Best option for training, elearning or instructor led

I wish this were an easy question to answer, but as with everything else around here the answer is EMC's patented, trademarked, traditional response... OK everyone all together now:    "It depends!"   :-)

Sorry, I couldn't resist. It really does depend a lot though both on what it is you want to learn and how you learn best. I've been in great classroom courses with a live instructor and I've been in ones where I learned more by reading the material and ignoring the useless instructor. Fortunately only one of those bad ones was an EMC course and it was a very long time ago now.

I tend to learn better on the job and with the manuals and written material for a course. The only way I really feel I'm getting the most out of a classroom is if I'm already familiar with the product and it is an advanced course. Sitting in a classroom learning about something that I've never done (and may not for a while) just doesn't work for me. On the other hand there is a certain point where the advanced courses are much more valuable (with a good instructor) if you can interact with other students and discuss real world applications of the topic.

It's all up to how you learn best. One of the best pieces of advice I can give you early on in the learning process is to idendify your own personal style and tailor your learning to take that into account. If you learn best in a classroom it doesn't matter how good a deal you can get on the CBT courses... they may not be the best way to spend your training dollars.

Thanks for your very thoughtful response, Allen.  I look forward to meeting you at the EMC Customer Education booth at the EMC Toronto Forum!

Anyone else have personal experience and advice on best options for training?

I'm assuming you are referring to the EMC Proven Associate Level eLearning or classroom training. Both have their advantages.  With the eLearning package you are more flexible in your learning and you can always go back and forth when you want to review a chapter once more. You can do all modules at once or take only one a day. You can also simply skip modules. The classroom training has the beauty of having an Instructor who can explain a topic from various angles and using different techniques (e.g. visualization). You, as a student in a classroom, have the chance to ask questions whenever there is something not clear to you. You can also start a discussion with others in the class. Finally, in a classroom you are with other students and you have the opportunity of networking and sharing experiences during the training session.