What RPA training programs are available?

RPA training programs come in several forms: online courses, bootcamps, vendor-specific training and university programs. Most basic training courses last 2-8 weeks, while advanced certifications can take 3-6 months. You can choose between free online materials, paid courses starting at €500, or intensive bootcamps up to €5000. The right choice depends on your current technical background, available time and career goals.

What are the different types of RPA training programs?

RPA training programs fall into four main categories, each with its own target groups and learning objectives. Online courses offer the most flexibility and are ideal for working professionals who want to learn at their own pace. They range from short introductions of a few hours to comprehensive programs of 40-60 hours spread over 6-12 weeks.

Bootcamps are intensive, hands-on training courses that typically last 1-4 weeks with full-time commitment. They focus on rapid skill development through hands-on projects and are perfect for people who want to move quickly into an RPA role. The learning curve is steep but effective.

Vendor-specific training programs are offered by the makers of RPA platforms themselves. These programs focus on one specific tool and lead directly to official certifications. They usually combine online modules with hands-on workshops and last between 2-8 weeks depending on the level.

University programs integrate RPA into broader IT or business administration curricula. These are the most comprehensive but also time-consuming, ranging from semester-long modules to complete master’s specializations. They offer the most theoretical depth and business context.

Which RPA certifications are the most valuable?

The most highly valued RPA certifications come from established technology vendors and accredited educational institutions. Platform-specific certifications demonstrate direct practical skills and are rated highest by employers because they demonstrate proven competency in concrete tools.

Vendor-independent certifications are also valuable because they validate general RPA knowledge. These certifications focus on process analysis, automation strategy and change management – skills that are universally applicable regardless of the platform used.

Academic certifications from universities and colleges offer the most credibility in traditional business environments. They combine RPA knowledge with broader business and IT concepts, which is especially valuable for management and consulting roles.

Professional certifications from industry associations are becoming increasingly important as RPA matures. These focus on best practices, governance and ethics of automation – critical competencies for senior RPA professionals making strategic decisions.

How much time does it take to learn RPA skills?

Basic skills in RPA can be developed within 2-4 weeks if you study 2-3 hours daily. This includes understanding RPA concepts, working with a visual development environment and building simple automations for standard tasks such as data entry and file processing.

Advanced skills require 3-6 months of intensive study and practice. Here you will learn to design complex workflows, implement exception handling, work with databases and build integrations. Your background plays a big role: people with programming experience learn faster than complete beginners.

Expert level you reach only after 12-18 months of hands-on experience combined with ongoing training. This includes enterprise architecture, process mining, AI integration and leading RPA transformations. Practical experience is more important here than theoretical knowledge.

Learning time depends greatly on your starting point. IT professionals with scripting experience can be productive within 6-8 weeks, while business users with no technical background need 12-16 weeks for the same level. Daily practice speeds up the learning process considerably.

What does RPA training cost and are there free alternatives?

RPA training varies tremendously in cost depending on format and depth. Free options are certainly available through online platforms, vendor documentation and open source learning materials. These offer solid basics but often lack hands-on guidance and certification.

Paid online courses cost between €200-1500 and provide structured learning paths with support. Bootcamps range from €2000-5000 but deliver intensive, hands-on training with immediate applicability. University programs cost the most but also offer the most credibility.

Free alternatives include vendor documentation, YouTube tutorials, community forums and trial versions of RPA platforms. Many vendors offer free basic training courses to promote their platform. These are excellent for orientation but limited for professional development.

Grants and vouchers are often available through employers, industry associations or government schemes for in-service training. Many companies invest in RPA training and RPA software for employees as part of digital transformation. Always inquire about available funding opportunities before paying for them yourself.

How do you choose the right RPA training for your situation?

Choose the right RPA training by first getting your current situation and goals clear. Determine your technical background, available time, budget and desired career direction. An IT professional has different needs than a business analyst or manager who wants to implement RPA.

Consider your learning style and availability. Online courses offer flexibility but require self-discipline. Bootcamps deliver quick results but require full commitment. Vendor-specific courses are practical but limit you to one platform. University programs offer depth but take a lot of time.

Always test free materials before investing in paid training. Try trial versions of RPA platforms to discover which one fits your workflow. Read reviews from other participants and make sure the training is current – RPA evolves quickly.

We have accumulated 15 years of hands-on experience when process automation was in its infancy. Our expertise has evolved from traditional RPA to what we now call Agentic AI: an evolution from executive bots to AI-driven intelligence that not only follows instructions, but takes initiative and acts independently. We offer customized solutions with standard building blocks – no costly customization, but smart combination of proven modules. With us you get everything under one roof: from development to implementation, management and support. Our **ISO 27001** certification guarantees information security, complemented by ISO 9001 and ISO 26000 for quality and social responsibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I learn RPA without programming experience?

Yes, modern RPA platforms are designed for users without programming knowledge. They use visual drag-and-drop interfaces that allow you to build workflows by dragging and connecting elements. However, basic knowledge of logic and process thinking does help make faster progress.

Which RPA platform should I choose to start with?

For beginners, we recommend UiPath Community Edition because of its extensive free training and active community. Alternatives are Microsoft Power Automate (well integrated with Office) or Automation Anywhere (user-friendly interface). Start with the free versions to discover which suits you best.

How do I know if an RPA training is current and relevant?

Check that the training covers the latest versions of RPA platforms and discusses recent trends such as AI integration. Look at the publication date of materials, read recent reviews from participants, and check if instructors are active in the RPA community. Training older than 2 years is often outdated.

What are the most common mistakes when learning RPA?

Beginners often focus too much on technical details and forget the business context. Other common mistakes are: choosing too complex processes for first projects, not paying enough attention to exception handling, and ignoring security and governance aspects. Always start with simple, repetitive tasks.

How can I get hands-on experience without an RPA job?

Create personal automation projects with free RPA tools, for example automating your own administration or data analysis. Participate in online RPA challenges, build a portfolio on GitHub, and find internship or volunteer projects at local companies that want to explore RPA.

What soft skills are important besides technical RPA knowledge?

Process analysis and problem-solving skills are crucial to identifying automation opportunities. Communication skills help explain RPA to stakeholders, while project management is essential for implementations. Change management becomes increasingly important as RPA transforms organizations.

How do I keep up with the rapid developments in RPA and AI?

Follow RPA blogs and vendor newsletters, join LinkedIn groups and Discord communities, and attend webinars and conferences. Experiment regularly with new features in your chosen platform and participate in beta programs. Also consider subscribing to specialized RPA publications.

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Joost Schaap-Account manager Pegamento

Joost Schaap

Senoir Account Manager

When a customer contacts an organization because they have a complaint, it is crucial that the employee of the organization begin by listening carefully. What does this complaint mean for the customer and also for their own organization? How can this complaint be resolved? After listening carefully the employee needs the right information so that a solution can be offered.

This piece was written by Joost Schaap, working as an Account Manager at Pegamento.

Tim Treurniet-AI developer Pegamento

Tim Treurniet

Designer of Intelligent Systems

Real childhood heroes I never had. But in retrospect, I believe figures like Willie Carrot or Dexter’s lab may have had an influence on me. I get energy from actually making innovative and useful products myself. Nothing like seeing the effect of a project that automates a boring task, or makes a complex process suddenly accessible.

A nice bridge to my photograph is the physical aspect of my work. By working with image recognition, I am often very directly connected to the physical world and my work is more than just programming. For example, our image recognition software ensures safety on bridges, tracks players on a soccer field or uses your own smartphone to accurately measure yourself. This combination between physical and digital provides variety and extra challenge. For me, these are the main reasons for my interest and enthusiasm in what I do!

This piece was written by Tim Treurniet, employed Designer of intelligent systems at Pegamento.

Vera van der Plas-UI-UX designer

Vera van der Plas

UI/UX Designer

As a UX/UI designer, I deal daily with transforming complex data into user-friendly visualizations. All of this topped off with a digital lick of paint which should attract the visitor’s attention to take action.

One of the interesting aspects of this field I find the effects that small tweaks, both textual and visual, can have on conversion. The psychological impact that a simple background color of a CTA button has on our behavior is huge. After all, that color can determine whether or not you are going to buy that product.

What we see and how our brains process and interpret this information fascinates me. The possibilities of subconsciously pointing potential customers in your chosen direction are endless. I hope to apply my expertise more often within our solutions in the future.

This piece was written by Vera van der Plas, working as a UX/UI Designer at Pegamento.

Fouad Rahaoui-Finance Pegamento

Fouad Rahaoui

Financial Controller

A Financial Controller within a company should not only be an expert in Finance. You must also have knowledge of the latest IT developments. Because these are also moving very quickly in the world of Finance.

At Pegamento, I can learn all about the latest IT developments. Like the latest development in the field of Machine learning and deep learning.

Through these application areas, as Financial Controller, I can further automate the financial business processes within Pegamento and implement improvements for the automatic processing of financial data.

This piece was written by Fouad Rahaoui, working as a Financial Controller at Pegamento.

Ernst Vegter-Business consultant Pegamento

Ernst Vegter

Business Consultant

Hospitality is one of my deepest motivations.
Not surprisingly, of course, customer service is a common thread in my career. Aspects of hospitality is being able to connect, to facilitate but mainly to make someone feel genuinely welcome. My intuition is my greatest asset to be able to put myself in the shoes of a guest. A customer is my guest.

Fed by various senses, an image forms around the client. I listen to what is being said, watch facial expressions, taste the underlying tone and get a feel for the challenge to be addressed. An image literally forms on my retina. I have to be able to see it. If I can see it, I can create it.

In this, the trick is to pursue simplicity, give the client a warm feeling that the problem is understood, receive good advice, facilitated and carefully guided to the solution. Trust, connect and unburden.

The feeling when a guest arrives at your hotel after a long tiring journey, can sit in front of the fireplace, be handed a good glass of wine and stare carefree at the fire. My guest knows it will be okay.

This piece was written by Ernst Vegter, working as a Business Consultant at Pegamento.

Gunisch-AI developer Pegamento

Gunish Alag

AI Developer

A picture is worth a thousand words, is an expression most of us have heard. We see a lot of things around us on a daily basis and subconciously have the ability to recognize and understand them. This ability of humans to me seems bizarre.

As a computer vision developer at Pegamento that is what I do, break down complex problems and turn them into solutions using images by meticulously extracting useful data.
With the world moving forward and new technologies emerging, complicated problems which were difficult to solve a decade earlier suddenly seem possible and viable. The future is full of new challenges and I look forward to them.

This story is written by Gunish, working as an AI developer at Pegamento.

Ewold Jansen-Service engineer Pegamento

Ewold Jansen

Service & Support Engineer

Hearing the wishes a customer has or the problems a customer is facing is important in order to then be able to help them properly. In both cases, I help find the right solution.

When the customer comes to us with a desire, they don’t know what all the options are. In this I advise them to make the right choices. When problems arise, listening to them is important. For example, a problem arises from a wrong action. By communicating well in this, many problems can be solved quickly by explaining it well. Through poor communication, a small problem can become very big.

This piece was written by Ewold Jansen, working as a Service & Support Engineer at Pegamento.

Andre Glasbergen-Scrum master Pegamento

Andre Glasbergen

Scrum Master

After completing my studies, I started working as a developer at a young Pegamento with a lot of ambition and enthusiasm. In the first years I learned all about process automation, now better known as RPA. I often had to rack my brains to convert the work instruction into a logical function, with not too many If-statements, so that the robot could perform the work.

I developed further and went to work as a consultant. Listening well to the customer and supporting in the pre-sales phase of projects. Executing projects and listening suited me very well. It was a small, but logical, step to now work as a Scrum Master and Project Manager. I have been supervising projects for a few years now. Such as RPA, Cloud applications and AI, according to the Human lead agile approach, We build this with a large team of specialists.

This piece was written by André Glasbergen, working as a Scrum Master at Pegamento.

Ensar Ari-IT engineer Pegamento

Ensar Ari

IT Engineer

Good communication between customer and organization is very important. As an organization, you naturally want to be easily accessible to your customers. Either via social media channels or via the old familiar telephone. Often organizations do not know exactly how they want their telephone line set up. That is why I like to help them think along and give them ideas. I believe there is a solution to every problem. But sometimes you just need someone who looks at the situation a little differently.

This piece was written by Ensar Ari, working as an IT Engineer at Pegamento.

Nini Heerings-Chief Happiness Officer Pegamento

Nini Heerings

Chief Happiness Officer

“You get to know someone better by playing for an hour than by talking for a year.”

This quote from Plato is totally hitting home for me. That’s why I like to connect people through play. Because while playing, you are totally on, all your senses at work.
In my great role as Chief Happiness Officer, I want to do that by connecting colleagues with each other and with the organization. In a creative and playful way that suits Pegamento.

When I’m not at work, I also enjoy connecting people. I do this by organizing The Playground, where adults play games you used to play in the schoolyard, gymnasium or neighborhood playground. The pure feeling of fun, total relaxation and no thoughts of anything but playing. That feeling is the goal.

This piece was written by Nini, working as Chief Happiness Officer at Pegamento.

Ger Koedam-Communication & Marketing Pegamento

Ger Koedam

Marketing & Communications

How can I help you? That’s pretty much the first question I ask when talking to people who are curious about our services. In such a conversation, the use of senses is very important. Because not everyone is the same. One person thinks in images, while for another words are important or how something feels. For me, sight and hearing are the most beautiful senses, because both eyes and ears absorb information and can convey or process emotions.

Why hearing? Because listening is essential in contact. And it’s the key to unlocking valuable insights.

I developed this skill early on. As a child, I enjoyed radio plays on the radio, bringing the stories to life in my head.

Pim Ritmijer-Software developer Pegamento

Pim Ritmeijer

Software Developer

Programming is more than just “code knocking. For me, listening to what the customer wants and visualizing that is an important part of software development.

Actively listening to a customer to understand the customer’s full story is crucial before building a solution. When you understand a customer’s story, you can think together about a solution that truly helps the customer.

Visualizing solutions is the next step for me. What will be the route we will climb to get to a solution? What challenges are we going to face to get to the top?

Like climbing, good preparation is valuable. Even though you can’t prepare for everything, preparation helps make the application fit the client’s needs as well as possible.

What a beautiful and fascinating profession programming is.

This piece was written by Pim Ritmeijer, working as a Software Developer at Pegamento.

Denise Verhoef-Software developer Pegamento

Denise Verhoef

Software Developer

Hearing is something you do a lot of as a programmer but also thinking, for example, when you are tasked with putting together a customer need. If the customer wants a function for his application, it is important that as a programmer you think carefully about which functions are functional and which functions are not. In this way, you will put together the most functional application possible and the customer will have a good end product. Turning needs into code into functionality is something I find interesting.

I am currently doing an internship at Pegamento and studying Software Developer. I get a lot of information that you have to process and apply. The nice thing about this is that you can learn new things but also that you can experience how it works in real business. I started this training last year and knew nothing about programming beforehand. Now I can find my own way with programming and I enjoy working with it. That you can get from a blank page to a functional application through code is cool!

This piece was written by Denise Verhoef, working as a Software Developer intern at Pegamento.

Remco Pabst-Business consultant Pegamento

Remco Pabst

Computer Vision & AI Lead

Using innovative software technology for people or business to make “things” easier and smarter is really a driving force. That’s why the connection between the senses appeals to me the most. Our brains connect the senses just like a business process connects people, systems (data) and logic. They register and trigger an action, exactly how it should be in an optimal workflow. Very cool what is already possible today when we add a lot of computational power to that as well.

Hearing also means a lot. Not because I like to listen to Jazz, Soul, Deep House or Focus-like music every day AND have to be able to listen well to interpret a wish or pain point, but more because not everyone can have all the senses at their disposal. Think of him or her with a visual impairment. The fact that in close cooperation we were able to apply AI, TTS/STT technology (which is still in development) for this often underserved group of people in today’s digital world and to improve the interaction and experience with it gives me a lot of energy and meaning to what I try to do with technology; create value.

This piece was written by Remco, working as a Business Consultant at Pegamento.

Thomas de Wolf-Vision Engineer Pegamento

Thomas de Wolf

R&D Director

Once when I had to choose which study I was going to do, I had a hard time making that choice. I was interested in engineering, but what I most wanted to do was just work with a team toward a common goal.

To this day, that is still what I love doing most. The technology has become image recognition and the team the computer vision department of Pegamento. So it’s logical that in terms of sense, I end up with “seeing. By using our image recognition solutions to see things in the real world, our entire team solves relevant problems for our customers. And because of the variation in customers, the places where our solutions end up are never the same. For example, one moment I am in the control room of a bridge and the next day I am on a production line for sandwiches or between the fences of a TBS clinic.

This piece was written by Thomas de Wolf, working as a Computer Vision & AI Lead at Pegamento.

Rob Roode-Research Development

Rob Roode

Research & Development

Recognizing and automating patterns. Tasks we are constantly working on when implementing our robots at Pegamento. My 2 Drentsche Patrijshonden are hunting dogs and certainly not robots. The hunting instinct and intuition is basically in their genes. Continuing to offer new forms of training has taught them to recognize and act independently in hunting situations. Even “unsupervised,” even if I’m not around.

But when you try to teach a brain something, it also starts to see things you don’t expect. Dogs pick up on the slightest deviation in your voice or directions. To start recognizing that and correcting it again is perhaps the most complex challenge. But in our work, for the wonderful clients for whom we get to work, it often yields the most beautiful new insights!

This piece was written by Rob, founder of Pegamento and in charge of Marketing and R&D.

Serge Poppes-CEO Pegamento

Serge Poppes

CEO

Feeling. That’s the best thing Pegamento stands for. Feeling for technology in the broadest sense of the word. Not only feeling for the exciting stuff like AI, but also for the basics of communication.

The very best part of my job is selling, listening, translating and thinking about what really matters. We bring the digital transformation with a great team!
The diversity of our team, how sharp we are, but especially the wonderful things we get to make makes me feel extremely good. Hence, I intuitively chose the sense of “feeling.

Feeling gives life and differentiation!