Groupon deal - Eight course PC Technician Package

I am seriously looking at this Groupon deal and wondering whether to bite the bullet and go for a years' worth of studying.

It covers the following:

"Eight Course PC Technician Package Including Maintenance, Security, CompTIA, and Microsoft Windows 7 for £79 (90% Off)
This home-learning online course can transform aspiring IT professionals into competent CompTIA and Windows 7 specialists, with 24 hour support offered Monday to Friday. Available on any computer with internet access, at home, work, or elsewhere, the course is accessible for a full year, letting students swot up at their own pace. Students over 16 qualify for an NUS Student discount card.

Today's Groupon offers computer technician package for £79, from e-Careers.com.

The Specifics

• Microsoft certified Technology Specialist course
In Windows 7 Configuration (11 hours)
Covers installation, deployment, and upgrading to Windows 7
• CompTIA A+ 220-701 Training Essentials (25 hours)
Covers diagnosis, troubleshooting, and operating system and hardware fixes
• CompTIA A+ 220-702 Training for Practical Application (21 hours)
Covers installation, configuration, upgrades, and maintenance
• New CompTIA A+ 2009 for Windows 7 220-701 and 220-702 (36 hours)
Covers installing Windows 7, User Account Control, IPv6 addresses, and Windows 7 utilities
• New CompTIA Network+ 2009 N10-005 (27 hours)
Recognised by Microsoft, Novell, Cisco, HP and Lotus
• CompTIA Server+ SKO-002 (46 hours)
Covers areas such as RAID, SCSI, multiple CPUs, and server issues including disaster recover
• CompTIA Security+ SY0-301 (24 hours)
Covers security protocol skills to protect IT systems of all sizes
• CompTIA A+ 2009 Essentials (220-701)

• Designed to prepare students for full CompTIA qualifications
• Qualify for an NUS Student discount card
• 165 hours total course time
• Live chat with an advisor available
• Full customer support offered Mon-Fri 24 hours per day

To find out more about Groupon Goods, see the FAQ."

I have done distance learning with the OU so that shouldn't be a problem.

I know some of these courses are not the most up-to-date, but neither is the technology in the schools I work with. I would be doing this to enhance my knowledge of existing stuff, not to be cutting-edge and with the potential to move to a new job.

Does anyone have any experience of the ecareers.com company?

I'd welcome opinions on this, both positive and negative!

Thanks

If you want to take the exams, you have to pay,don't you?

Hi :wave:

Now there's a point I hadn't thought of .... the materials are cheap because the exam costs aren't included. Yep, have checked back on the details and it says "preparing for full qualifications". And the knowledge without the letters aren't really much cop.

I've googled the company and the results suggest they are slow to redeem the initial vouchers and get things moving. I think I will walk away from this one, safe in the knowledge I've just saved myself some money :-)

I did look at it as well but the exam costs are huge.
If you find anything else, let me know! :)

Have you come across the Professor Messer materials?

Professor Messer, CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, Linux, Microsoft Certification Training

They are free and very informative and probably just as good, if not better, than a lot of course materials offered by online companies like ecareers.com.

Obviously the exam fees themselves are still not included though, but the knowledgebase of information is amazing. I'd forgotten about it all until it popped up on my Facebook feed last night, unfortunately I don't have the time or the discipline to sit and watch stuff if I don't *have* to!