The robotic process automation (RPA) industry is set to grow rapidly in the years ahead. By 2032, experts say, the RPA market will be valued at over 80 billion USD. As more companies aim to automate their business processes, it will create countless job opportunities.
However, since the RPA field is so new and evolving at such a rapid pace, a lot of workers are going to have to reskill. Even those already working with RPA bots must constantly upgrade their skill sets to stay abreast of the latest developments and advancements—especially as generative AI grows more powerful in its own right.
There are a variety of robotic process automation certification programs available, including from trusted sources for continued learning like Coursera. Unfortunately, RPA is so new that many universities do not yet offer high-quality RPA-specific training programs.
However, numerous RPA software vendors, training centers, and experts have stepped forward to provide training and certificate programs via online courses. By increasing access to the learning materials, busy professionals can still acquire the skills they need to work in RPA.
Some courses teach people how to use specific RPA platforms—ending with certification exams to verify the lessons learned. Others take a more general approach. Likewise, some programs are free while others are paid, and some are conducted in-person but many can be completed online at your own pace.
The plethora of training options and the projected growth of the RPA industry makes it ideal for people looking to reskill and those who want to make an entry into digital transformation. Even if you don’t want to work directly in RPA, but do want to understand how it could impact your business, a certification program can get you up to speed.
Let’s take a look at some of the more popular RPA training programs, as well as their costs and requirements.
An overview of popular RPA certification and training programs.
Below are some of the many popular RPA training programs. The right one for you depends largely on your career goals and ambitions.
UiPath Academy Online Training Program: UiPath offers an RPA platform. Their academy offers training programs for many different roles and needs, including:
- A general RPA awareness course that’s great for business leaders.
- An RPA Business analyst course for those interested in this particular career.
- Training for updates to the UiPath platform.
- Educational opportunities for those interested in AI.
Most of the courses in the UiPath Academy are free and can be taken online at your own pace.
Udemy Crisper Learning for Robotics Process Automation: CRISPER has emerged as one of the hottest topics in biotechnology and already RPA skills are proving useful. Learn how CRISPER and RPA can work alongside one another. Developed by RPA thought leader Viabhav Jain, you can sign up for this program for $19.99 through Udemy.
Udemy UiPath RPA training course: Another Udemy course, this one will help you dive deeper into the UiPath platform. You will learn more about developing and implementing RPA programs. The instructor-led course is taught by advanced RPA expert Bryan Lamb. While the official price is $199, it can often be purchased for a substantial discount.
RPA Academy Online RPA Training: With this course, you can get certified by Blue Prism with costs between $499 to $2499, depending on the option and certificate selected.
Multisoft Virtual Academy Robotics Process Automation Online Training: If you are an IT professional and want to learn more about RPA, case management, Blue Prism’s Robotic Automation, and other topics that could impact you, this is a great course. It costs $590 and is taught with live instructors every Saturday and Sunday.
MindMajix RPA Training: This course focuses more specifically on RPA development and design. So, if you want to design and develop RPA programs, it’s a great choice. Both live sessions and pre-recorded training seminars are available. The cost of the course varies.
Should you undergo RPA developer certification?
McKinsey believes that RPA will be one of the most crucial industries in the years ahead and that the RPA market could have a potential economic impact of $6.7 trillion dollars by 2025. Even if you don’t want to work as an RPA professional, it’s certainly a vital field to understand—for anyone working in the digital workforce or with big data.
Mid-level project managers, for example, will be able to prepare themselves for future changes and RPA implementations, while senior leaders will develop an understanding of how RPA could impact their business processes. And, of course, those who want to work directly in RPA tools as solution architects, identifying automation opportunities, building and maintaining systems etc., will be able to acquire the needed skills.