General course information
Courses offered
A complete overview of all courses we offer can be found in our course list and schedule.
What's in it for you?
All our courses are designed with the same central question in mind: “what knowledge and skills bring the largest benefits to our course participants?” Everything you learn in our courses must have a demonstrable practical value in your day-to-day work. If it doesn't, it's not getting in.
That doesn't mean we resort to teaching you just a bag of tricks. On the contrary: we are convinced that the right amount of overview and background provide the necessary foundation for applying your newly-achieved practical knowledge and skills in the broadest possible way. But the operative words here are “the right amount”. We only cover what is truly relevant.
A couple of weeks before your course starts, we will call you for a 20–30 minute intake. We want to make sure that your learning goals are clear to you and to us. We will briefly talk about your experience and your daily work, and uncover from what particular skills and knowledge you would benefit most. Next, we will discuss if there is anything you can or should do to prepare for the course. Although not required, you are encouraged to submit sample documents that are representative of your daily work, and that give an indication of your current skill level (requirements documents, system designs, source code, etc.). This way, we can tailor the course towards your needs, and give you valuable feedback as well.
We dare to ask you: how much more relevant and to the point can a course get?
Audience participation recommended
Sit back and enjoy the course… but don't sit back too much. Practising the skills to be learned is essential to mastery. But only perfect practice makes perfect.
Consider for instance a three-day intermediate or advanced programming course. In such a course, there is little value in spending a significant part of the course hours behind the computer, typing in source code (for introductory level courses, this dóes make sense). In the more advanced courses, the learning goal is not to learn basic language features, and to get your program to compile, run, and behave correctly. Instead, the point is to think about the more complex decisions you make while programming, to consider alternatives, and to discuss your ideas with your peers so that both of you learn from the discussion. That is not to say you shouldn't apply what you learned to real programs—just not during course hours.
The same principles apply, mutatis mutandis, for learning other topics, such as requirements analysis, object-orientation, or UML.
Setting the right mood
The course environment plays an important supportive role in the learning experience. Don't underestimate the positive influence of a modern building in a quiet part of the city, with a nicely decorated interior. Or of training rooms with sufficient daylight, comfortable chairs, ample writing space, and modern AV equipment that just works. Or of coffee lounges with fresh coffee and tea, soda, and some sweet snacks in the afternoon. BCN Utrecht offers all that, plus a great lunch restaurant, free Wi-Fi internet, free parking, and more. We are happy to be able to offer our courses in such an inspiring and supportive environment.
The bottom line
You want to take courses that give you the knowledge and skills that matter, and that are well-worth the investment. You want to maximise the result of the courses you take by practising in the most effective way. And you want to follow these courses in a pleasant environment that supports your learning.
Try us. You won't regret it. Take a look at what we have to offer, and register today.
“The right stuff, taught the right way, in the right environment.”