SkillsTrain Reviews from Students

I have achieved alot in the last month I have just passed my ciw asociate exam with 97%. I have designed websites for local buisneses and added flash content in these sites and now I am a qualified ciw asociate I am going to to look for permanant employment as a web designer or a web asisitant. I can know use ccs and javascript easily, I can now write my own cgi scripts in perl, my designing now looks more professional and I am now more confident when designing a website and my planing of websites goes into more deatail so my sites are easier to design. In the next couple of weeks I am going to take my ciw site designers exam I am hoping to pass this exam so I can apply for more job vacancies.

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First of all, I will give thanks to all the tutors and the management. This CIW course has given me Confidence on my Computer Knowledge even though I have already finished Advanced Diploma of ACP. Now the I have not finish the course but I can build basic web site with fatastic web pages and it has broading my Knowledge on internet Usage which I used to help my manager at work. Hopefully, if all things work well I will persue this course to the end.Once more thank you all management and staffs.

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Ive recently taken up Netball, playing with friends, colleagues from work and local residents. I have talked about my course while socialising and they have recently asked me to design and create their new web site. They are aware Im not yet qualified and May not be the best person for the job, but are giving me a chance anyway. They have even offered to pay which would be nice, as I recently also got married and not had the funds for a honeymoon. My wife, as an art student is looking forward to assisting with the graphical part of the design and would love a new computer to work alongside me at home.

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I always found it hard to get the time to commit to my course with having a small family but somehow seemed to get through it when I could. I maybe could have done more TMA's than I have so far but I became seperated from my wife at the end of last year and had to move house which has seriously affected my output on the course. I Started my section 2 folder this month and managed to get 83% on a tricky JavaScript section TMA which I feel is a good acheivment in the face of some really hard times recently. Now back on track, I hope to be more consistent with my course.

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Making the effort to once and for all make a change in my life by signing up to this course which I have been wanting to do for about six years and become a qualified Web master.
Managing to balance a heavy schedule and still passing four TMA's with no mark less than 90 percent and submitting my fifth is an achievment that I myself am extremely proud of.
I am looking forward to the next part of my course and hope I can carry on in the same way and really make a difference to my life.
Working 50 plus hours a week for the rest of my career in a manual labour job doesn't appeal much anymore, thanks for all your help at the college.

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Its been hard over the last few months to study with settling in a new job and paying bills etc. But I realised I cant afford to lose sight of my goal to improve life for me and my family. So this month I've really knuckled down and spent as much time as possible studying. Ive also started using the online classroom and its helped me alot. Im really enjoying the course and spend all my free time learning. Hopefully I'll have done 2 more TMAs before the end of the month and bring my target for the future a little closer.

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For the last 5-6 weeks I have been doing lots of over time cause one of the supervisors is off sick and three of us left to cover and I have been struglin with the time to study cause 6 days a week I get home round 0830 hrs, but I still managed to send my TMA 7 on time. When I started this course I didnt know nothing about Web Design and few months of studing I am maintening my friends website.
thanks to all tutors.

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I've only just started my course and have settled down quite well. However there have been a few moments already.
When I first started my course my partner and I was expected a baby but unfortunatly on new years eve I had a baby girl born 20 weeks early and she just couldn't survive. I lost alot of time on my studying nothing really mattered and I thought the world was against me, but together and with two good families we got through it and I had to get back on my feet and studying again because is the future my future! And after some long hours and some head scratching I'm starting to back into it again!

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I completed all exams of CIW Web Site Design Manager.The results of these exams are as follow -

CIW v5 Associate - 85%
CIW Javascript fundamentals - 98%
CIW Perl fundamentals - 83%
CIW Server Administrator - 80%
CIW site designer - 79%

Even through out my course I have achieved the score above 90%(in avearage) in all Assignements.

Just a few days before I created online portfolio. The URL for that is http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/webdesignportfolio/home.html.

And all this I am able to do just because of the help from my tutors. This wouldn't be wrong if I say the results I got today is because of them only.

thats all about my achievements. My final achievement is getting job. I hope I can achieve that as I know I have to give something to my tutors in return of their support & efforts.

Finally I would like to thank you all at scheidegger as you are being very wonderful.

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THE SPEED OF LEARNING AND THE SKILLS THAT I HAVE LEARNT. LEARNING HOW TO WRITE A PROGRAM, NOT JUST FOR MY SELF BUT FOR OTHERS, AND THE ENJOYMENT OF WATCHING THE PROGRAM WORK.

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I have gained 100% in my first TMA, which I wasn't expecting. I have managed to achieve this by fittting my learning around my present job as a bus driver, which has some very long and tiring shifts. It has also been along time since I have actually done any learning as such and my knowledge of computers is limited, mostly being self taught.

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".....In the face of adversity".... Well....I'm disabled and constantly use crutches. I suppose many would consider that adversity to a degree. My hard drive died and I had to correspond using snail mail. Another adversity? I'm a mother of 2 primary school aged boys, and my husband works shifts. Perhaps that is a 3rd adversity, I don't know.

".....Working under pressure".... My 2 sons are hard work at their age, so yes, pressure is a constant from that point of view. We are a single waged family, moved into a new home last July, and seldom have any spare cash. The pressure is on me to complete this course, pass the exams and make some money as soon as is realistically possible really.

"....Gained an excellent understanding". I dare anyone who is following the course and utilising the support and extra resources available to say they have not been able to do this. Maybe my standards are too high, or my expectations of others equally so? I'm not qualified to say.

"....Managed to increase your TMA results..." I found my last section hard....very hard. I don't think I'm a natural at understanding server administration. Somehow, I managed to get 3/5 results at 100%. Yes, I'm more than pleased with that, so I suppose I could "qualify" for that particular point.

But here is my problem. Maybe it is that I don't value myself enough, or something built into my conscience that won't allow me to say "I am the best". Therefore, I cannot sit here and say "I should win the student of the month". I cannot allow myself to do that.

What I can say is this: I undertook this course to achieve a goal. My goal is one that will benefit both myself, and my family, should I make the grade. That, and that alone is my driving force. It is my responsibility to improve our collective way of life, because I undertook the mission laid out before me. I cannot, and will not say that I deserve more or less than any other student on any course in this programme. Other people also suffer adversities or pressures, or do better than they expected to do. That, my friends, is life. None of us have the right to declare they are better than anyone else, in any way, shape or form. Nor has anyone the right to demote themselves or others into a place deemed to be of less importance or standing.

So, dear readers, I leave this message in your hands. I would like for you to decide whether or not to submit this as an entry for student of the month. If it is submitted and I win, thank you. If not, then I have achieved here what I intended to do, from a personal point of view, and that is to get something off my chest. I in no way think this competition is wrong, or to be frowned upon. That is not my intention. However, I felt the need to express something which has given me much food for though.

In short, I do not sit here with any expectations, other than those I can commit to achieving myself. If others think highly enough of me to present me with an accolade of any sort, I thank them. Heartily. But I will not shine a spotlight upon myself without either the support of others, or rather, the presence of others standing in the light beside me. They deserve to be there as much as I might ever do.

Thank you for listening.

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Its incredible that I at a age of 54 can achieve up to java section tma 10 with such a short period of learning and achieve almost distinction. I was a complete novice when I started the WD course with the college, now I feel that I have gain much of my confidence in learning and achieving the result.

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With a full time job, looking for a new job, learning to drive and helping to home educate two kids, you'd think it would be hard to study... but I'm still getting grades above 80%!

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Today I received the result of my second assignment after a pause of 2 months and is 100%. I had the same result on the previous one. I consider it a very good result. Besides, I have this feeling of an excellent understanding of everything I have studied so far. Maybe it is not a big deal, but for me it is.

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I was really excited about starting this course, it is something I have wanted to do now for a while, but for one reason or another I haven't been able to previously. When the course advisor came to speak to me about the course he took one look at me and thought I might not be able to cope with doing such a complex course. After speaking with him for quite some time he realised that I did have my head screwed on and I wasn't just a pretty face. I was delighted when he changed his opinion on me, many people assume that I'm going to be dumb because I'm pretty and blonde, and it feels really good when people do see me for what I am. When I told friends and family that I was doing the course they were very supportive, however they still had there doubts as to whether I would be able to cope with it and have the motivation to get on with it. It has been hard work at times, with trying to fit in my job, house hold duties and exercise (I'm a fitness fanatic too), but I have really got on well with the course, I have just finished my last Tutor Marked Assignment 05 for section 1, part A of the course and I feel that I'm really learning alot and can't wait to receive the next part of my course. I have done really well on my Tutor Marked Assignments scoring between 85-95% and on the last one that came back to me I got an amazing 100%. Doing this course is giving me great satisfaction and I really can't wait to be qualified and start looking for my dream job as a web Designer.

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I achieved a 100% grade in my last assignment which was completed on my return from hospital after brain surgery following a cycling accident. I feel very pleased with myself on gaining this mark as I am in constant pain even while taking prescribed medication (20 tablets/day). My recovery time is expected to take 6 months to a year, possibly longer and I am advised against spending too long reading or studying. I hope to maintain a high pass rate for the remaining part of my course but do not know how I am going to manage. I hope my ramblings are of some help in explaining my position.

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Hi, I started studying for the CIW certification at the beginning of February and have just completed section 1, part A, TMA 04. Previously I have been working part time as a PA and sold clothes on Ebay as I had lost my passion for design and being creative. I graduated with a degree in fashion design seven years ago and when I first started working in London as a buyers assistant, I use to get the train with a guy who was a web designer. I recently got in touch with him and it turns out he has his own web design company and after long talks he has offered me freelance work as soon as I have completed my course. His company has designed sites and corporate images for Arsenal football club, Madam Tussauds and Warner Brothers to name a few so I am really pleased that I managed to convince him that I was worthy of working with his team. I have now got all my confidence back and am finding the course really enjoyable and all my creative passions have returned so I now have to work extremely hard to complete the course with flying colours! Thanks for all the support given so far and I now have such a fantastic goal at the end too!

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I have additional information to provide regarding my application for student of the month. I am not sure if I mentioned the fact that I have sustained some brain damage due to my recent accident and I am having some problems with my memory function, also mobility problems and an inability to concentrate properly or sleep properly. I will be attending a hospital appointment in two weeks and hope to get an update on my chances of full or near full recovery at this meeting. It is unlikely that the doctors will be able to do anymore than tell me to be patient and allow my brain to heal itself. Thankyou for your time, I do regard myself as being very lucky to be alive and being able to function to the extent I can. I realise many of your students May be in a worse predicament than I am and have just received the next part of my course which I will attempt to study as best I can. Thanks a lot. Bye.

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I have been able to broaden my knowledge on web designing and other computing aspects

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I came to England not more than 1 year ago from more than 10 years living in Portugal left all my friends behind and still miss them, having no friends is difficult sometime I didn't feel like studying at all but due to May friends help over the internet (Emails, MSN messenger) I find myself studying just for the fact that one day I will be a Web-design and I will see my friends again.
It has been extremely difficult to get use to living in England, I had to get use to not knowing anyone or have any friends so in some ways this course has help me...
I hope to achieve my dream|
One day be a web-designer and be happy :)

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I started my CIW course in August 2005 and for the first 6 months I flew through the course gaining 85-100% everytime. I thought that I was going to finish this course within 9 months, but boy was I in for a huge letdown.

In January 2006 I started back on my course after the festive break. On top of this, for the past 5 years I have been caring for my wife who is visually impaired, as well as my two primary school children. I only just managed to get through the JavaScript and Perl chapters and my grades were failing. By April of 2006 I was ready to give it all up, if it was'nt for the support of my family I think it would have happened.

By the time August had come around again I have just competed Perl and was ready to get on the bandwaggon again all scyked up and ready to go. Then Server Administration came along and this is the hardest suject in the whole course. It took me the best part of 7 months to compete. On top of this our financial commitments were going out of control and so I had to get a part time job, so now I am juggling between my job, my course and my family.

It is now March 2007 and I have been reading some of the success storys on the student world Web site. These stories have given me the confidence to carry on and finish this couse. With the help of my family and the great help of the tutors at student world, I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.

My best advise to anyone who is just starting out, is to draw up a study timetable and stick to it vigorously.

thank you for reading my story
James CIW

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