I've been completing all Tutor marked assignments to a high standard and regularly logging onto the skills train website. I regularly check my webmails to keep track of everything happening, and I use the resources on the site to help with my course.

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I have achieved a fantastic result in building my first Computer, its been the happiest time for me. The Lady was a novice never really used a computer, but I built it and taught her how to use it, she knows I am only a call away and she is doing really well and now on the internet and doesn't need much help from me. She just asked me to help her friend with a computer, and show her how to use it and to upgrade it for her.

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I have gained alot of PC knowledge and managed to fix my own computer in various ways, for example a wireless networking system.

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I thought I would drop you a line and let you know how the course is going. I enrolled with Skills Train in February to do A+, N+, CCNA and finally CCNP ("this will keep me out of mischief for some time").

Initially I was full of feelings of self doubt and was rather nervous to say the least. Reason being that I am 42 years old and the last time I undertook major studies such as this, was almost 20 years ago!

When I received my material and started looking over the work, It dawned on me just how little I actually knew! We have all heard a lot of the terminologies used at some stage in our lives and careers, but never really new what they meant, how they functioned or for that matter how they fitted into the workings of the system.

I have found that by reading over the section twice and utilising two highlighters the information is sticking in my old 'Grey Matter' surprisingly well.

I have managed to achieve gradings of 80% and above so far and I can honestly say that I am thoroughly enjoying myself.

I can truthfully say that my self confidence is growing and is boosted when I get my marked results back every week! My only regret is that I did not do this earlier in my life!

Who said, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks"!

Thanks for the support and encouragement.

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I have had to restart my course work 3 times in the 5 months that I have been with "Skills Train". I therefore, haven't been able to successfully finish "PC Hardware & Maintenance" nor "CompTIA A+ 2003" with the limited time I have got from when I am not working in "Catering" (kitchens, cheffing is time consuming and hard work whilst being unsociable), planing time to do college work and also see my Wife, Family and Friends in the short time I have to myself is VERY difficult and having to stop the progress on the "PC Hardware & Maintenance" and "CompTIA A+ 2003" and move to the "CompTIA A+ 2006" is very Disconcerting and understandably off putting in the feeling that I am going to be moved from the "CompTIA A+ 2006" which I am currently studying in 30 day's, and fitting in with the past events my achievements are that I have now got past the first TMA of "CompTIA A+ 2006" and now going to be sending you the second one in about 30 min, to me that's a great achievement as I have finally got past TMA 1 and also TMA 2 and can now hopefully move on to TMA 3 without interruption.

I have also tried to make a time table for my college work that will fit within the unsociable hours that I have to work in the caring industry and the "Student Timetables" that you have left as a help guide really don't fit in with ever changing shift work that catering poses.

I hope this will give you a better understanding of what you are asking from people when you keep changing course material, also looking that not every one works 9-5 mon-fri that want to change their career.

I know this sounds like I am just moaning about what has happened and also feel that it is an "Isolated" instance but there is people out there that have had to change from one study guide to another but I don't feel they have had to do it as often in the time span I have had to do. I have been with "Skills Train" just over 5 months and are now on my 3rd study guide changing twice big smiles though I'm sure we will get me to the CCNP finish line soon enough and a better and more exciting job thank you.

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I haven't studied since late December 2006, when I realised the course material had changed and I would not be ready to sit the exam in March, which mean't I had to start from the beginning again, I lost all enthusiasm for the course, pressure at worked picked up and I ended up working over 50 hours a week. Then to cap it all my PC crashed and would not start up again, this was not a major problem as work bought me a new computer which is a better spec, it was when my future father in law asked me to look in the local paper and see if there were any cheap second hand PC's which would suit his needs that I realised I should be able to fix my old work PC from what I have learnt so far. So I asked work if they didn't mind me taking it home and trying to fix it, they said ok and off home it went with me.

I started by removing the casing and familiarised myself with the construction, checked all the wiring was connected properly, all were connected correctly, so scratching my head I turned to my training manuals for advise, quickly flipping through I discovered the PSU might be at fault, after a quick phone call to a electrician friend I had borrowed a multimeter and proceeded to to test the cables, first I checked the power lead and found that to be working, so I then moved onto the individual power connectors from the PSU and surprisingly there was no reading. So I unplugged all the connectors and removed it from the casing, I took it down to a local PC repair centre and explained what I thought was wrong, he confirmed my suspicions and asked if I had a surge protector at work, which I didn't, he explained that as we had a lightning storm recently a power surge could of damaged the PSU. After checking the details he ordered me a new PSU. It arrived the following week, and in just under 1 hour of careful re-assembling the PC, I pressed the on button, and believe it or not it booted up. I delivered the cleaned up PC to my future father in law the following day with a big smile on my face. Now I find myself around his house at least once a fortnight giving him lessons on how to make the most out of his PC and internet connection, which I am more than happy to do.

From this experience I have refound my enthusiam for the course and the enjoyment it used to give me, learnt something new, now both my work and my future father in law have surge protectors installed, and realised even though I have to start from the begining again, it won't take me long to catch up.

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I must admit that I did Hardware before coming doing this course but I have seen a great difference. My knowlegde about computers is grown and I am no more timid when it comes to computers. I am able to effectively deal with both portable computers and desk top as well.

Thank you to Skills Train. I have never regreted joining this course.

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Passed three of my tma with good marks love skills train. The best course I have done in my life.

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When I first started the course it seemed that it was much too hard for me to understand most of it. I had never been an academic person anyway, and as a result my TMA's were being submitted infrequently.

Now I am really into the course and absolutely love what I am learning. I know so much more about networking than ever before and a couple of weeks ago I networked 5 computers together at my workplace!!! They were very impressed to say the least! My cabling could do with some more practice though! I am now submitting TMA's as soon as I receive the previous result back and am so happy to be gaining this knowledge. Also, I started using Linux so that it is giving me a greater technical knowledge and I was even able to point out an error in where unix stores the HOSTS file.

I feel more confident now and wish I would have taken this opportunity long ago. Many thanks to Skillstrain!!

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A lot of good, and bad things have happened in the last two years, but this Cisco course is spurning me on to do better. Back in April 2005 my boss committed suicide while I was signed off due to stress, a couple of years earlier, his boss had passed away, so this was a lot for me to take on board. My boss passed away just 5 days before my wedding, which made that tough too. Since then, I have moved onto a new job, have a new wife and family, and a new 10 month old baby, and a new house. It is hard to organise study time with three kids at home, and the first couple of times I received low marks for TMA's it made me feel very down, to the point where I almost gave up, but with the support from my wife and my family I stuck with it. I have managed to do 4 TMAs already this year (2007) which is a lot better than last year, and I now look forward to each new part of the course, instead of feeling very hesitant and anxious when it arrives on my doorstep. I know that on completion of this course it will all be worth it, and I will be kicking myself for trying to think I wasn't up to it. The Cisco course is a great opportunity to help improve the future for myself and my family, and I hope to study other Cisco courses once I have completed my current course.

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My girlfriend entered my details to skillstrain after seeing an advert in the paper. I remarked that it was all a con, and she believed that I should give it a try. The course seemed very daunting at first, a lot of work to be done. I had a good knowledge of IT and didn't think the course could teach me much more. Boy was I wrong!! The staff are all so helpful, responding to my queries promptly. I am enjoying it so much, and it is easy to fit into my current job. I have so much confidence now and have even networked 5 computers at work, and cabled a cctv system using the skills I have been taught.

Thank you Skillstrain!

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I'm currently studying an MSC Computer Security and Auditing with Greenwich University and doing my CISCO Studies.

My wife lost her job in Warwick and as a result we had to relocate to Dundee-Scotland. During the same period, my wife had a miscarriage and I had to look after her and our 4year old daughter and still do my University Work and CISCO TMAs.

I am very glad that I have passed all my MSc exams together with my CISCO TMAs despite all the difficulties and psychological pressure I have been going through.

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In reality, the only reason I'm studying is to earn more money and get a better job. Qualifications mean nothing if you don't have the will or inclination to use the knowledge gained.

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