9 Best Forecasting Courses For Beginners in 2024

The market is flooded with forecasting courses, but you don't want to waste your time on courses that are bad! Find the course that gives you the best value here with the best forecasting courses.

9 Best Forecasting Courses For Beginners in 2024

Forecasting is the act of estimating future events. It is possible to make this kind of prediction by looking at the past information and measuring the current situation. Using forecasts, companies can allocate their budgets or plan for anticipated expenses for the upcoming period.

Keeping this in mind, here at Coursesity, we have curated some of the Best Online Forecasting Courses with certification. Hope that you will find the best course for you to learn how to unlock new possibilities and opportunities for yourself, your company, or whatever community you want to inspire to achieve success.

Top Forecasting Tutorials List

  1. Time Series Analysis, Forecasting, and Machine Learning
  2. Excel Skills for Business Forecasting
  3. Introduction to Time Series Analysis and Forecasting in R
  4. Forecasting Skills: See the Future Before it Happens
  5. Forecasting Models and Time Series for Business in Python
  6. Sales Forecasting Online Class
  7. Revenue Forecasting and Analysis
  8. Business Analytics: Forecasting with Exponential Smoothing Online Class
  9. Macroeconometric Forecasting

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1. Time Series Analysis, Forecasting, and Machine Learning

Python for LSTMs, ARIMA, Deep Learning, AI, Support Vector Regression, +More Applied to Time Series Forecasting.

The course is not your typical Time Series Analysis class. This course covers modern developments such as deep learning, time series classification (which can enable users to draw insights from smartphone data, assess thoughts based on electrical activity in the brain), and more.

In this forecasting course, you will learn:

  • ETS and Exponential Smoothing Models
  • Holt's Linear Trend Model and Holt-Winters
  • Autoregressive and Moving Average Models (ARIMA)
  • Seasonal ARIMA (SARIMA), and SARIMAX
  • Auto ARIMA
  • The statsmodels Python library
  • The pmdarima Python library
  • Machine learning for time series forecasting.
  • Deep learning (ANNs, CNNs, RNNs, and LSTMs) for time series forecasting.
  • Tensorflow 2 for predicting stock prices and returns.
  • Vector autoregression (VAR) and vector moving average (VMA) models (VARMA).
  • AWS Forecast (Amazon's time series forecasting service).
  • FB Prophet (Facebook's time series library).
  • Modeling and forecasting financial time series.
  • GARCH (volatility modeling).

This course will cover applications such as Time series forecasting of sales data, predicting stock prices and stock returns, and classification of smartphone data to predict user behavior.

Course rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 (501 Ratings total)
Duration: 22h 26m
Certificate: Certificate on completion

Time Series Analysis, Forecasting, and Machine Learning
Python for LSTMs, ARIMA, Deep Learning, AI, Support Vector Regression, +More Applied to Time Series Forecasting

2. Excel Skills for Business Forecasting

Generate Insights with Business Forecasting.

As the world economy deteriorates, business forecasting has become even more crucial. This specialization emphasizes Excel Skills for Business Forecasting. There are three courses involved in this Specialization - Time Series Models, Regression Models, and Judgmental Forecasting.

Topics in this forecasting course include:

  • Excel Time Series Models for Business Forecasting
  • Excel Regression Models for Business Forecasting
  • Judgmental Business Forecasting in Excel

In the first course on Time Series Models, you will learn how your business can use time-series data sets to understand the components underpinning this data and then use the relevant model to forecast your business needs based on these components.

The next course of this specialization focuses on Regression Models, which allows us to build causal models based on both time series and cross-sectional data. In causal models, we can control the inputs to generate the output we want thereby, developing further insights and strategies.

In the final course, we explore the role of judgmental forecasting when more quantitative forecasting methods do not meet our needs, and further business insight is needed. Finally, we will examine all these forecasting methods together, enabling you to generate the forecasts that will be used as planning inputs.

Course rating: 4.8 out of 5.0 (69 Ratings total)
Duration: 32h
Certificate: Certificate on completion

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3. Introduction to Time Series Analysis and Forecasting in R

Work with time series and all sorts of time-related data in R - Forecasting, Time Series Analysis, Predictive Analytics.

Every day, more and more data becomes available thanks to modern technology. Successful companies are aware of this. Also, they recognize that decisions made by modeling the future based on information gained in the past can have a significant impact. Thus, mastering time series analysis and forecasting will equip you with the knowledge and skills to create those models.

In this forecasting course, you will:

  • use R to perform calculations with time and date-based data.
  • create models for time series data.
  • use models for forecasting.
  • identify which models are suitable for a given dataset.
  • visualize time series data.
  • transform standard data into time-series format.
  • clean and pre-process time series.
  • create ARIMA and exponential smoothing models
  • know how to interpret given models.
  • identify the best time-series libraries for a given problem.
  • compare the accuracy of different models.

Learn how to deal with date and time data in R by handling things like time zones, leap years, or different formats. The programmer's life is especially complicated regarding dates and time because of time zones, leap years, and different formats. This course will introduce POSIXt classes in R Base, the chron package, as well as the lubridate package.

Course rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 (2,311 Ratings total)
Duration: 8h 32m
Certificate: Certificate on completion

Introduction to Time Series Analysis and Forecasting in R
Work with time series and all sorts of time related data in R - Forecasting, Time Series Analysis, Predictive Analytics

4. Forecasting Skills: See the Future Before it Happens

Learn Forecasting Skills: See the Future Before it Happens from Institute for the Future.

It is a surprise or even a shock for many people to face the future. However, strong forecasting skills can help you avoid future shocks. Adapting faster allows you to benefit from a change quicker. In this course, you’ll build your future forecasting skills.

In this forecasting course, you will:

  • Collect and Analyze SIGNALS OF CHANGE.
  • Identify and Analyze GLOBAL DRIVERS OF CHANGE.
  • Combine Signals and Drivers into Future Forecasts.
  • Write Scenarios that tell a story about your Future Forecast.

You'll learn how to take groups of signals (clues about the future) and drivers (global forces influencing the direction of change) and turn them into accurate future forecasts. The purpose of forecasts is to help you discover new possibilities and opportunities for yourself, your company, or the community you want to inspire to make the future better.

Developing forecasting skills will enable you to anticipate the future better. As a result, you'll be able to consider possibilities that other people won't consider. You will help others adapt to and prepare for the future.

Course rating: 4.9 out of 5.0 (335 Ratings total)
Duration: 13h
Certificate: Certificate on completion

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5. Forecasting Models and Time Series for Business in Python

Learn Holt-Winters, Arima, Sarimax, Tensorflow Time Series, Facebook Prophet, XGBoost for Demand Planning & Forecasting.

In this course, you will learn the intuition behind the models without focusing too much on Math. Additionally, it will list all parameters and functions you will need to know step-by-step.

In this forecasting course, you will:

  • Holt-Winters
  • TBATS
  • SARIMAX
  • Facebook Prophet
  • Tensorflow Structural Time Series
  • XGBoost
  • Time Series Analysis
  • Demand Planning and Forecasting

Fundamentally, you should know why a model makes sense and the underlying assumptions involved. Therefore, this course will explain to you each model using words, graphs, and metaphors, leaving math and the Greek alphabet to a minimum.

Course rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 (74 Ratings total)
Duration: 8h 11m
Certificate: Certificate on completion

Forecasting Models and Time Series for Business in Python
Learn Holt-Winters, Arima, Sarimax, Tensorflow Time Series, Facebook Prophet, XGBoost for Demand Planning & Forecasting

6. Sales Forecasting Online Class

Discover how to create and manage effective sales forecasts. Learn why forecasting is critical, and how to use qualitative and quantitative methods to project sales.

In almost any company, sales forecasting impacts sales deployment, financial planning, budgeting, operations planning, and marketing planning. Due to the impact of sales forecasts, the forecast information must be as accurate as possible.

Topics in this forecasting course include:

  • Understanding Sales Forecasting
  • Preparing for Sales Forecasting
  • Using Quantitative Forecasting
  • Using Qualitative Forecasting

The purpose of this course is to teach you how to create and manage effective sales forecasts step-by-step. As part of this course, you will learn how to define your market category, develop the right processes, select the right forecasting strategy, and collect data. In addition, it demonstrates how to utilize both qualitative and quantitative forecasting methods.

Course rating: 126,854 total enrollments
Duration: 45m
Certificate: Certificate on completion

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7. Revenue Forecasting and Analysis

Presented by the IMF Fiscal Affairs Department.

The process of revenue forecasting involves using analytical techniques to estimate government revenue inflows in the future. In addition to helping policymakers devise sound public policies, it allows them to plan public expenditures based on the projected revenues. Even though governments derive revenues from multiple sources, taxes typically account for the majority. Thus, this course focuses on forecasting and analyzing tax revenue.

In this forecasting course, you will:

  • Analyze fundamental principles and trends in tax revenue analysis.
  • Explain the key features of an effective institutional framework for revenue forecasting.
  • Identify data requirements and recognize potential data issues.
  • Produce revenue forecasts using different methods.
  • Recognize the strengths and limitations of different forecasting methods.
  • Quantify the revenue impact of tax policy changes, using input-output tables and micro-simulation models.

This course focuses on helping students develop foundational knowledge of the various quantitative models and techniques needed to forecast revenues and conduct tax policy analysis. Moreover, it will address related topics, such as the characteristics of a sound institutional framework and tax policy principles.

Certificate: Certificate on completion

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8. Business Analytics: Forecasting with Exponential Smoothing Online Class

Get an introduction to simple exponential smoothing, including how to assemble the forecast equation and optimize forecasts.

The term exponential smoothing refers to a set of straightforward forecasting techniques that apply self-correction. Each forecast consists of two components. The forecast is a weighted average of the prior forecast, plus an adjustment that would have improved the accuracy in the earlier forecast.

Topics in this forecasting course include:

  • The Idea Behind Exponential Smoothing
  • The Forecasting Equation
  • Measuring Forecast Accuracy
  • Optimizing Forecasts

As part of this course, you will learn how to assemble a forecast equation and optimize forecasts, as well as an introduction to simple exponential smoothing.

Course rating: 56,982 total enrollments
Duration: 1h
Certificate: Certificate on completion

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9. Macroeconometric Forecasting

Learn how to create and assess forecasting models to predict macroeconomic variables such as inflation and economic growth.

In this macroeconomic course, you will learn how to predict macroeconomic variables such as inflation, growth, and consumption and to create statistical models in economics and use them to predict economic policy responses.

In this forecasting course, you will learn:

  • Evaluation of macroeconometric models.
  • Forecasting of uncertainty and forecasting for policy analysis.
  • Properties of time series data and model design.
  • Dynamic specification and the use of vector auto-regression models (VARs). and error correction models (VECMs).

Using data sets from a wide variety of countries, we will demonstrate model-building, forecasting, and policy analysis. During the workshop, EViews will be utilized to provide demonstrations and applications to simulate and estimate forecasting models on Windows. During the course, EViews temporary licenses will be available for free.

Certificate: Certificate on completion

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