How can I tell if an IT training school’s course content is out of date?

Begin with the materials. Ask for the outline of each course and the date it was last revised. Open some lessons and look at the screenshots, tools and examples. If the course still shows an interface that has changed, or tasks that are now automated, that tells you how long it has been since anyone looked.

Then look outside the school. Ask instructors what has changed in their field and what they have added on their own. Talk to employers who have hired graduates, and to recent graduates themselves. Were they ready on their first day? What did they have to learn afterward? Their answers matter more than the school’s own description.

Finally, learn the process. Who owns each course, who decides what to update, and how much time is set aside for it? Courses written by one instructor who has left are a particular worry. Ask what updating would cost in staff time, and whether any course should be retired. If a course leads to an outside credential, check with that body about changes to its exam. Your own review of dated, ownerless courses will shape your plan. A school can also freshen content gradually instead of rewriting everything, but ask whether changes to a course need sign-off from a regulator or accrediting body. Ask to see any plan for changes and the staff time it needs, because that cost and who pays it will land on you.

Key takeaways

• Check the last revision date and the tools shown in each course.
• Ask recent graduates and employers whether the skills matched the job.
• Find out who owns each course and who is responsible for updates.