After posting my last article, Jumping into Adobe AEM Development, I received an email from a reader with a very valid question: What training resources are available for those who are not a Partner and wanting to learn more about AEM?
Great question. This short answer is, there are training options available for non-partners. But first let me tell you what’s available as a Solution Partner:
As a Partner, any contact can utilize the Solution Partner Portal and get:
- AEM Download (Sandbox available for Business-level Partners and above)
- Access to the Adobe Demo Hub
- Access to free subsidized online training (270+ courses)
- Communications and Updates on Solutions
- Access to hundreds of assets and collateral
- Discounts on Adobe Training Services (ATS) courses
- And more. I personally use the Solution Partner Portal at least once per day.
But if you’re not with an approved Partner, or don’t work for a customer who has purchased AEM, then your access and resources would be very limited.
This is a huge issue since the AEM community does not have access to experienced, fresh talent. A company can’t hire someone unless they’ve been part of the Partner ecosystem at some point and has learned the product through that means. So, the company has to blindly hire the smartest developer they can find, cross their fingers, and put them through either on-the-job training or formal Adobe Training Services training – all while the project finish line never moves. Just throwing them onto a project without AEM exposure means cutting corners or understanding AEM development best practices. So, if your organization it not a Partner, get enrolled now. I can’t stress that enough.
If you’re not a Partner, the main resource would be Adobe Training Services, where you can pay for AEM Courses and get hands-on experience with the Solution and, during the course period, get hands on access to the software. I would recommend using Adobe Training Services as the primary training resource to learn more about AEM. You can also access – for free – the Adobe Experience Manager Developer Site, which contains lots of helpful information on AEM.
Adobe AEM The Right Way 