense for you.

    And because we know commitment can be intimidating, there’s zero pressure. You can always get in touch with questions, talk through your goals, or figure out which beginner-friendly tech course is your best next move. Even if you ultimately decide now’s not the right moment to learn new tech skills, you’ll leave the conversation more confident about what comes next—no guilt trip included.

    Start small. Think big. Make your move.

    Every expert started somewhere—probably right where you are now. You don’t need to know it all. You just need to start. Because the sooner you take that first step, the sooner you stop calling yourself a beginner.

    So go ahead. Pick a tech skill that feels exciting (or even a little scary) and test it out. Because the first step is the hardest—but it could be the one that changes everything.

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