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One of the first things a new user should do is open the Learn workspace and spend a half hour running through the User Interface and the basic workflows. The only thing I think that is missing in the Learn workspace is a warning when you first save the projects to choose a folder somewhere on your system that you want to use for your After Effects Projects. All of the footage and project files in the Learn workspace are in the Learn Panel folder inside a shared Adobe folder. That folder will get replaced when you update After Effects. Don't same any of your project files there.
You can also click on the Discover menu at the top of the Creative Cloud app. There are links to a lot of pretty good training right there.
The User Guide is alan excellent resource for new and even experienced users.
The Search Help field in the top right corner of After Effects is often a better way to find information on specific problems than just searching the web. It is a more targeted search. Type something like CC Particle World there, and you will be taken directly to the user guide for that effect. I often use Search Help when I want to ensure I have the latest information on a specific effect or property. It is usually a much more efficient path to helpful information.
Linkedin Learning is a paid tutorial series and one of the best. When you get into some advanced workflows, that is a good place to start. There are many other paid tutorial series that can be pretty good, but none of them are perfect and no one workflow or solution will fit all your projects.
I would caution you about just browsing YouTube for tutorials. Most of the new tutorials I see there are authored by enthusiasts that have found or copied some recipe for an animation or visual effects workflow. Many have inefficient workflows, and the explanations often leave out critical steps. Some will only work if your footage matches the footage in the tutorial. The number of views is no indication of the quality of a tutorial. Make sure the presenter is a professional, and if you get stuck following a tutorial, always post a link to the tutorial so we can know what you know.
Some Community experts on the forums have YouTube tutorials. Check their profiles and look for them in your search for knowledge. Most of my colleagues on the forum are very good at answering questions. You can even check out my Quick Tips Playlist if you like.
Getting started with After Effects is fairly easy, but things get complicated very quickly. When you have questions, post here. Follow these suggestions for asking questions on the forum. Always include basic system information, a description of your workflow, and the version number of After Effects you are using.
I hope this helps. After Effects is going to take some time to master.
I have flown airplanes since I was a kid. I have taught almost a thousand people how to fly, but if you want to fly something more complicated, you'll need a lot more training from a lot more instructors.
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