I have had the pleasure of taking Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop classes with a few different instructors through Ascend, and have had such excellent and rewarding experiences each time, and have learned skills that I now use every day! I so highly recommend training with Ascend.

To say that Ascend Training changed my life, sounds a little dramatic, but it happens to be true!Four years ago I was getting my graduate degree in public history at Loyola University. I had spent the last two years of my life interning at museums and taking graduate classes to eventually work as a historian. At the time I was also trying to juggle two part-time jobs and then doing some freelance graphic design on the side, since I had some design classes in undergrad and really loved my little side design projects.I was mid-semester when I realized that my side passion projects are what I actually should be doing for a living. I dropped out of grad school, and with the money I had remaining for the semester, purchased the introduction to InDesign class. It was the Adobe software I was the least familiar with but the one that was essential to landing any design job.I completed the class and after two days, went home to make fake brochures, business cards, anything I could think to build a small portfolio. Within a month I had an internship as a designer at a local start-up which led to a paying job a boutique marketing firm, then a legal publisher, and now as an in-house designer at a global organization.Ascend gave me the skills and confidence that I could pursue a new career path that I didnt think was possible. The value of the class is outstanding and you leave with the skills to apply to real-world situations. You are given invaluable tips that you would never learn on your own, and are taught processes that not only enhance your skills but also your productivity. I am so thankful that I found their class as it really did change my life and helped me get where I am today!

I have nothing but good things to say. It is amazing how much I keep learning after attending any of their paid or free sessions. If you are using any of the adobe products definitely check this place out to keep yourself current with the updates or even learn some hidden items that you might have not known about for years.

2nd time attending a class.. first class was a combo of AI, PS, ID which led met to want to dive deeper. PS 1 is the gateway and is very empowering.. its amazing what you can do.. basics and beyond!

Ascend Training is WONDERFUL. Instructors are not only knowledgeable but patient and friendly. The location is easy to get to and the facility is comfortable to be in all day behind a computer. Always recommend Ascend to anyone that asks!

I have taken Photoshop Level 1 with Jori and InDesign Level 1 with Laurie and have always had such a fantastic experience. The classes are tailored to each students needs, and the environment is very positive and inviting. Their 8-month retake period is amazing! Could not recommend these courses more!

Great place with teachers who are experts in the field. Allows to you retake class if you do not feel you grasped the content the first time. Beautiful location too

This training was clear, concise, professional, and flexible. InDesign is a great product and the instructor was able to point out key features that would assist me in MY job because she took the time to get to know what I do and how I would be using the program

I would definetely recommend Ascend Training (You learn soooo much!!!) The instructors and staff are wonderful to work with, friendly and know what they are talking about. They have a huge selection of training that will help and enrich you anyway you are looking to. After a class with them I dont mind going back to work:)Thanks Jori, Laurie and Jackie for the AWESOME ADOBE DAYS it was a great conference!!!

Ascend is a class-act. W/the jobless rate like it is, they are offering unemployment scholarships. Ive attended training sessions at both the Deerfield and Chicago locations, and this is top-of the-line training. Instructors get to know you by first name and are equal parts affable and knowledgeable. In addition, get on Ascend’s email mailing list and you can count on them to make you aware of new technology. They are the first and only organization that I know of who offered an information session on Google Analytics, and the speaker turned out to be very engaging and a leading authority on the subject matter.

Love this place! From beginning to end they care about students engagement and their learning. This is my second Ascend course and I will surely be back for more!

Exceptional Training! Wonderful instructors. Ive taken several classes at Ascend Training and have learned so much.

Ive attended many Ascend classes over the years and the caliber of the instructors and their classes is what keeps me returning! They are always current, knowledgable and best of all - approachable on all my questions!!

Amazing class. I took Adobe Basics from Laurie and she was so patient and fun! It was a great introductory course into Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. Would highly recommend to take this if you havent spent much time in these programs. Already looking forward ro taking more classes in the future!

Huge fan of Ascend Training! The kickoff with Paul Trani, the Trend seminar with Jori were amazing. My favorite seminar was involving Brackets and HTML5 with Rich Humpheries — this will change how I work!

I am so thankful for the Adobe Basics: Intro to Photoshop, InDesign & Illustrator at Ascend Training. This class was exactly what I needed. I am so excited to put my new Adobe subscription to use with confidence. The instructor tailored the class to every students individual needs, and answered all of our questions. I highly recommend this class for anyone who uses these programs. I learned so much about how to integrate Photoshop, InDesign & Illustrator properly and efficiently. I am already looking at the upcoming schedule to see what class I need next.

Jori, Jackie, Fabiola and the whole crew at Ascend Training... they are some of the most genuinely helpful and educated people I have worked with. I was both a speaker and student at their Adobe Days event - Im also continuing to work with them in the field of SEO.Their Adobe Days event was incredible, no wonder so many people showed up. You start in an incredible auditorium at the Chicago Fine Arts Building then eventually get split into smaller groups so you can choose what subject you want to learn about (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, 3D, marketing, etc). Each one I went to was just as helpful as the last. Their instructors know how to speak to both beginner and advanced students and go straight into diving into whatever program/topic youre learning about. No fluff which is exactly what I was looking for.Working with them outside of Adobe Days is just as good. Theyre always open to new ideas and are very easy to get along/work with. I really cant say enough about the whole experience, its just one of those things you just want to get more involved in, and I plan to.

As a director level creative and designer, it can be time consuming to keep up with the advances in the Adobe programs. There is also a stigma that senior level professionals should be at their top game, and not need continued education. I disagree with this, as there is always room to improve regardless of your accomplishments.I recently had a top-notch experience with Ascend Training in further developing skills I already had. Adobe programs are constantly updating and adding tools now that they are cloud based. I attended three classes with Ascend, each led by a superior teacher and working professional.First I joined Richs HTML/CSS class. I personally dont plan to code sites, but knowing the vernacular and better understanding functionality as a designer are critical to working with a successful team. I had basic HTML skills from previous classes with a different program. The program at Ascend was miles better because over the course of three days, you build a website on your own based on a design that exists vs trying to start from scratch. The focus is on how to build it, not the design which can veer HTML classes off track for their main purpose. Design is obviously important to me, but it was not the driving factor in this class to learn. We also learned Brackets... which is my new favorite thing!Next I attended Photoshop 1 and 2. Every day I left saying Wow!I have been using the creative suite for 20 years, and just about every tutorial we went through was either a better, more streamlined way to work, or a completely new tool I did not even know existed. The phrase you dont know what you dont know truly applies here. We went through dozens of tutorials in which they supply the files and a book to bring home and continue practice on your own. It was such a powerful experience that I plan to take Illustrator and InDesign, programs that I always felt even more comfortable in than Photoshop.The structure of the three classes allowed me to dig in and really practice, ask questions, and save files vs an online tutorial that I personally know I would bookmark and frankly never come back to. The teachers and staff such as Jori, Jackie and Fabiola are well versed in the programming and are there to help you have a phenomenal experience. I look forward to deepening my expertise with Ascend, continuing my path to always being a better designer.

I took an InDesign training here as well as a free seminar on HTML/CSS web development and loved each of them. The InDesign training was clear, concise, professional, and flexible. InDesign is a great product and the instructor was able to point out key features that would assist me in MY job because she took the time to get to know what I do and how I would be using the program.I highly recommend any training with Ascend.