I was very much depressed with my friends comments about taking the course in the I.T sector which is completely different to food science and technology. But I am confident that I will be get into the I.T field, and continuing the studies by getting good results in TMA'S.I have achieved 100% results in my last 3 assignments.

Top 

Until a couple of months ago I'd never used a PC before, because of my interests and fascination I'm learning so much and now can format and install OS and so much more. People now come to me for help with their problems and I get great satisfaction in helping them.

Top 

I bought a motherboard, celeron proccesser, hard drive, dvd writer, 512 ddr ram and a tower. it was cheaper buying that way. I didn't really know what to do with it when I got home. An hour an a half later I had it up and running first go with windows xp installed. I was a bit worried about turning it on for the first time. I was well impressed when it worked straight away.

Top 

I never learnt English language so I think my 90% progress in TMA is great. If my progress is great- I'm great student too.

Top 

I have started a new job which requires alot of hours and hardwork, with little time for study, but I have managed to submit 2 TMA's and the results have been 100% on both. I have helped my brother build a new PC and have helped with various PC problems at work.

Top 

When starting the course I was a little apprehensive, and thought that some of the work would be bit over my head. I did have a couple of hiccups but that did not deter me, in fact it made my approach much more determined. I think looking back at my results this proves with a lot of hard work you can acheive your goals.

Top 

I have restarted my course and received 100% on the first TMA I am very chuffed as the course work seems completely different I did get quite far the first time around and managed to use my coursework to run a local business from home in which I do general /basic repairs mainly for experience in which all customers are notified I also somehow manage to work full time in a sales office in which I am asked for help if there is a general pc problem. I even have my own business card. About 3-4 month after starting my course I bought some old computers from a warehouse that was closing down for £1 a whole pound, I used my coursework and what I had learnt to fix and/or rebuild them and sold some of them in the paper for £50 I would like to thank all the tutors for their patience and help.

Top 

Well, it's been quite a roller-coaster over the last couple of months! I've been working as an agency worker at our local Police administration department for just over a year now, after the company I was at previously lost the contract I was a part of. Going to the Police was necessity as much as anything, it was the first decent job I could find, although I had entertained the idea of working for them in the past. Anyway, several months of basic admin duties followed, and although it was worthwhile work, I knew I was capable of more. So towards the end of last year I signed up with SkillsTrain to brighten up my prospects.

My studying progressed well, with my TMA grades remaining consistently high, and I felt like I was finally getting my life aimed in some sort of positive direction, though I was lacking a definite idea of what to do exactly. Then, not long after Christmas, a vacancy appeared on the Police Intranet for a position in another department at our Admin office. I'd already gone for one in the past and failed, but I decided to try again, as it would be better wages, more interesting and responsible work, and possibly most importantly, a proper, stable contract. I took my time and filled the application form out as fully as possible, and I was rewarded several weeks later with a letter saying I had got past the initial paper shift and was being put forward for the interview. This in itself was a big success as it was further than I'd managed to get before, and several people had told me that getting noticed in the dozens of applications they always received was possibly the hardest part of getting a job there. So I was feeling pretty good about it all. Throughout this time I was still consistently getting good TMA results, so my balance of work and studying was working well. As the interview date approached I decided to seek some advice from my colleagues. I was already on good terms with the department I was aiming for, and they passed on what they could regarding the job, so I had a better understanding of how it all worked, a basis to frame my answers in at the interview. I was aware that the questions would revolve around the key skills required for the job, so I spent several nights in between studying, rehearsing what answers I'd give for any given question they asked, until I had coherent, detailed responses ready to go with no hesitation. And the big day arrived...

The interview was first thing, so I didn't have time to worry, which was helpful. My preparation paid dividends as I was able to give direct, logical answers to most of their questions, with only a minor blip here and there, which virtually everyone gets I think. I came out feeling I'd done pretty well, though not pinning any hopes on it. This was a Friday, and I was due to hear the result on Monday or Tuesday of the following week. To cut a long story short... I got it!

I found out afterwards that there had been six people up for interview, the most who had ever made it through the paper shift, so I was perhaps even luckier than normal to have succeeded. They said that my planning was evident, from the detail in my answers to the confidence I delivered them with (confidence I felt less than I projected I think!).

Since then I've moved to the new department, and am currently learning the new job. Upon finding out that I'm doing this course, my new Team Leader promised to use me for any technical queries they May have, which I was only too happy to agree to, as real-world experience is always useful. I also recently tackled the Revision TMA 19a, and managed to get a full 100%, so throughout the pressure of applying for, getting and learning a new job, I've also managed to keep my education on track too.

Possibly the best result is that I now have a firm plan for my future though. I intend to work hard in my new job until I pass my final SkillsTrain exams, learning the various IT systems as a user and offering support where I can. Once I have my qualifications, I intend to apply for a Support Engineer position within the force. I feel my experience as a user of their specific systems, combined with the solid education I'll gain in the meantime, will make me a perfect choice for such a role. It May take hard work, but I've proven I can deliver that, and though the plan May change, it's more than I've had before, so that in itself is a massive bonus.
Onward and upward!

Top 

Nearly through the first part of the course against the odds. Being a single dad on benefits means I don't have a lot of time or money and I pay my course fees from my income support. Also I have to use computers in the library as I don't have one of my own, but that is a good environment to work in anyway. I am hoping to pass the A+ this year, start a job in Jan 2008 and continue to study up to CCNA. My kids deserve the best I can give them.

Top 

I am working full time as a coach tour driver while studying for my A+ N+ and Cisco, When I go away I take my course material with me to study I have just completed TMA26 of A+it is not easy doing a full time job as well as training, but like many others are doing the same. Keep up the good work and dont give up.

Top 

On Friday the 22 June I went down to Cambridge to sit the exams that make up the A+ qualification. As I have been studying the 2003 version I have had to rush through the course material and found that I had left just two weeks to book an exam before they were dis-continued.
Having revised as much of the material as I could in a week, I used the online practice exams as a benchmark to see how prepared I was for the exam and I have to say, I was not that confident as my practice scores were not always good enough.
After having sat both exams that day, I was happy to find that I have passed both. The thing that most worried me was that the two appointments I had booked for the exams were the last two sittings of those exams ever! So if I had have failed, I do not know what I would have done.
I'm now starting the N+ course and I'm actually looking forward to the next exam with a lot more confidence.

Top 

I honestly believe that No-ONE in this Country studied harder & longer that I did over the last few weeks especially last Wednesday & Thursday. With more distractions than you could possibly imagine ie: Wife in Hospital in HoChiMonh City ( Vietnam ) after a motorbike accident, major stress at work. On the day before the Exam I managed to take 6 "mock" exams ( including one from Comptia), and I Failed every one. I was extremely upset having resigned myself to failing the next days exam, and was angry at myself for taking on too much of a challenge at my age.
I decided to concentrate on the area of my study that I was poorest at = the masses of tabulated data ie: cpu speeds & speeds of Busses .
I took 3 days off of work & studied from 6.0 am to 10.0pm 16 hours solid study.
I learned as much as I could, drove to Altringham which is 36 miles away, played Linkin Park Loudly on the car stereo - and took my exams one after another.
I was shaking as I pressed the final key to reveal = PASS .
I managed to Pass both exams. No one was more shocked than I was. Thanks to all you tutors because when I telephoned you in my panic you, along with my Family believed that I could do it - where as I didn't .
So thank you .

Top 

This month I have completed the A+ part of my course. Sitting the old 2003 exams I managed pass marks of 70% and 80% in the two exams that I sat on the same day. This is even with differences in the exam to the course work as I was working from the latest course materials. With not only the pressures at work and home increasing I feel that this was a very good achievement and am proud of what I managed.

Top