AR and VR are quickly becoming two of the tech industry’s most booming fields in Canada since they are estimated to have an $8 billion market size by the end of 2022. With more immersive games and concepts like the Metaverse emerging, there is a dire need for more AR and VR employees. If you are hoping to be one of these employees, you need to take AR/VR courses first.
Thanks to the internet, there are many paid and free AR/VR courses that you can take online. While you can learn a lot from self-learning with free courses, paid structured courses have many advantages as well.
Excellent Sources for Free Learning
Even if these sources will not give you certification, some helpful places you can learn about AR and VR online include:
Online Learning Platforms
While some online schools charge for paid courses, there are online schools that offer courses or tutorials free of charge. For instance, Unity offers a free training program through Unity Learn Premium. This is free if you are 16 years old or older and are still studying.
Unity Learn Premium offers a wide array of learning sources, such as hands-on projects like post-processing color grading and how to monetize your games. Another learning platform to check out is Unreal Engine, which is best for budding game developers.
In their online learning marketplace, there is a variety of downloadable and free tutorials. Most of the tutorials focus on 3D development, particularly for games.
YouTube Tutorials and Workshops
YouTube is home to thousands of videos on AR and VR-related topics that can help you learn. While you can type AR and VR tutorials in YouTube’s search bar, there are a few YouTube channels you should watch out for.
For instance, Circuit Stream’s YouTube channel has Unity videos for beginners. These will help you grasp the concepts and fundamentals of Unity, which is one of the most popular software programs for game development.
Moreover, Circuit Stream’s YouTube channel features AR and VR workshops, which give you a feel of their paid workshops, boot camps, and courses.
Brackeys also deserves a special mention. He’s famous for uploading AR and VR tutorials on the platform. Sadly, he stopped making tutorials, but there are still hundreds of videos you can learn from.
What You Get From Paid Courses
Free online learning sources are fantastic, but they are not perfect. You can only learn so much from free learning materials, and you will not be given certification.
Free Learning Sources
When you opt for free learning sources or on-demand courses, you will have a limited learning experience. For instance, they do not give you live interaction to immerse yourself because there is no teacher or other forms of support while you learn.
Notably, the main issue with free learning sources is that the curriculum, tutorials, etc. can get outdated. Since the learning materials are free, the creators will not likely be so inclined to update their learning materials.
However, you can still learn a great deal from them, especially if their information is relatively up to date. Unity Learn and Unreal have fairly updated programs and tutorials. Udemy and Coursera also have decent courses worth checking out.
Paid and Live Courses
The benefits of live paid courses far outweigh the ones you get from free learning sources. Moreover, these paid courses often give you certification to prove that you have AR and VR skills.
Superior Educational Structures
Live paid courses offer more care when it comes to learning structures. Experts and teachers create a well-thought-out learning structure. These structures allow students to gain knowledge steadily throughout the course.
Hands-On Support
One of the primary benefits of paid courses is access to the teachers. Teachers will focus on giving you adaptive learning opportunities. This means that they will adjust their teaching methods accordingly to cater to your needs when possible.
Teachers will also help you stay accountable for your progress, which is crucial when you study online. These teachers will also support you by evaluating your progress whilst showing you how you can improve.
Get a Certificate With Paid AR/VR Courses
It is easier to get a job in tech when you have an AR/VR certificate to prove your skills. Circuit Stream and the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies have two courses: XR Development with Unity and Interaction Design & Prototyping for XR. You can also get certified through Unity Game Development Bootcamp.
