Fantom Factory eLearning OR SkySpark Essentials?
Published on 04 May 2021 by Emma Eynon
Updated on 24 Feb 2022
Customers new to our eLearning often ask the question:
"How does Fantom Factory training compare with SkySpark Essentials?"
Well, there are a few key differences between the two so, in the name of transparency, we've outlined them below.
1. Business model
SkyFoundry as the product owner, has access to all of the very latest SkySpark changes and features. They are ideally suited to provide "existing SkySpark users" with advanced feature training and to help businesses understand how to maximise their use of the SkySpark product.
Fantom Factory as an accredited training organisation is dedicated to providing excellent training courses, with a focus on helping onboard new starters (and upskill existing users) to ensure a good foundation of knowledge for technical products - including SkySpark.
2. Training format
SkySpark Essentials was originally designed as a presentation session for SkyFoundry to deliver small, informal, and in person training sessions - a relatively quick overview of using the product. It was created as a series of PowerPoint slides to highlight and present key information for a live trainer to use in class.
Fantom Factory Core Training is specially designed for eLearning delivery with the highest attention paid to the digital learning experience. Using a mixture of multimedia, display layouts, interactive questions, and consolidation training techniques we deliver professional training for any learning style or skill level.
3. Curriculum
SkySpark Essentials has a curriculum defined by the SkyFoundry senior leadership team with the aim of covering everything deemed essential for the entire product in one course.
Fantom Factory Core Training has a carefully designed syllabus of key learning points, essential for teaching a solid foundation of knowledge in what we consider to be very different SkySpark "disciplines" or "roles".
Both offerings cover a similar set of syllabus topics, however, we feel Fantom Factory Core Training offers a significantly larger depth of coverage.
4. Certification
SkySpark Essentials offers SkyFoundry certification for passing an end of course assessment. This is arranged separately to the training and should only be attempted once you have gained significant independant experience with SkySpark. There is no published curriculum for the test, although it is heavily weighted towards Axon programming.
Fantom Factory Core Training have a published key syllabus of training content and objectives.
- Students are awarded a "Certificate of Attendance" after completing the training content. This qualifies you for units/hours towards "Continued Professional Development".
- Our end of course assessments are designed around the learning points that have been delivered, demonstrated, and tested as part of the course. Passing the assessment earns you our "Certificate of Exellence" which guarantees an understanding of the published course syllabus.
5. Onboarding
Arranging to attend SkySpark Essentials requires:
- Manual enrolment procedures and logins over emails
- Pre-requisite training to understand a basic level of SkySpark
- A SkySpark licence of 220 points minimum to run the "demo project"
- A SkySpark software installation to use the "demo project"
- Scheduled training sessions in the US / EST timezone
Fantom Factory Core Training only requires that you:
- Create a free website account
- Enter a purchased training access code
- Learn at any time that suits you!
6. Duration
SkySpark Essentials runs over 3 days, with an emphasis on learning Axon programming for the third day - which may be optional dependant on the student's capability.
Fantom Factory Core Training is self-paced allowing students to truly understand the training before moving on.
- All 3 Core Training courses can be completed in as few as 5 days.
- Our additional Axon Programmer course is generally completed within an extra 3-5 days.
7. Cost
SkySpark Essentials | Fantom Factory Core Training | |
|---|---|---|
$990 (web version) | $740 (for all 3 courses) | |
extras: | $920 (220 point licence) | $395 (for Axon Programmer) |
8. Experience (the fun factor!)
Hey, let's not forget the student experience in all of this either!
SkySpark Essentials is an information-heavy presentation delivered in a class or over a webinar. Training in groups can make it hard to allow for personal development and the scheduling can restrict valuable question and answer sessions.
It is taught to complete beginners and experienced SkySpark users at the same time, which can either leave you feeling overwhelmed or eager for more advanced content - dependening on where you sit.
Fantom Factory Core Training is designed to hold student engagement with a gradual build up of content and meaningful consolidation exercises.
Students train individually at their own pace, earning achievements through measurable interactive questions that give personal feedback on progress and development.
Not only that, but we've built our training around a fictional story universe with fun characters and scenarios which alleviate training stress and provide in-training distractions to keep motivation high!
Oh, and our feedback is mostly 5-stars!
Our summary
SkySpark Essentials
As the product owner, SkyFoundry is well suited to deliver targeted training on advanced and new SkySpark features.
Fantom Factory Core Training
As a profesionally accredited training organisation, we are (actually!) passionate about delivering entry-level training to help businesses to understand intelligent but difficult advanced technology - like SkySpark!.
Ensure your team has a great foundation of SkySpark knowledge with our certified Core Training courses.
And, for new SkySpark programmers, our Axon Programmer course delivers a comprehensive and robust training in the core Axon syntax.
Contact us for free trial access!