Why Are Most E2E Test Automation Training Not Effective? Part 3: Expensive
It does not have to be.
In this article series:
Part 1: Unqualified Instructor, often not even a Dedicated One
Part 2: Wrong Content: Overloaded with Theory, Lacking Practical Hands-On
Part 3: Expensive
Part 5: Wrong Expectations of Attendants
Part 6: Advice
Part 7: FAQ
"Expensive" is a relative term, and some readers might wonder, "How could that be a factor?" The cost often deters companies or individuals from opting for instructor-led training, leading them to settle for pre-recorded online courses, or no training at all. Additionally, E2E test automation is a team effort. Some software companies, for financial reasons, may send only one or two people to training, which compromises the overall results.
I quickly googled test automation training (in Australia), and I found typical prices are near A$2000/day (~US$1300) for 2 days.
SoftEd LiveOnline: $1980 for two days
PlanIt: A$2090 for 3 days
InterSkill: A$1950 for 2 days
“Expensive” For Software Companies
If it is the company is covering the cost, the price (~US$1300, as shown above) is reasonable. However, for companies, there are two additional cost factors to consider:
Time (2-3 days)
Employee salary
Then, multiply these by the number of people attending (I recommend the entire team, including software developers and business analysts), and you’ll see that the total cost adds up.
“Expensive” For Motivated Individuals
This article is primarily targeted at ambitious software professionals who want to learn E2E test automation to advance their careers, enhance their professionalism, and prepare for own app development.
Since only a small percentage of software professionals have experienced the great benefits of E2E test automation, US$1300 is a sum that most individuals would be unwilling to pay out of their own pocket.
If you ask me, how many software professionals will pay this amount to learn E2E test automation? Nearly zero.
Some may find my claim too permissive, but I have a real story to back it up. A few years ago, Paxus, one of the largest IT recruiters in Queensland, contacted me to organize a training event (Day 1: Web Test Automation; Day 2: Continuous Testing & API Testing). The reason? One of their consultants had seen the great success of my E2E test automation implementation firsthand and recognized the demand through conversations with job applicants.
The organizer created a flyer and emailed it to all Brisbane software testers in their database. After learning about their approach, I directly told the organizer, “It won’t work. A better strategy would be to target software managers and executives.” However, they ignored my advice, believing that my credentials (book author, conference speaker, reputation. etc.), the expressed demands (they heard) and relatively low price (~A$850 for one day). In the end, I didn't oppose it, as it would serve as a test for my theory.
The result: only one person signed up and paid the sign-up fee. That person was my past colleague, a software architect, knowing this event from my reshare of the flyer on LinkedIn.
The lesson here: Few software testers or software engineers will pay US$800 for E2E test automation training with their own money even if it is tax deductible.
The recruitment agency is mistakenly confused with ‘desire’/’what others expressed’ and actions. When a recruitment agent speaks with a software professional (usually about job opportunities), they naturally show enthusiasm. “Willing to learn” is an important impression a software professional wants to leave to recruitment agents. However, when it comes time to take action, the reality can be quite different.
Story: Money Matters
Let me share a relevant, non-IT story. My daughter attended a high school with an IB program. Students graduating with excellent IB grades can apply to top universities worldwide, such as Harvard in the USA or Oxford in the UK. It was featured in the promotion to attract smart students to the school.
I remember once saying to my family, "Despite this school having dozens of students with perfect IB scores every year, I think they'll all end up at the University of Queensland (a top local university and within the world’s top 50)."
My prediction turned out to be correct. Why? While parents proudly spoke of their brilliant children receiving offers from prestigious universities, the reality of the decision-making process was different. When it came to the cost, the tuition fee alone at Harvard is US$55,000+ per year for four years. In contrast, the tuition fees at a local university (still not bad, in terms of global ranking) were only ~US$5,000, with the option of government-subsidized, low-interest loans—and the bachelor's degree in Australia only needs three years.
As a result, during my daughter's four years at that high school, I heard about a few students receiving offers from elite universities, but in the end, none of them went.
Cost of My E2E Test Automation Training
As always, I will show my offering while commenting on others. I offer several test automation-related 1-day training, at the same price: US$600 (person, max 8, min 2); Early Bird: US$550.
Why a minimum of 2? If it's just 1, you might as well book my one-on-one mentoring. Besides, it is better to learn with classmates (colleagues or friends here).
The more attendants, the greater the discount (up to 8 attendants). For example, the cost is US$337.5 for a group of 8.
Why a maximum of 8? That's the limit I can manage while providing hands-on assistance to attendees.
In addition to the low cost, each attendee will receive a 6-month TestWise named license (valued at US$180) and two eBooks by me ( choices over 14, valued at US$25+).
At full capacity (8 attendees), factoring in complementary values, the effective price per attendee is just US$132. That’s quite affordable, isn’t it?