SkillsTrain Reviews from Students

I started my A+ and N+ coursework back in August 2003, I have today passed the second, and final part of the A+ 2003 objectives exam! I am only 3 quarters way through N+ coursework, and I am about to emigrate to sunny Cyprus, I hope to continue my studies later in the year.

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I have completed 3 TMA's for the month of January (and just tonight submited my 4th 020207)which was some going let me tell you, being that I have been working 6 days a week for the last month in an extremly busy national call centre, whilst also taking care of my 7th month old daughter on my own whilst also making time for musical commitments, dont I at least deserve at pat on the back :oD

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I shall be 51 this year and have surprised myself at putting myself through this course which isn't all plain sailing. I have designed websites using WYSIWYG software without really understanding what happens behind the web pages, so the html and xhtml has been like another world to me.

I have been surprised also with my consistency this month being the first time I have scored less than 75% but as with other students it is the feeling of something well done when you get the high marks and the well dones from your tutor that gives you the incentive to cover that extra yard.

Web designer or manager who knows but one thing to come out of this will be the ability to write better sites if nothing else!!!

Watch this space..............

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I find that if you really want something in life then that should be enougth to inspire you to get it like wise I want a good job so I can look after my family rather than all ways using my overdraft each month and that as move me to think carefully of my future on what I really want. in life you got to believe you can and be determin to achieve whatever you set out to achieve in life let no body tell you can't or else you will become a failer which is not good for you dont look back down the years and say if I did know it will be too late then

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I Have completed 4 assignments in the last month, and intend on completing a few more this month

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I am taking my A+ exam in just over a weeks time and I am hoping to pass so as not to let any of you down

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I didnt know anything about computers before I started this course I am now about to take my exams to complete this course which hopefully ill pass with all the help ive recieved from the course, I have helped numerous people with there computers with the knowledge ive recieved from the course

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Well, I fell that I have maintained a high average throughout the A+ part of the course. I have had a few different circumstances in which doing the work has been difficult such as, I am currently working at the same time at Capgemini, a IT Support Company, I do there 7am to 4pm, which is really time consuming becuase I am tired all the time, the only time I get to work is Saturday and Sunday. Apart from this, there was a situation where my mom and dad had to leave over the christmas period to go India. I was left home with my younger brother and sister. My parents left me with the responsibility to pay bills, look after everyone else, do shopping etc. Most these things were extremely hard because I was on a strict budget and taking into account that I do not drive. I feel that sharing the responsibilty between my brother and sister was a good idea, becuase then it relieves pressure from myself.

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I have acheived excellent results in all my TMA's. I am now in the process of starting my own business, and it's all thanks to skillstrain for the excellent tutorial materials and support you provide. keep up the excellent work

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I have never worked on computers before,however since starting this course I have surprised myself by doing exeptionally well in my tutorial marks.My personal home computer recently broke(the motherboard popped)and through the course notes I have managed to replace the motherboard and processor,something I thought I would never be able to do.

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After a few stressful months of having to resubmit TMAs and lossing a close family member at a very young age and at chirstmas I am now trying to get my results back up to the grades I was achieving in section A and section B part 1 which was late 90's and even some 100%. My last TMA I got 80% so getting there.

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Since I applied for CCNA+ course and received my first book, have not had much time to study. Last year after Christmas I decided to start studying, and took it very seriously. I have finished the original N+ PART A book, all my assigments has been marked in 3 weeks, when the updates were released. So I thought that I was going to start the new N+ PART A book from the beginning.
By now I finished this book, just in 2 weeks, send my assignments continously. I have learnt and studied a lot and more every day, gained my knowledge. I am very determined, enjoying studying, wanting to learn, because I have a very good reason. Before I moved to Scotland I had been working in IT for 6 years. I had more practise than theoritical knowledge. This course helps me get to know and learn new things in IT, completely understand what I had done and why in my previous IT jobs. I want to go back to work and establish a new career in IT sector, just love it.

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I believe I have achieved a graet deal since the update of my N+ course, Not letting to much of the festive spirit go to my head and continuing to study hard and recieving better results than I expected. I only hope I can keep it up though the rest of the N+ and the CNNA.

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The reason I am putting myself up for entry is the fact that I have studied exceptionally hard this month, completing two TMA'S trying to catch up from the couple of weeks break at christmas which was lovely and well needed after doing a 60 hr week for the last 6 months constantly working and trying to keep my studying up aswell. However just as important though is I have finally given up smoking after a long time of trying to quit and my studying is keeping me well and truly focused on the future and what is important. I am a lot more determined now than I was and able to take my mind off the temptation of smoking just by picking up my folder so I must say a big thank you to scheidegger aswell for helping me breathe easy again lol.

Thankyou for taking the time to consider my entry this month.

Yours Sincerely


Colin Black

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I have passed my mock exam for pc maintance and fundamentals and I did find it abit hard but with the course material I found it easy after reading the material that is in the folders I found the course material well presented

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After sustaining a fracture dislocation of the knee, ligamant damage and osteoarthritis whilst serving in the Army many years ago, my health dictated that I must change career direction. Having never studied beyond secondary education level, I decided that due to my interests in all things IT that a career based on my hobby was the way forward. 18 months ago I embarked on the A+, N+, CCNA and CCNP course. Over the past 18 months I've had two additional knee ops and am currently waiting on a third. In the past 18 months I've submitted course work every week, with only one exception. The fact that I have this course to focus on has given me hope that the future is bright. I'm really looking forward to finishing the course and achieving a qualification that is recognised world wide. I'm really proud of myself and my regimented course of study, you're never too old to start something new.

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I've been working the past month whilst working two Paid jobs and was meant to be moving next week so everything is packed up ready but there's been a problem on the over end and can't move untill next month, Aswell as that my brother was in a car accident due to no fault of his own and had his car written off so I have had to drive him to and from work aswell

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I have studied this course through the thick and thin, I have just completed my TMA 2 and I'm going to study for TMA 3. I have got the guts to carry on till the end, where as before I wouldn't want to do it. My mum has a severe chest infection, so I'm helping her out and studying for this course aswell.

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I feel that I should be considered for Student of the Month as with the exception of this month I feel that since I started the course I have achieved a fairly high and consistent percentage of high marks. Couple this with the fact that I lost 5/6 months study time through illness and being in and out of hospital and the fact I am asthmatic I think I have acheived so much in this space of time.

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Using the skills I have learned in the past few months, I set about building and setting up my own home network. Setting up my network, which is both hard wired, and wireless, to connect my Desktop PC, to my Laptop, interfacing with my wireless broadband router, and an external "Network" hard drive, I was feeling quite pleased with my achievements. However my elation was short lived !
I returned home, last Saturday to hear my Desktop PC clicking away to itself, with the power light and the DVD writer busy light flashing continuously. This was also accompanied by a faint "electrical burning" smell. I quickly unplugged the power supply, and with an initial feeling of dread, I opened up the PC Case to start my investigations. I hadn't even removed the cover, when my training, and knowledge started to take over. I cleared a large work area, donned my anti-static wristband, earthed my self and started from the beginning. With notebook and pen, I started my investigations....... disconnect all ancillary components, and those not needed for start-up. Re-connect the power - still the same indications. disconnect the power, and disconnect the power feed to the motherboard. using a multi-meter check the supply voltages to the power connector. +12V only reading 1.3V, +5V only reading 3.1V. Initial reaction - blown power supply. On visually checking the motherboard, there were signs of blackening, and distortion on one of the chips, so I suspected that the Motherboard May be damaged as well. To prove this, I replaced the Power Supply with a known good spare, but on powering up, I got the same indications as before.
I now knew that the power supply was faulty, and either the Motherboard, or Processor, or both was also faulty. I then did some internet research, and discovered that e-machines 790 desktops, (the make of my PC), were susceptible to a triple failure of the Power supply, Motherboard, and processor. I contacted a local PC company who also agreed with my conclusions.

So what next?

Well, having just completed the module on "Purchasing a PC, or building your own", I did some research, and decided that I could upgrade my PC to a "current" spec, at a not too extortionate price. Buying the necessary parts (a WinFast 761GXK8MB Motherboard, and an Athlon 3800 - 64bit processor bundle), I was able to confirm that my current memory was compatible, and that it would fit my existing Tower case. I happily set off home, secure in the knowledge that I had all the parts I needed, and that they would all fit together nicely.
I stripped down the old unit, in the reverse order of building, and replaced the Power supply first. I found that I could slide the DVD drive forward in it's housing, and easily fit the new motherboard. A couple of the connections on the front of my tower had different plugs that would not fit the new Motherboard. However, the motherboard documentation allowed me to modify the connectors, and connect them, (headphone socket, and microphone).

Starting the PC for the first time was a little nerve racking, but no problems starting, no error messages, and apart from having to re-install Windows, I generally had no problems. Loading the drivers for the motherboard, for on-board Video and Sound, from the CD supplied with it, made everything go smoothly, and my system is now up and running again.

My initial reaction, on discovering the failure, was one of dread and despair, but by following the trouble shooting guides, and using the lessons that I have learned, the whole experience turned into a valuable and practical training lesson. I know that I'm not the best PC Technician in the world, but someday...... someday.

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I have had previous experience in IT as I have studied the basic at a Sixth form college, The A+ course has enabled me to look at the componenets and technology in depth to gain and intensive knowledge. I can now resolve problems that can be basic and that are quite difficult to resolve if I didn't have the experince. I submitt the assignments, which I find very calming, because I am not working under pressure. Hopefully before the end of June 2007 I will like to complete this and move on to the N+ part of the course.

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Before I started this course I was a mere GNU/Linux and OpenBSD programmer as a hopbby and knew the very minimal about hardware. Now, just weeks after starting the A+ course I have friends and family and even people I barely know bringing their computers in to me and asking me to go around to perform maintenance, install hardware and help configure their computer systems. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself and feel this course is helping me achieve my goals to get into the IT industry.

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