Video editors use a variety of programs to create their finished products, but Adobe Premiere Pro is generally considered industry-standard software. Final Cut Pro is a professional video editing program for Mac users, and Adobe After Effects is often used in conjunction with Premiere Pro to create and implement effects into video productions.
While people may automatically think of the film industry when they hear “video editing, ” the truth is that numerous industries and companies need video editing work done. Whether it’s for putting out video ads, putting together company training material, or splicing together plenty of other types of videos, being proficient at video editing is something many companies value. When searching for jobs, people will arguably find just as many, if not more, video editing positions available outside the entertainment space than inside.
However, for those who are interested in learning to edit video, it’s probably not enough to just take an introductory class and start sending out your applications. But that doesn’t mean you must commit to expensive four-year degree programs. Many certifications or certificate programs exist that will prepare you well for most entry-level video editing positions, and some of these programs, both in-person and online, are available in Chicago as well. Some of these programs focus on video editing more broadly while others specialize in teaching singular video editing programs.
Noble Desktop: Video Editing Certificate
Key Information: Noble Desktop’s Video Editing Certificate program is a live online course featuring 78 total hours of instruction. Tuition is $2,995, and this amount can be paid in full or through one of several interest-free financing options. Any individual module (or the entire program) can be retaken for free within one year. No prior knowledge of video editing is necessary for enrollment, but all participants should have basic computer skills and knowledge.
While the bulk of this program is focused on video editing, students will also learn audio editing and foundational skills for both motion graphics and animation to help them finish with a broader skill set. Programs students will learn to use include Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects, which are both part of Adobe Creative Cloud.
Five of Noble Desktop’s courses make up this program, and it’s suggested they be completed in this order: Premiere Pro Bootcamp, Premiere Pro Advanced, After Effects Bootcamp, Adobe Audition, Motion Graphics & Video Editing Portfolio Development. Finishing the program means you’ll have a demo reel of completed video editing projects that highlights your newly acquired skills in action; a demo reel serves as a great inclusion on most job applications.
This is a great program for those looking to start a career as a Video Editor, for web designers who want to expand their skill set, or for marketing professionals hoping to lead video-heavy campaigns in the near future. One key perk is that in addition to the 78 total course hours, students also get five 1-on-1 mentoring sessions where they can review their project portfolio with an expert instructor, ask questions about difficult-to-grasp concepts, and receive professional advice that will help them when they start applying for work.
NextGen Bootcamp: Video Editing & Animation Certificate
Key Information: NextGen Bootcamp’s Video Editing & Animation Certificate is conducted in a live online format and is open to high school students. The course totals 42 hours of instruction time and offers in-depth coverage of Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects. There is an early bird registration discount for the program, which totals $2,495. No prerequisites are required to enroll, but all students should at least be comfortable using a computer. This program is a great option for students who are interested in making video games and animations or want to edit footage for a social media account like a YouTube channel or Twitch stream.
For the video editing portion of the certificate program, students will focus on learning to use Premiere Pro, the industry-standard editing software. In this part of the program, students will learn to import footage, organize media in a timeline, color-correct video, and speed up and slow down video, among other essential editing techniques. The second part of the course will focus on using Adobe After Effects to create the kinds of animations found in TV shows, movies, and video games.
The video editing section lasts 18 hours while the animation section runs for 24 hours. Both units are incredibly hands-on, with students working on multiple real-world projects to learn the video editing and animation techniques used by professionals. Class sizes are also small, which is a big reason instructors can field plenty of questions and go further in-depth with their teaching.
Students who finish the course receive a certificate of completion, which demonstrates mastery of the curriculum to subsequent programs or employers that students apply for. All class sessions are recorded, and students can access these sessions up to one month after they happen.
Future Media Concepts: ACP Certification Prep Course for Premiere Pro
Key Information: Future Media Concepts’ (FMC) ACP Certification Prep Course for Premiere Pro is a six-hour workshop offered in multiple formats. The live online option is $299 while the prerecorded prep course is priced at $45. It’s strongly recommended that participants complete FMC’s Introduction to Premiere Pro and Premiere Pro Advanced courses before taking this prep course. Both of these prerequisite courses are available live online or in-person at FMC’s Chicago training facility. Completion of the prep course ensures students will be ready to register for the Adobe Certified Professional exam.
To ensure participants have a high chance of passing the ACP exam, this prep course covers crucial topics related to understanding and working in Premiere Pro. These topics include project setup, the software interface, organizing video projects, common editing techniques, and exporting and publishing media projects.
Students in the prep course will receive instruction from a certified Adobe Master Trainer. The instructor will walk students through multiple sample exams and help fill in any knowledge gaps along the way. The class also offers a bit of a forward gaze, covering some of the theory and rules for working in the production and post-production industries.
Certstaffix Training: Adobe Premiere Pro CC (2025) Course
Key Information: Certstaffix Training offers a three-day Adobe Premiere Pro course which can be used as preparation for the Adobe Certified Professional exam. The course is generally offered live online to individuals, but onsite and in-person options are also available to small groups of teams in Chicago. Group rates can be requested, but individual tuition is priced at $1,330 for the entire course. No prior experience with Premiere Pro is necessary.
This training will prepare participants with an understanding of Premiere Pro’s key features and editing techniques. These include organizing media, adding audio, creating transitions, creating titles, adding effects, color-correcting video, and adjusting playback speed just to name a few. While the course emphasizes mastery over basic techniques, several advanced techniques and features will be touched upon as well. The course’s final module teaches participants how to manage their projects.
While many will want to take the course to prepare for the ACP exam, finishing the course itself includes a certificate of completion, a digital badge, and free retakes of the course for up to six months. Note that the ACP exam must be taken through a third-party company; Certstaffix does not proctor their own ACP exams.
Ledet Training: Adobe Video 501—Adobe Video Professional Bootcamp
Key Information: Ledet’s Adobe Video Professional Bootcamp lasts five days and is available live online or in-person at their Chicago training center. This bootcamp combines Ledet’s Premiere 101 and After Effects 101 classes at a discounted rate of $2,199. While the class is appropriate for novice users of both Premiere Pro and After Effects, it’s recommended that participants have a basic working knowledge of Photoshop to get the most out of this bootcamp. After Effects and Premiere Pro should be installed on your computer before the course starts as well.
The first two days of the course will focus on Premiere Pro, where students will learn to efficiently and effectively produce professional video. Skills covered will include organizing media, making transitions, adding effects, and integrating and editing audio. The latter three days of the course will be spent learning After Effects. Here, participants will learn, among other things, how to animate text, create 3D designs and assets, and implement advanced motion techniques.
Course topics are geared towards student objectives and goals, meaning there’s some flexibility in how topics are presented and how quickly they are covered. Either way, students can consider this course good preparation for the ACP exam, but they should note that Ledet offers more advanced Premiere Pro courses as well if students want additional knowledge before taking an exam.
American Media Training: Premiere Training Class
Key Information: American Media Training offers a two-day beginner course and a two-day advanced course for Premiere Pro training, both of which are offered in-person in Chicago fairly frequently. Each class costs $895, which totals $1,790 for both classes, and each is taught by an Adobe Certified Expert. In addition to the public course offerings, American Media Training also offers private, customized Premiere Pro training that can be catered to their participant’s needs upon request. Assuming you start with the beginner course, there aren’t any necessary prerequisites to enrollment.
The Beginner Class covers the absolute basics of the software. These include understanding the interface, importing media, and making basic edits to clips. The course also helps participants learn how to edit audio, apply transitions and other effects, and export video. The Beginner Class concludes with a brief look at further enhancing Premiere Pro video with Adobe Encore, including how to add chapters and subtitles to video files. There are seven lesson modules in all.
The Advanced Class is split into eleven total lessons, most of which build upon material covered in the Beginner Class. Topics covered include how to adjust playback speed and incorporate things like slow-motion and reverse-motion techniques, how to enhance and correct color, and how to incorporate basic features of After Effects and Photoshop to enhance Premiere Pro video projects. You’ll spend more time learning about audio editing as well, including how to acquire your own audio by setting up a basic voice-recording area and practicing narration.
FAQ for Video Editing Certificates
What is the Difference Between a Certificate and a Certification?
It may seem like both options provide the same outcome, but there is a difference between certificates and certifications. Generally, a certificate is awarded to students who complete a training course. Depending on the course, students can be awarded a physical certificate or a digital badge that can be displayed on their LinkedIn profile. Students who want a certificate are most likely to receive one from bootcamps or programs that specify they confer certificates.
Certification, on the other hand, is given to students who pass an exam. Video editing courses that offer certification usually focus on a single program, with Adobe Premiere Pro and Apple’s Final Cut Pro being the usual software that aspiring video editors choose to be certified in. Video editors with certificates usually hold a combination rather than being certified in a single program. Popular certificates include the Apple Certified Professional certificate for Final Cut Pro, the Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) certificate for Premiere Pro, and the Digital Video Engineering Professional (DVEP) certificate.
Another key difference is that certificates will be given out by the school teaching the training course while certification exams are almost always administered by third parties. In addition to classes that focus on a single software application, some schools and programs also offer certification prep courses to help solidify the required knowledge and experience needed to pass an exam for certification. Participants are generally responsible for scheduling and paying for exams, though some courses will include exam fees in their tuition costs.
Should I Pursue a Certificate or a Certification?
The choice of whether to pursue a certificate or certification will largely depend on your professional goals. Certifications are usually a signal to employers that you’ve received some level of training in your field, and they’re great for job seekers or those otherwise shooting for entry-level positions. Working professionals can leverage certifications to work their way up in their industries; someone with certifications in Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Final Cut Pro will have a higher likelihood of settling into a higher position than someone with only a Premiere Pro certification, for example.
Certificate programs, while open and useful to those hoping to break into an industry, are often the go-to for mid-career professionals hoping to expand their current skill set or build upon current skills. Certificate programs will also often spend time focusing on recently-introduced industry practices, trends, and in-demand skills. Completing a certificate program can be beneficial to those looking to move up and occupy more senior positions in the workplace.
This is all to say that your decision of whether to go for a certification or complete a certificate program should primarily be made based on your current needs and skills. While certification classes are likely to be shorter in terms of total days spent, they also tend to be much more intensive because of this. You also need to be prepared to pay for and take one or multiple exams as part of your certification work. Certificate programs, while longer, are still highly valuable because of the balanced approach to learning new skills and polishing skills you currently have.
Do I Need to Become Certified to Find a Job?
While not all companies require certifications, some do require you to be certified to be considered for certain roles. Certification serves as proof that you can work with software that will be integral to carrying out the responsibilities of your job, and many employers prefer that kind of verification. Because certification exams are standardized, employers have immediate assurance you are at a necessary skill level when you are applying for or working in a given position with a certification in hand.
In some cases, companies may provide you with the necessary training and cover your exam costs for certification. Whether or not that’s the case, those interested in positions that require skills they don’t currently have should consider enrolling in a certificate or certification program.
What Certificate Program is Right for Me?
When considering what program to enroll in, always consider your learning needs and professional goals. Important elements to consider include how much time you’re willing and able to dedicate to a program, what the commute is like, and whether you prefer learning in a traditional classroom setting or on your own with self-paced programs and learning materials.
Which is Better: In-Person or Online Classes
In-person classes offer a traditional classroom experience taught by expert instructors. Many people thrive in this sort of learning environment, though you will need to commute to a physical location when you enroll in in-person certificate or certification programs. This means that you’ll need to factor both the class times and commute times into your schedule before committing to such a program. Another benefit to in-person classes is the opportunity to meet new people with similar interests and network with other professionals.
Online classes are also taught by expert instructors, but online programs offer a bit more flexibility in how they are structured and delivered. For one, there’s no commute involved since you can take the class from the comfort of your home or office. Classes are taught over video conferencing platforms like Zoom, but one price for this convenience is there will likely be decreased opportunities for socialization and networking. This is doubly true for asynchronous online programs that are self-paced.
Which is Better: Live Online or Asynchronous Classes?
Live online classes are similar to in-person classes; both are led by expert instructors who will guide participants through the material and be available to answer questions as they arise. Live online classes are also scheduled in similar ways to in-person classes, so students need to make sure they’re available during set meeting times to attend classes.
Asynchronous classes are on-demand, so participants get the freedom to go through the material at their own pace and on their own schedules, though some programs have specified durations that they need to complete the program or class within. While some asynchronous classes may provide access to a mentor or supervisor to reach out to with questions or concerns, others might not.
In the end, your decision may hinge on which is more important: a traditional classroom experience where you can ask questions and get answers as they arise, or the ability to go through course materials at your own pace.