IT Technician courses

[JamesG]

Hi All,

 

I'm a IT Technician at a school for just over a year and i want to further my knowledge within IT.

 

I would say i have a fairly good knowledge of IT in general but want to know more about Networking and general IT Techy things.

 

Could you please recommend me some IT courses to take (home courses too!)

 

The only course i have heard of is A+ which sounds good and want to learn as much as possible but dont know which courses to take or what each one offers

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks

[firefox_2006]

N+, CISCO, MCTS (Microsoft), MCITP (Microsoft again)....the list goes on and on......I have been looking at doing some myself for a while but you need to be disciplined to do self study (which I am not) otherwise firebrand training and the like are an option (bootcamp or accelerated learning), but be prepared to pay at least £2K for full MCTS.

[elsiegee40]

Whereabouts in the country are you JamesG? It will help people to recommend places close to you.

[arthur231283]

I am currently doing an Open University course TM128 Microsoft server technologies (2010)

 

The First Module is based on the Network + and the other 2 modules are based on the Microsoft Server 2008 qualifications

[JamesG]

Thanks for the input guys, i'm from Swindon, South West.

[featured_spectre]

Comptia A+, N+

Cisco CCNA

Microsoft MCITP (which route is down to preference)

 

They are what I would recommend.

[Kitkatninja]

Try to get on a NVQ scheme (eg NVQ 3 in IT & Telcoms), you'll gain a recognised vocational qualification (level 3 is at A Level's level, level 4 is comparable to a degree), plus some offer Microsoft, Comptia and/or Cisco qualifications built in.

 

-Ken

[wslmargaret]

If you want to be an all-rounder - don't forget FITS. It's rolling out across the country and it's all about best practice regarding: service desk, incident management, problem management, change etc Fundamentally it's about running an efficient service with a smile!

regards Margaret

[sukh]

Hi

 

If you're interested in Microsoft courses then I'd look around as they can be expensive.

 

Also, there are way too many companies who charge way too much for the courses. Also, I would not recommend boot camps for obvious reasons unless you are a experienced individual.

 

E-Learning is a good way forward to, has changed dramatically. Now you have online labs.

 

Also, get a good deal to include prometric vouchers, including free re-takes, transcenders too, the approved ones NOT the cheat sheets.

 

Try Aiedo.com

 

Regards

Sukh

[fathead]

I was meant to be doing FITS tomorrow but it's been postponed now to May.

 

I will let you know how it goes and hopefully if it's worth it, I'll be able to advise and recommend you on it.

[Edu-IT]

Try to get on a NVQ scheme (eg NVQ 3 in IT & Telcoms), you'll gain a recognised vocational qualification (level 3 is at A Level's level, level 4 is comparable to a degree), plus some offer Microsoft, Comptia and/or Cisco qualifications built in.

 

-Ken

Where would be the place to look for such things?

[fathead]

In my old job the NM was always going on about doing MCSE. Am I right in thinking this will be defunct soon? I'm sure I've read that MCITP is/will be replacing it as MCSE is Server 2003 based?

 

Personally I would like to do CCNA soon - anyone have ballpark figures for what you might pay for CCNA? Don't want to get ripped off!

[Edu-IT]

In my old job the NM was always going on about doing MCSE. Am I right in thinking this will be defunct soon? I'm sure I've read that MCITP is/will be replacing it as MCSE is Server 2003 based?

 

Personally I would like to do CCNA soon - anyone have ballpark figures for what you might pay for CCNA? Don't want to get ripped off!

I was just looking at a CCNA course and it had Discovery 1, 2, 3 and 4 and each Discovery was priced at £510 each. Not sure if that's what you're on about though.

[featured_spectre]

CCNA is roughly £2000 plus cost of exams (all 4 semesters/chapters)

[Edu-IT]

CCNA is roughly £2000 plus cost of exams (all 4 semesters/chapters)

So that Discovery 1, 2, 3 and 4 I mentioned above is the right thing then? £2040 for the course. No mention of the costs for the exams though.

[fathead]

Not sure if that's what you're on about though.

 

That's exactly what I was on about! Cheers.

[fathead]

I've just found this on the OU website. CCNA for £915 (excluding exams)

 

T216 - Cisco networking (CCNA) - Open University Course

 

However it's the "Exploration" curriculum. Is "Discovery" a different curriculum/stream then?

[Edu-IT]

The one I mentioned was a Level 3 course, I'm sure. This is only a Level 2.

[featured_spectre]

discovery is the ground work for CCNA, and technically counts as "part 1"

exploration is the work on top of discovery, and technically counts as "part 2"

 

To have a full CCNA you need to do both, or have equivalent qualifications for discovery (Comptia N+ and a few others)

[glennda]

Where would be the place to look for such things?

 

I'm currently doing this which is a Level 3 (equiv 2 a-levels).

 

Hopefully then going to go onto this which is level 4 (equiv hnd)

 

wanted to go straight to the level 4 but didn't have enough quals to go straight for level 4 as i have no a-levels as i flunked college!

 

then going to do some cisco stuff as i don't have much clue about all that!

[Kitkatninja]

Where would be the place to look for such things?

 

Contact your local colleges/Uni's, the college that we use for our apprentice is Cambridge Regional College.

 

-Ken

[Kitkatninja]

The CCNA - there is only one level (you also have the CCENT which is half of a CCNA), however it's how it's packaged up with FE/HE qualifications that gives it the levels that everyone here is talking about.

 

If you're looking at just the CCNA, Comms Support has a good reputation on Certforums, but you do not get the BTEC qualification (with the level 3 one) or the OU credit (for the OU module one).

 

Saying that if you have the kit, you can purchase the study guides and work your way thru them without the need for a course - that reduces the costs alot (provided you have access to the kit), but self-study is not for everyone.

 

One thing that you also have to take into consideration is that fact that the Cisco certs need to be renewed every 3 years.

 

-Ken

[Kitkatninja]

If you want to be an all-rounder - don't forget FITS. It's rolling out across the country and it's all about best practice regarding: service desk, incident management, problem management, change etc Fundamentally it's about running an efficient service with a smile!

regards Margaret

 

Added to that, they are level 4 (Practitioner) and level 5 (Manager) qualifications

 

-Ken

[ricki]

HI

 

Please could someone help.

 

I have complete my 70-640 and 680 microsoft courses and Wigan College have stopped doing exam. I have checked the prometric site and loads of other exam centers are closed like Lancaster.

 

Has anyone got any ideas whats going on?

 

Richard

[simbobaker]

Hi,

 

I'm also looking at courses to expand my knowledge, I've already done the CompTIA A+ which was ok, only took about 3months to complete using computeach.

 

I'm now stuck as where to go. Either do a more General CompTIA N+ route or do specific MCSE/MCSA

 

I can't think which would be more useful in schools. I'm guessing the MCSE?