Well, Courtesy of my studies I've landed myself a rather ‘cushtie' job that's somewhat of a step in the right direction. It was just another day in the office until I had reason to contact a former manager of mine who I'd worked for a few years ago.

During a brief catch up I mentioned that I was studying towards CCNA accreditation. Impressed with my self-motivation and determination to improve my lot in life he informed me of a vacancy that he was trying to fill but hadn't found the right candidate. I applied there and then and had an interview the following week. Part of the interview process was a practical exam comprising of hardware, software and networking issues. The hardware and software tasks were relatively simple but without the knowledge gained throughout my studies I would have failed the networking segment of the interview process. As it happens, I passed with flying colours. After a few gruelling days wait, I found I was successful and was offered the job.

I now work as a Geek Squad Agent. The working conditions are a vast improvement on my last job. I work with an awesome team and have been given a fairly substantial pay rise.
Overall this opportunity came as a very welcome surprise and it's affording a far better quality of life with more money and less hours.

Thank you Skills Train.

Regards

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I chose do this course to retrain and change my career. In July 2009 with the knowledge of IT I possess now and the qualification I am working towards I was able to secure a new job with a major rugby League. Although my work load has increased I have been able to continuing studying and achieving excellent results in all TMA's.

This month I have just been promoted to Development Manager and this is thanks to the skills I have learnt and continue learning on this course.

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Hello

When I first enrolled on my course I didn't know much about computers. Also my English wasn't good. There was a time I thought I can't do it, especially after my second operation.

It has been difficult but thanks to my tutor and skills train staff I pass my first exam today with score 875 (passing score 675). So well above the passing score and more importantly it has given me confidence I have never felt before. I am now looking forward to my next training section (Network+). Thank you and good luck to all with their training.

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Aged 12, I have achieved nothing really as I have just started the course. In junior school I received straight 5's (highest level) and my teacher made a remark say I have a future in it. So then I decided to take on this course to further develop my education in ICT work. I am currently in year 7, studying and progressing, especially in IT as I believe it is my thing!!!!!

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I don't know if this counts as an achievement but the place where I work were throwing out some old PCs. They had been sitting on a pallet out in the yard for a month before I saw them. I took home 4 PCs and a flat panel monitor, the PCs were full of water and the monitor was in a plastic container half covered in water. The pins on the hard drives had been bent to stop further usage.
I stripped everything down and after drying out the equipment and bending the pins back (I lost 1 drive here) I rebuilt the PCs. All are now in working order. OK the best is only a pentium 4 with a 40GB drive but it was fun.

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Thanks to skillstrain I have started my new career as a computer maintenance technician, for a worldwide leading computer company, so all that studying was well worth it, at the beginning it was hard to grasp but a lot of help from the tutors, and dedication I was soon to be gaining high marks, so a very big thanks.

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Achievements, May I call it like this? Sure. I was on the carpet today - I mean, boss wanted to talk with me. We had a small discussion. I received an proposal - to become a trainee of main network administrator (whole network consist of about 30 servers and about 500 workstations - to bring you in the picture). In a case, something will happen, he needs a backup. Sure, I will take it. Actually, it is a big opportunity to get into networking business, switches, Linux and Unix environment etc. of our CAN. My CISCO course is going forward slowly because of my deficit of time in the last weeks, but I study more effectively, and I am happy that I can do it my way. I am getting used to packet tracer, which is helpful in some cases. I hope to go forward. Good luck to all of you. Spring is coming soon... :)

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Last year turned out to be one of the worse years of my life after starting the year being redundant, money problems throughout and ending the year losing my mum.

I'm pleased to say 2010 has started well, I'm settled in a permanent job and recently became engaged to my partner of 7 years. I've also finished my first professional website for a family member and have had a few offers of more work. I'm in a happy place at the moment and hopefully that continues.

I would just like to say a big thank you to Skills Train for allowing me to extend my course! It's a huge lifeline and has ensured my work so far has not been for nothing for which I am extremely grateful. Thanks again!

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Since starting the course I have found myself maturing within a business environment and have recently become a supervisor at my current job. Although it is not within a IT department but I am sure when the time is right I will have all the appropriate skills to secure the right job.

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Hello

have never blown my own trumpet before today, so here goes. Back in August 2008 I was made redundant working for a National third party IT company. I had been working in the IT industry proper since 1990, I already had CompTIA and other professional qualifications.

In September 2008 I enrolled at my local college in Filton, Bristol; to gain a couple of Level 2 qualifications. In October of the same year I had a major knee operation and although laid up for a while, it did not prevent me from returning back to college to resume my studies. In January 2009 I put myself on an NVQ Level 2 ITQ course at Tabs training. I was not working as having physiotherapy twice a week on my knee. So in February 2009 I enrolled with Skillstrain to do the latest CompTIA A+ course at that time the CompTIA N+ 2009 plus the CCNA course. In September 2009 I enrolled at New College, Swindon; to do a long distance Level 2 course, my final exam for this is in June 2010.

To cut to the chase it is now January 2010 and pleased to say I am now walking normally again. Plus I can pat myself on the back, because I passed my level 2 college exams, I have an NVQ Level 2 in ITQ. Passed both the CompTIA A+ 601 and 602 exams. Plus today 13th February 2010 just passed the CompTIA A+ 2009 Bridging exam. I have just updated my CV today. I have another exam at New College on March 2nd 2010. So I am planning on submitting my first TMA for the CompTIA N+ very soon.

Since my operation I have not applied for any jobs. However I will be submitting my CV shortly and see what work there is out there for me in the IT industry. To set the record straight I have not been able to claim benefits due to my redundancy money and savings I had.

So I will continue with my studies as best I can and try and get back to work as soon as possible. So I will give you all a further update in a year from now as to what I have accomplished.

Best regards

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Since the start of the year I told myself I would really put much
more effort into my course, and web design as a whole. I have
since obtained work re-designing a website which is now 90% complete.

I spent approximately 15 hours on this site during January.

During this time I was also working full-time as I always do
as a technician for an Access Control Company, but I also
have two more web design projects in the pipeline for the
next few weeks, mainly as a result of the improvements I
have recently made to my personal website.

Finally, and possibly most importantly I have completed
all of the third book of my CIW Foundations course. I read
through the book twice and completed all of the TMAs –
of which I achieved high marks for all. I have been learning
about web design for many years but in the last 4-5 weeks I
have really stepped up a gear in the subject, I have worked
harder than I ever have done on website related work and
study and have learnt that when you set goals and you focus
on them goals daily and consistently work towards achieving
them it can be done. And so I shall continue as I mean to go
on as the satisfaction of any achievement is highly desirable.

And when you are achieving goals it becomes more like fun
and less like work, I just wished I had this strong desire, drive
and determination inside of my much sooner.

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I came to the UK in May 2006 and started work almost straight away. Despite this every day I would think about studying to better myself. One day I have received SkillsTrain booklet by post and that time I have decided and I join SkillsTrain in April 2009. I wanted to further my career.
I started first with the A+ and after this I have finished N+ and now I am studying Cisco -CCNA. I have found that ALL of the tutor team are really helpful as sometimes I can't quite understand some topics. I know I have got a good and kind tutor team so I'm not afraid to ask for help. They are always good with me. When I call them for a hint they straight away send me mail with extra help on the Student World website. Now I can sort-out any number of small problems in my computer and I can help my friends as well. I learnt many things from skills-train. Really my computer skills are better than ever before and I will achieve my goal in future and find a better job in IT.

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I have helped at least three families in my close, from making a new computer for them to fixing and upgrading a couple of old ones! It was very interesting and helpful to have the chance of putting what I have learnt over the past year into practice! Everyone including myself, were over the moon with the results! This would never have been possible before I'd started the course! Living and learning!

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