Michelle Stone
We’re often faced with situations that leave us questioning how exactly to make things happen. Whether it’s installing a tile backsplash or designing a 3D model for a larger project, sometimes we turn to alternative sources. Maybe we could enroll in a course that covers three months and costs thousands of dollars, but sometimes there’s no need.
For smaller tasks especially, seeking training outside a traditional classroom is sufficient and often better — specialized knowledge delivered right when you need it. In many ways, this sort of real-time knowledge acquisition is changing the way we innovate and collaborate.
YouTube and Podcasts
YouTube is good for a lot of things — passing time while your oil is getting changed, listening to music, and learning how to get certain things done. Across the web, there are a variety of tutorials that are great for people who need to see things happen. With standalone videos, in-depth tutorials and quick explanations for things, YouTube can be a great resource for engineers and makers at any levels. We keeps lots of fresh content on the Fusion 360 YouTube channel.
Similarly, you may also turn to podcasts, which offer useful audible explanations and deeper dives into the topics you care about. While you don’t get the bonus of a visual picture, podcasts are a great way to increase your knowledge in a different way while you’re completing other tasks.
Written Tutorials (and more)
Sites like I Like to Make Stuff offer a multitude of things to help you absorb new information — podcasts and tutorials, books, tool reviews, and accompanying videos. On a single site, unsure engineers can learn new things that could help further them in whatever project they’re working on. A user can enter the site without really knowing what sort of knowledge they’re looking for and leave smarter for having explored.
These sites are great options for individuals who aren’t quite sure what they want to learn, but know that they’re interested in broadening their knowledge base.
Be sure to check out the self-paced learning for Fusion 360. This site has lots of materials to help you get started when learning Fusion 360 or exploring a new-to-you area. Each course includes videos, step-by-step tutorials, and downloadable 3D models to help you learn Fusion 360 at your own pace.
Live Streams and Webinars
If you like the general feel of classroom learning, live streams and webinars are an excellent way to learn something new. While some of them lack the flexibility to complete the program on whatever your desired timeline might be (although recordings are often available), they provide an industry expert with teaching experience right at your fingertips. The human touch a live stream or webinar can bring may be exactly what you need to expand and retain your knowledge on a particular topic. Check out the 360 Live channel – it’s a collection of our past Livestreams for Fusion 360.
Fusion 360: Online communities and Support
Ultimately, modern-day tools have made classroom learning a thing of the past. Though engineers and makers might still enter classrooms, they’re also supported in a myriad of ways outside of that learning environment — and we’re all the better for it.
There are a lot of online communities for engineers and makers, which can be a great source of learning. If you have any specific question, an online community or tool-specific support board can be an excellent way to get you the information you need.
Fusion 360 is one tool that can let you take control of your education in ways you never imagined before. From user guides to community forums to self-guided courses, there are many communities out there, all waiting to teach you and learn alongside you. If you’re a current Fusion 360 subscriber, hope you’ve found a few new ways to continue to learn and get best practices.
Not a subscriber yet? Try Fusion 360 today and be sure to use all the great resources noted in this blog to get you up and running quickly!
