Recomended training courses?

[tarquel]

Hi all

 

Hope its ok here - I thought it best as its to do with the board heading

 

I was just wondering if anyone knows of any good training companies/courses for any aspect of IT really.

 

We've asked the county about MS courses cheaper for Education, but they dont seem overly interested in the idea.

 

If anyone can suggested courses - either 3rd party or from a training company - on, for example: Microsoft (any/every aspect), cisco or equivilent networking qualifications, etc, then please post them here - along with any pricing and whether there is discounts for edu and group booking and/or equipment needed.

 

That was a mouthful - hope it made sense.

 

Cheers,

N

[RobC]

I'm in the process of going through the CompTIA qualifications - A+, Network+ & Server+. I've got my A+ (I'm an A+ Certified Software/Hardware Engineer! :twisted: ) and just deciding whether to do Net+ or Server+ first.

 

Incidentally, having the A+ & either Net or Server together counts towards your MCSA qualification, & having Net/server+ and Security+ counts towards the MSCE.

 

Oh, and exams are around £100 exVAT, not sure if some places give educational discounts...

[Diello]

Not sure about the specifics I'm afraid - but I've always heard excellent things about Learning Tree

[KeithFermor]

In my previous incarnation I was Technical Software Trainer. I heard differing opinions about LT. The courses were heavilly booked with large classes and students shared systems. I would sugegst that you look for courses where the student/tutor ration is about 1:10 or less. This gives the tutor a reasonable expectation that student ability is not tooo stretched, and provides good opportunities for student/class discussion of hot topics.

 

Course accreditation is good, but not essential. Although it becomes increasingly beneficial to record any training that you undertake that progresses your skills.

 

Go, if possible, by a 'warm reference' - both to course center and tutor.

[Dos_Box]

We are quite lucky here. Lancaster Uni run platform independant sysadmin courses starting from the very easy to the mindbogglingly hard (streaming media over wireless). They also count towards a degree and unlike M$ courses which the market is flooded with these won't expire after a couple of years.

 

http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/ictfocus/certs.html

 

All require one study day a month and we even get people from Edinbrough turning up. Great value for money and you catually learn something instead of

having to remember parrot fashion like the M$ courses (been there, done that).

[russdev]

in terms of courses cisco always good bet...

 

the euitp course looked quite good...

 

Also the bcs degree courses looked good as well..

 

Russ

[MkII]

I'm getting a bit more serious about this now. I've asked the Techs [in Powys] if we can't get together and propose a training package to our [high] schools. Our next get together is Dec 1st.

 

I recon the Lancaster courses seem great. £575 plus travel - our schools pay a lot more that that on software maintenance - why not maintain the staff who suport it as well?

 

I recon if the schools budget £650/£700 per year, every year, that should cover it. Maybe more, then the MS course could be included. At any time we could go off and take Certs if it was felt needed, within that particular years allocation.

 

So - anyone have any ideas on justification etc so we can make a bullet proof presentation to our Heads?

[Ric_]

I'm currently on the CASA course at Lancaster (see Dos_box's post above). The stuff you learn is indeed very well taught and is the stuff you need to know day-to-day too.

 

For those of you that live a little further afiled, I know that there is a guy on my course from Durham (or somewhere 'round there) and he tends to stay in student accomodation the night before to save him having to drive for 2 hours before the course starts.

[MkII]

Great - thanks Ric. It's 2/3 hours from down here. [depending on which routfinder you use!]

[SimpleSi]

I'm on the next NASA course (inducation day 5th April) and just got this email from the course admin

Hi everyone

 

Apologies for sending this blanket email but ICT Focus are currently offering additional places on the Certificate in Network & Systems Administration course at half-price.

 

If a colleague from your institution signs up to join you on April's course, we will be able to offer them a place at £285.00 ( NON VAT)

 

Please note - this offer is subject to availability

 

If you are able to pass this correspondence to any interested parties, I'd be most grateful.

 

Many thanks

Tracy

 

 

Tracy Hargreaves

Training Centre Co-ordinator

ICT Focus

InfoLab21

South Drive

Lancaster University

Lancaster

LA1 4WA

 

Tel 01524 510425

Fax 01524 510490

 

http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/ictfocus

 

regards

 

Simon

PS This is the 1st course - not the one Ric's on

[MkII]

Cheers Simon.

[StewartKnight]

Hey SimpleSi, can I pretend to be from your organisation, and get a half price course??!!??

[ConTheITGuy]

Does this mean you've paid full price, and now they are asking you to get other people onto the course for them and the only have to pay half!

 

 

Andy

[SimpleSi]

It seems to me that they are just selling the remaining places cheap - just like the travel industry does.

 

IF enough of us hadn't signed up in the 1st place then we would have had no course at all.

 

The courses are open to anyone and are well regarded.

 

 

regards

 

Simon

[StewartKnight]

Thanks to DB and SimpleSi! I've just got the ok from SMT, so I'll be on the 5th April NASA!

[MkII]

I just asked Tracy and she said I wasn't eligible for the reduction as It had to be for someone who had already done training at Lancaster, or who had a coleauge in thier institution who had already done training

[ChrisH]

You must have been the person she was talking about when I just tried

[MkII]

Hope you didn't get it than Chris!

[tosca925]

Bloody marvellous

[russdev]

this was interesting on the site

 

Now enrolling for April 2006 at InfoLab21, with a

NEW course starting in Sheffield in May 2006!

 

http://www2.shu.ac.uk/schools/cms/itf/itfindex.cfm

 

now it has become a very realistic opportunity to look into

 

russ

[ChrisH]

Hope you didn't get it than Chris!

I tried but I failed

[MkII]

Damn!! - Can't we make edugeek an 'institution' - i'm sure we're starting to be thought of as that now!!

 

Like I said to her - what are the chances anyone in my 'institution' would have been on other tech courses - there's only me here!! lol

[ChrisH]

I said exactly the same

[alexknight]

I am trying to find a course that will get me the MSCE certification. I know that Lancaster college do it at a reasonable price but i would like to do it somewhere nearer to home, i.e Somerset.

 

Does anyone kn ow where in Somerset or Somerset borders that does this type of course??

[webman]

A place in Hebden Bridge (not near Somerset though) called TheSkillsGap do a 6-week intensive MCSE/MCSA course.