SkillsTrain Reviews from Students

How is studying with Skillstrain going to make this Christmas better than the last.............. In my case this is not how I view it. When I finally gain my qualifications, every Christmas is going to be better. When I attended school many moons ago, many of the teachers treated their work as a job, without having to be responsible or particularly accountable for ensuring their students achieved reasonably good levels of education/qualifications. I personally was not very academically minded, and was merely attending the lessons without really being motivated to achieve. I only wish with hindsight that I had realised what implications that not having qualifications would have in my working adult life. I have spent many years within the building trade and can turn my hand to most things, bricklaying, concreting, paving, tiling, plumbing etc, but still with no qualifications gained. At 46 years of age, and getting on the old sold to physically secure a job within this industry I daily regret having wasted my time at school. When I do pass my exams on this course it will be the first recognised, decent and relevant qualification I will have, which I know will help me to secure a more rewarding, and hopefully secure future for not only me but for my wife and family. This is why this course I am studying with Skillstrain is going to make this any every other Christmas better than those past and those to come.

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4th June 2008.A day that was to change my life for ever. I left for work on my motor cycle as usual, but crashed about half a mile from the yard. I awoke in hospital with compound fractures to my right leg, multiple fractures to my right shoulder, three fractured vertebrae,and four broken ribs.

After four weeks I got home, with my fractures and breaks all well on the mend, but with the knowledge that due to nerve damage my right arm was now restricted in it's movement. So my career as a maintenance fitter with 25 years experience was over. For the next three months I sat at home recuperating and wondering what I was going to do with the rest of my life. Playing computer games to pass the time, I was in my home page one day when I saw an advert for Skillstrain.

I filled in the form and waited for the assessor to arrive. He duly arrived and spent over two hours discussing my options within I.T. I then did the assessment test and he arranged the finance, left me the material and off he went.

I have started my course PC Hardware and Maintenance CompTIA A+ Certification on my way to computer maintenance and networking, new hope and a new career. Now I will have :

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT 2009.
Thank you very much Skillstrain.

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I started my studying in January 2007. At the time I was working a job I despised, for very low wages. I was medically discharged from the British Army several months before, and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I received an email about Skills Train, (I still to this day don't know how I got on the mailing list!) and decided to look into it further.

When the agent came to my house, I was worried about the cost. He told me to take a few days and do some research about Cisco and what sort of job roles required a CCNA. When I realised how much employers were willing to pay people with the qualification, I immediately decided to take the course.

Six months after I started, I was offered a job in a data centre; I had not yet completed any of my qualifications and did not expect to hear back from them. When I started the job, I was happy for the first time in my employment career! I got a £7000 pay increase over my previous job, along with putting everything I had learnt into practice. It soon became clear that I knew more about computers than I thought, and quickly became one of the more senior members of the support team. The highlight of this was when a colleague who had a degree in computer studies began to ask me how to do things!

Now, 12months on, I am coming to the end of my studies. I am currently working in another data centre as a trainee networks engineer. The level of knowledge within the operations team is immense, I feel very proud that I was chosen to become part of that team. I am very happy in my career. As a direct result of taking the training with Skills Train, my wages have increased enough to cover my fees 3 times over!

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I think this Christmas is going to be the best ever because I have started a Skillstrain course and I am looking forward to reaping the benefits of learning a new skill. Hopefully it will help me get a new and more rewarding career in the IT industry because I am about to be made redundant from my present job. If and when I pass my course I hope all my future Christmases will be better and I will have a more enjoyable future ahead of me. I am really enjoying doing the course so far and it is a more interesting way of spending some of my spare time. I think this Christmas will also be more enjoyable because learning a new career with Skillstrain will hopefully open up new opportunities and new challenges for me. I am already getting excited about the future.

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I'm from infantry regiment and don't have much time to study but I have always tried to submit my assessment on time .I took long time to submit the first assessment because I did not have much time and did not knew how to submit but with the help of skill train team I could sent my assessment .I ma glad to study at skillstrain .hope I will do better for my it career with the help of skillstrain team and tutor's have submitted already 3 assessment and I have got results .I will do my best to study hard and be a professional it specialist.

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HI, I've been working two full time jobs a day, one during of the day and the second one during night and I've already reached the third achievement is vrey hard, but is very stimulated. Thank you

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Since I've started this course I have been advanced at work to a supervisor at work in charge of ordering and warehouse because the boss believes this course is helping me to work better with the computers and trust me with the jobs I believe in the future I will be giving more work with the computers because of this course

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Finally finished comtia A+. Its been a hard slog trying to do it with work getting in the way. But its done and I have a more positive outlook to my studies again.

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I had been a chef for 10 years. For many years I was thinking of do a computer course. But all ways time and money was it the problem.
This Christmas is going to be different from the ones before. I am doing CompiTIA+, compiTIA N+.

Also I am building my first pc. I am very happy to had chosen this course.
Thank you SkillsTrain

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This is my first Christmas with my new partner and I've been able to work building PC's, so much so I've earnt enough money to buy her an engagement ring!

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I am studying towards my CCNP Cisco Masters and I am thoroughly enjoying every minute of the course even at my age of 44. When I began my course starting with the CompTIA part, I found the knowledge gained with this part of the course as beneficial as now I have my friends and family coming to me with computer problems of all sorts. The amazing part about all this was it started with a call from Sweden; a female colleague of mine from working on the ships had a problem trying to connect up her laptop to wireless. I boldly went through the ASID method of troubleshooting to try and diagnose the problem she was having with her wireless... She was a good listener, and as soon as I said remove the LAN cable from the laptop, she was jumping for joy to find the wireless working... I must admit, it gave me a buzz to have succeeded. Since then, I have solved many other pc issues to 100% satisfaction and diagnosed others that had definite hardware malfunctions, and when they were replaced, they functioned a treat. Merry Xmas everyone.

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I start my new job this month after studying my CCNA with Skillstrain.

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I have promised myself to continue studying despite working and being married and having two kids. It really is not easy but I am determined to finish the course as soon as possible. in the last month I worked harder and submitted more TMA's , attended LIT's and revised some LIT's I have missed. Every day I learn more and more about computers, I managed to repair computers for some people through what I gained from studying with skills train. My career will start right after finishing my course, I am so grateful to everyone helping me throughout my journey. Thanks

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Hi All,

I have been a Skills Train student for more than 10 months.

I currently work for at a telecommunications company and must admit the information gained at Skills Train is very useful and helps me a lot. I can now help my colleagues and friends experiencing various PC problems. This really makes me feel excellent. Since I was a little boy, I always tried to learn more and more about the computers and new technologies. Now, when I have chance to do it, I really like it.

I think that the up to date information gained at Skills Train have definitely changed my live forever.

Thank you

p.s. Merry Christmas

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I started my cisco certified network associate (ccna) in January 2008 of which I have finished my a+ and I am about to answer the last part of my n+ (revision supplement part b). I started on a brilliant performance on most of my assignments which have really helped me in my work place. I worked as an inspector of the railway where most of my works require reports writing basically done on the computer.

I was in the office with my colleagues sometimes back in September this year where everyone was on the computer writing out their reports when suddenly the system lost its connection from the network server. Everyone was not happy about the incident. It was at this point, I said to myself I can be of relevant because none of them knew I have the knowledge. Most of them were about going home with a disappointment while I said to them if they could wait for some minutes in order to rectifying the problem.

I was told not to put myself in an unnecessary situation as there is no one that could resolve the problem among us. I said, well just bear with me for some minutes while they waited and see what I was up to. I started with one of the method I really love so much in troubleshooting network (asid) which is acquire, simplify, implement and document. I started by using the drivers that are on the drivers disk that were ships with the network interface card (nic). I make sure the driver is loaded and the protocols are bound. I test the nic adapter with the diagnostic utilities that often came with the driver installation. I make sure the network cable was securely attached at both rj45 connections (adapter and hub). I checked the led lights were on the nic and finally the system was up and running with the help of the administrator as well. My colleagues were all over praising me for a well done job.

I was overwhelmed by this achievement because; it was a huge success that was recognised by the managing director. I was nominated for the staff of the month and equally given a free day travel to any place of my choice paid for. I have attended some meetings with the managements and I have been told that, come the 19th of December this year, I shall be awarded with the best performance staff of the year. My colleagues have been coming for enquiries as to where I am receiving my lessons. I told them, it is from skills train computer training college. Some of them were looking forward to register in due course. I am very grateful for all the staff and my tutors for their unrelentless efforts to seeing me up till this stage of my course. The company has shown me there is a brighter future for me and I know that, this is just a stepping stone to a greater high in my life.

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I've recently completed the CompTIA Network+ course and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I've already begun applying for jobs and received an invitation to an interview at my first attempt...! (despite not having taken my N+ exam yet !).I'm confident that in the new year I will be able to secure a job in the IT industry that will give me the career change I am looking for.I've now received my package to commence studying for my CCNA and have no doubt that I will achieve this thanks to the help and support of all at Skills Train. Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to all...!

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SkillsTrain is the express delivery system, no more stalling, grinding to a halt, stopping and starting, no, with skillsTrain your destination is where you want, when you want, a first class Ticket to success, conducted in a professional manner, in a speedy fashion, hop on board this express, you decide when and where to get off.

SkillsTrain has given me choices and options this year that I simply did not have this time last year, going forward, I am more in charge of my own destiny, their is light at the end of the tunnel, despite the downturn, the future looks a lot more optimistic and promising that last Xmas, because of more job options and choices, the further I progress, the better my choices and options will be.

Thank you, Happy Xmas, Best wishes for 2009.

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I HAVE WORKED NIGHTS ON A 12 HOUR SHIFT FOR OVER 4 YEARS NOW, BUT BY TRAINING WITH SKILLS TRAIN, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND A BETTER CAREER ALSO WITH A BETTER INCOME.

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This is my first year at skills train college, taking up pc engineer. it's really make my dream vivid again I can say that 19 years I keep myself in the dark, doing domestic work, cleaning houses in different places. I'm glad to know skills train to gain knowledge and to give me courage that one day I can changes my career into a better and decent work. well its really encouraging having a high score 100 t0 97 percent, it's like a beginning of my dream that I know one day I can be a certified pc engineer and it's really a change of my life. It's true that knowledge is power that no one can take it away from you. I never regret studying at skills train staff are helpful and I realize having skills are very important in our life all the best.

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At this point in studying, I have not always found the course easy and it is sometimes difficult to plan study time with a family demanding things of you!
I feel I am learning something worthwhile and that I could really change my prospects positively and with potential to do much better for me and my family - by this Christmas I expect to be able to rebuild a PC from scratch and by next Christmas I am hoping I will be in a new and rewarding career and doing it for real

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TO THE ORGANIZER.
My study with skills train has not only given me a good chance for a better future but has since guaranteed my daily bread for the future. I am always more than delighted to study my course work & receive good & more intuitive comments from my tutors. I am happy this Xmas because I am almost there. Thanks.

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Pastures New! Promotion! Career! Prospects!

All words I'd come to forget 2 years ago! I was out of work, fast approaching 30 with 2 young children and my elderly grandmother to care for and had lost my lustre for life believing it to have past me by! I needed direction! It came in the form of skillstrain. A chance stop at the skillstrain website one evening, a single phone call, a single visit from an caring and knowledgeable skillstrain agent and I was on the road to recovery! I started studying on the 1st January with a new year's resolution to improve my life and thereby also improving those lives around me. With little IT background I was correctly advised to learn from the ground up with the excellent A+ with which I gained a solid understanding of the inner workings of a PC and the peripherals that went with one, hey now I can count in binary:0) I started to enjoy life once more and threw myself into study, while incorporating the school run, shopping, caring for my grandmother etc.. In this time I also got a part time job in a warehouse, it wasn't much but too me it was a big stepping stone to the future. Midway through the year I began the N+ and now things were hotting up and getting more difficult however this just made me more determined to study harder. During this time I was sending of tma's regularly and during the N+ getting more wrong than right! But with the excellent tutoring provided by the college staff via both phone, e-mail and notes made on the tma's I systematically improved and re-took any unsuccessful tma's until I got them right and more importantly understood where I had gone wrong.
So that brings me onto this year. How has skillstrain improved my life this year? Well at the start of the year I was still working in the warehouse and had just moved onto studying CCNA. I had been slowly gaining my confidence back and at this point, felt proud enough of myself to start sending out CV's and trying to sell myself and the new knowledge I had gained. It all came together in April this year, when I got an interview for a firstline systems helpdesk analyst. I was thrilled just to be getting an interview for this type of role, remembering how far I'd come. I got a call back for a second interview, where the IT manager was very impressed with the A+ and N+ on my CV and pleased to hear how the CCNA was coming along. A phone call later on the same day confirmed I'd got the job and beaten off some more experienced interviewees. The reason was simple, I had studied with a recognised institute in the IT field and that speaks volumes. All the same I realised the company has gone out on a limb employing someone with little real world experience, although the training at skillstrain is as close as you can get! So I threw myself into work as I had my studying and began to impress, which wasn't that hard because I'd had the best training and experience. I began feel comfortable using my learned knowledge and adding it to my new skills being learnt every day. After each day when work was over and I had made dinner for the children and bathed and put them too bed, I still made time to study, even for just a short while, not wanting to lose momentum even for a moment.
I began the second half of my CCNA midway through the year, all the time working as an analyst in a citrix environment dealing with basic password resets etc.. I knew if I kept at my study it would once again pay off.......It did! Recently our company has merged with another who provides managed services and now my company has formed a new Networking helpdesk called Service Management Centre (SMC) on which I have been promoted too as an Incident Manager (firstline escalation/2nd line), so will now be using my networking and CCNA skills on a daily basis.
When I think how far I've come from last year to this year and now from this year to next year, I wonder where I'll be in years to come.
From unemployed and unemployable, to Incident manager in 2 years.

Thank you Skills-Train and all the college staff involved who made it happen (you know who you are:0)

Merry Xmas and a Happy prosperous new year to all!

PS thank you also to all the inspirational stories wrote by skills-train students, I still take time to read them occasionally when I lose motivation, it never fails to put me back on the right path again:0)

PPS For those that have read this far;) I intend to take my CCNA final exam by February and will more than likely be knocking on skills-trains door asking about another course!

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