Being indoors can be quite tasking, with colleges and institutes being shut down. So how does one make the best use of the time that is been thrown into your laps? The best way is, to begin with, online courses. There are numerous e-learning platforms that assist you in taking up courses that give you college credits, completion certificates, or even help you improve the skills that your job calls for.
Udemy and Upgrad are two such platforms of online learning that will help you work on skills and also provide programs that are relevant to the industry. Over here, we look into various factors that you should ideally consider when you are selecting an online learning platform to begin your online courses.
Udemy Vs Upgrad 2020 | Which One Is The Best?
Udemy is amongst the very popular platforms for online learning. The online learning platform Udemy gives learners access to an array of courses that help in building skills or also help them to learn the technical aspects as well. If a person is aware of his or her requirements, then getting a course which fulfills these requirements is quite easy. There are many free as well as paid courses that can enhance your skills as well as knowledge.
Courses on this platform totally focus on skill development. In case you are just starting your career and need to upgrade your skills as per the company requirement, then Udemy is the perfect option. You could also learn yoga or enhance your hobbies like music or photography.
UpGrad is a higher education platform that offers programs that are industry-relevant. They have been designed as well as delivered in partnership with some of the world-class faculty as well as industry. In contrast to Udemy, Upgrad blends in advanced technology, services as well as pedagogy. UpGrad develops engaging learning experiences that can be taken up anywhere at any time. The platform is apt for working professionals,
as it offers programs that are relevant to the industry. The courses are offered in partnership with some of the top universities and institutes. The course curriculum has been designed and created by experts in the industry and experienced instructors from institutes. Upgrad has its headquarters in Mumbai and is run by Mayank Kumar.
The difference between the two platforms lies in their structure and model.Udemy is a platform of online learning where a user can purchase one course and in return, he or she gets lifetime access to the materials and content of that particular course. The user can check the content of the course anytime. The user also obtains access to various articles that are included in the course in addition to quizzes or practice questions or downloadable matter which is provided by that course.
This platform provides learners with data knowledge which gives them knowledge of the current data trends that are doing the rounds. UpGrad has also collaborated for the PG course in Data Science with IIIT-Bangalore and helps learners decide on their future careers. UpGrad is amongst India's biggest Online Education companies and the courses offered are closing the skill gap that lies between the employees and the data requirements of the industry.
It offers a lot of opportunities to people to advance in their career by way of rigorous online programs which give them customized support along with some of the top faculty and top industry professionals. This is the reason why the Data Science PG program offered by UpGrad in collaboration with IIIT-B has helped more than 400 working professionals in various managerial positions move to Data Science roles and get placed in firms such as Oracle, Adobe or Microsoft. The Data Science program has already seen an increase in enrolments from those who are not having an IT background and the number is expected to rise by 25%
In Udemy, any person can be an instructor, create courses, and earn income through it. This leads to the creation of many low-quality courses as well which have been created to earn some money! This has an impact on the instructor's quality as well as course quality. There is a wide variety of courses that might seem to be of low quality. However, you can also find some great courses on Udemy which add value. A background check on the course rating, the instructor, and course reviews on Udemy is essential prior to buy the course.
There are some amazing courses like Angular Complete Guide which has been created by Max. You can check various courses designed by Colt Steel on topics related to Web Development along with Algorithms. Another instructor to check out would be Stephen Grider. Udemy is a platform where there is a mix of low and high-quality courses. A few courses might offer completion certificates as well, however, they do not enhance your CV and are generally not considered.
UpGrad has been quite successful in offering 360-degree support to every professional in terms of career. They provide feedback on resume and help learners to create a resume that has a powerful impact. Learners are also given mentorship on how they must tackle interviews, and mock interviews are conducted with experts. Upgrad also hold placement drives like Hiresmart and Accelerate regularly. UpGrad recorded about 400+ career transitions successfully along with salary hikes of about 200%.
The courses have been designed as per the requirements of the industry and so on completion of the course, professionals will be well-equipped with the accurate expertise needed. UpGrad is the perfect place for professionals who wish to take up courses that are data-related as some of the top data scientists of India are faculty on this platform.
Udemy has many courses that teach different topics. There are numerous courses for programming. There are 80,000+ courses that cover various languages in programming like C, C++, Java, C#, JavaScript, Ruby, Python, PHP; various frameworks like React, Angular, etc. It also offers courses on tools like Docker, Maven, Gradle, and the like. There are a lot of courses which can help you enhance skills.
Udemy might not be a very organized platform when it comes to learning paths. You can opt for the Udemy search option in case you wish to find any course. If you are a beginner or are just going to start your career, then you can learn some of the top skills that employers seek in the candidates.
UpGrad is a very unique place for learning as it offers high-quality education online. The alternate learning environment which is offered by UpGrad provides learners with a customized learning environment. The courses give a lot of flexibility to the learners wherein they can take care of the job responsibilities and also learn the course. UpGrad offers bespoke support to all its learners and offers strong handholding, committed mentorship, customized feedback along with the 360-degree assistance related to their career.
UpGrad offers users the opportunity of being mentored by top industry professionals, and this is definitely why Upgrad is the best medium of upgrading your career, education, and life. The upgrade is a great platform for those who are working and wish to upgrade their knowledge, skills, and move ahead in their career.
Udemy offers plenty of free resources as well as free online courses. When it comes to personal hobbies, interests, specific skills, or programming, there are a lot of free classes that can be considered. You can also opt for courses like SQL, iOS Development, or Swift or Android App development. The instructors initially offer the course free of cost as they want to attract the crowd. A lot of free coupons are given to make people join the course, learn the skills, and then review the course. Additionally, on purchasing the course, lifetime access to the course is provided by Udemy.
UpGrad has partnered with BITS Pilani to create and offer the course of Big Data Engineering. It has about 400+ hours of continuous learning, workshops to give your practical hands-on experience, 14 different programming languages as well as tools, more than 7 different Case studies as well as projects, the BITS alumni status, etc. It has tied up with a lot of popular and trusted universities as well as institutes from all over India such as IIT Madras, MICA, NMIMS, etc.
UpGrad not just provided video content, bit also gives users to learn from the top industry experts directly. IT enables the learners to make better decisions related to their careers as they can interact with industry experts on an individual level. Most of the courses are expensive and paid for. The platform also offers support related to resume building, enhancing the LinkedIn profile, industry mentorship, etc.
In order to understand if it is worth taking up a course on Udemy, there are many factors to consider. One such criterion to consider when choosing an online learning platform is the navigation aspect and how simple is the website. So, to understand if Udemy is really good or not, check out their main page. You will notice that it is quite simple and does not have a lot of complex stuff going on.
There are promotional content, the courses are listed out and if you scroll to the bottom, you will find some user reviews. The page is not very confusing.
Next, we move on to its course page interface. If you want to search for a course, there is a search bar, similar to what you find on most of the learning platforms online. You can use it or check the courses from the categories and sub-categories. Once the course is chosen, the course page is generic and does not stand out.
The course page has a video preview, the description, and information about the course, the reviews, etc. The purchase and checkout process is quite familiar and similar to other websites. The navigation is straightforward. However, the rating system tends to stand out, as many of the courses have quite high-ratings which might appear to be fishy.
When you visit the Upgrad website, the main page gives you details in a small slideshow- the alumni, the partners, a few reviews, and some facts about the site. On top of the page, you can check out the categories of programs offered and you can also check the subcategories of courses under each category which also includes the university that has partnered to offer the specific course.
Once you select a specific course, you will get all the required details of the course on its page, starting with an overview of the program, the eligibility, who is the course best suited for, and you can also download the syllabus by providing your basic details. Once you move to the bottom, you will get the fee structure and all that is covered in the program. The page has quite a professional approach. Towards the bottom, you will also get the reviews by students who have taken up that particular course and FAQs on the course.
A very vital aspect of any review related to online learning platforms is content quality. It is a deciding factor when you check out the online course marketplace. There are a lot of opinions on the courses being offered by Udemy. Some say that the courses are worth considering. Whereas there are a few who even talk negatively about the courses. So why is there a difference in opinion? Yes, it is literally impossible to go to every single course on Udemy and check if it is good or not.
Also, what is important is the instructor who has created and is delivering the course. Note, every course on Udemy is being marketed by its instructor! It is, but natural, that they will promote their course as the best amongst all. So, does Udemy get a check done on this? The answer is yes as well as no. The site has over 80000+ different courses and it might not be possible to really check every single course.
It is better to check the background of the instructors, check their Linkedin profile, check the ratings of the courses, read through the reviews, and then decide on whether you wish to go for it. You must remember that this is a marketplace and Udemy is just another company in this vast sea, and companies aim at making profits!
The UpGrad LMS portal interface appears to be good and is quite intuitive to use. The course screen gives you the progress of your courses. The courses offered by UpGrad are created by top universities and top experts from the industry and universities. The content is of high quality and you get to access the previous lectures, interactions with industry experts, easily. Also, the course has a discussion portal wherein participation of the user will be considered in the evaluation process. The course videos are of top quality and have some interesting storylines. In order to unlock the exercises, the user has to watch the whole video and only then can proceed further. This has been done to ensure participation.
This platform has been designed for post research and testing. The team focuses on improving the platform on a regular basis. The content is delivered by some of the best and experienced faculty. This is a great website for those who seek his quality education that is created by experts. If you want a valid completion certificate, then UpGrad is simply the best option in contrast to Udemy.
Udemy vs Upgrad: Learning Experience | Student Reviews
Udemy vs Upgrad: Pros & cons
Udemy Cons
Upgrad Cons
Udemy and Upgrad are amongst the best platforms for online learning which can hone skills and give a boost to your career. If you are well aware of your requirements, goals related to learning, etc., you can choose amongst these two platforms. In case you aim at improving certain skills required for a job, or you wish to improve on hobbies, Udemy is a great option, as there are many courses offered.
In case you want to take up a master's or PG program without leaving your job, you can choose from the range of courses offered by Upgrad. The courses at Upgrad might appear to be more expensive in contrast to Udemy as they offer higher-level educational qualifications.
Udemy has a lot of free courses and paid courses wherein you also get lifetime access to the content of the course. Upgrad has a lot of instructors from the industry who are experts who offer the courses and mentor the students. Upgrad is good for those who wish to opt for higher education and a certificate of completion is provided. Based on what kind of education you are looking for along with the cost factor, you can easily decide which platform to choose from.
- The platform has over 80000+ courses on different topics.
- Udemy has free courses and paid courses
- The courses totally value for money
- The top courses which have a 4-star rating are of good quality
- The platform offers discounts regularly
- The courses offered include intermediate as well as advanced levels
- The platform has a friendly community for users
- You can learn courses in different languages
- There are no mobile apps for this platform
- Once you buy a course, lifetime access is offered
- There are no monthly or annual fees
- The quality of courses varies as, on Udemy, anybody could become course instructors.
- The high-quality programs can be expensive
- You cannot take up many courses together
- The programs offered are related to requirements of the industry
- The program also offers mentorship by experts, and career guidance by industry experts
- Learners can complete their masters of PG diploma while they work
- The curriculum has been designed by industry experts
- The courses offered are of high quality
- The platform has partnered with top institutes and top industry experts
- Some Data science courses do not require knowledge of coding
- Dedicated mentors are allocated to every student
- You can get a certificate of completion from the courses
- They conduct mock interviews and help in building the resume
- The courses are of high levels of education
- Professionals can take up courses without leaving the job
- Each course is expensive and for a long duration
- The course requires dedication in terms of time and effort
- The courses are quite expensive