I had to re-submit an assignment due to a very poor mark. I received 100% for my second effort. I have been having a bad time of late. I have discovered I have Arthritis in my right knee, hip, lower back and neck. It has been very painful and the drugs I have been prescribed don't take all the pain away, but leave me tired and unable to concentrate properly.

Im trying very hard, I spend up to 12 hours a day working on my course, I really enjoy it, its fun to learn. Its giving me something to work towards. I know I will never work a "normal" day job, sometimes I can't even get about the house. But learning web design will give me a way to earn a decent living from the comfort of my own home, and the hours I choose.

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Since successfully completing my A+ Certification, I have been selected for the role of Head Technician and manager of the PC Clinic orientation, in PC World.

I was offered this role over colleagues that have been employed in the technician role and have been with the company for many years before myself, however, this achievement was made possible due to the understanding of computer maintenance and repair that I have gained from carrying out courses via Skills Train and my determination to succeed. very hard for promotion at work. One of my key tasks was to pass my A+ and N+ exams to help put a case forward for promotion. In December 2007 I passed both external exams to certify as an A+ IT Technician and now have the certificate on my wall at work. Then to make things even better I sat and passed my Comptia N+ exam in February and am now awaiting that certificate to go alongside my A+ one. My manager has just said he is going to support my case for promotion and fingers crossed it will be made true these coming months. All of this is down to the course materials received from Skillstrain making the studying a lot easier with excellent course materials.

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Despite having Crohn's Disease and having tests to make sure its not too bad and the medication I'm on, I have been able to get 5 100% marks in a row on my assignments even though I have been in pain while studying for the assignments and having to go to hospital for tests. Plus had to spend a short time at my parents due to not been well, but am slowly getting the revision assignment completed again, due to I hadn't answered the questions fully when asked to, which I have done when not too tired, as Crohns also causes extreme tiredness too as well as the pain.

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Being a fairly busy individual I reckon that my personal achievement has been finding the time to get my studies done, while getting back into the gym, spending time with my wife (we been married for almost 4 months now) getting through my sometimes exceptionally busy and physically as well as mentally draining day, while still finding time to do chores, dinner and unwind.

My current daily routine, from Monday to Friday consists of getting up at 6am, driving down to gym for a run and some other various exercises. I come home, shower, pack lunch, slip my fully charged laptop into its bag along with my CIW Section 1 - Part 1 text book and at about 8 am, head on out for my busy day of fixing refrigeration or air con units.

While on the road to my first job, my work mobile will ring and it will be the office with potential jobs for the day. It will go on like this all the way until 5pm, when the office closes and if there is lots of work or urgent jobs that still need my attention, I could be out on different sites a good few hours past my official shut down time.

However, if my day is not to hectic, I park behind one of my stores that I maintain, slip into the passenger seat and either whip out the laptop, to do some web design work or to read a few pages of my current chapter. (If my boss reads this, I don't take longer than an hour, my official lunch time, to do either of these tasks) Then I head on to my next job.

If it's a quiet day, then I May spend a few extra minutes here or there, in my van, doing extra reading and studying from the CIW text book.

Having said all of this, I have yet to mention that every so often, even though it is not my turn on the StandBy rota, I volunteer to work a FULL shift of StandBy. That's from Friday afternoon, right through until the following Friday morning, I am on 24 hour call. Well, that is for the entire weekend and between 5pm - 8am the next morning during the week.

To give you an idea, last time I was on StandyBy weekend, Saturday I worked an 18 hour day and Sunday I worked a 15 hour day.

So, as I mentioned before, in the beginning of this little story, I feel my achievement is being diverse in making time to fit in my studies while still maintaining a relatively balanced life.

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This month I have started studying the final section of my course, and look forward to sitting my exams (all 5 of them!). The course has given me the confidence to set myself up as a self-employed web designer, after being unable to work for 15 years. After a slow start, and despite all we hear about recession, the work is now coming in and I have already made about two thirds of the course fees back in earnings. I now feel I have a future, and that I am a full participant in life, not a second class citizen forced to live on benefits. It's taken a little dedication, but nothing worthwhile in life comes easily.

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I have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my spine and sclerosis in my shoulder and am now classed as disabled. This has caused disruption to my whole life due to the constant pain. I have had to adapt and make changes as it has affected my family, my work place, my studies and not least of all my confidence. Despite this I have altered my work pattern, completed an exam and still kept up with my studies with Skills train. I am beginning to feel that my studies are what give me the conviction and focus not to let my disability get me down. I am now awaiting the outcome of my exam.

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Over the past year my life, career and coursework have been all over the place. I studied the 2003 objectives then ran out of time as they were discontinued, then transferred onto the 2006 objectives. Whilst studying, I have been going through changes at work with department closures and low moral with colleagues. I accepted what was happening and made the decision to change my career earlier than expected. As a result I am now leaving my present employer at the end of November 2008 through voluntary redundancy to pursue a career within pc maintenance. It is a very scary time especially for my family at home faced with the prospect of changing my job and the possibility that I May not find one straight away. I have also decided to relocate up north and in doing so will need to sell my house. Then there is the moving of schools to consider. Even though I have all the stress to deal with, I have still managed to carry on with my studies, and intend to take and pass the A+ exams within the next two months. The motivation to succeed is driving me forwards obviously enhanced by the fact that I'm leaving my job. I would like to be considered for student of the month, due to the levels of stress that I have overcome so far and the progress I am making to secure a good life for me and my family.

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I am a Food Technologist by profession since 1974. During my time I worked my way up and eventually owned and ran my own company for 15 years. However I had to close the company and go back to working for other people, which is very difficult at times. Skills train has helped me take a new view on a career that will eventually allow me to be independent once more.

Four years ago, having just completed a temporary contract I had a prolapsed disk in my neck while moving out of my temporary accommodation. To keep a long story short I have gone through 3 operations so far and am now looking at a 4th. This means that my studying has to be done during my lucid moments when the pain killers are starting to wear off. This is limiting but the design of the course allows me to be flexible in my approach.

Like your last months winner my wife has secondary bone cancer and this month came the bad news that it has now spread to her other vital organs, and she has had to start again with Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy. This takes up an enormous amount of time travelling around the country to various hospitals and then spending hours sitting waiting. Again the course has given me the opportunity to do something useful with this normal dead time.

I am feeling particularly pleased with myself having completed 7 TMA's during July and with only one result dipping to 90% I think I can feel justifiably proud.

The one important thing to keep the momentum going has been the rapid turn round of the marking of the TMA's by the Tutor Team to whom I am very grateful.
Many thanks

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Even if I struggle with concentration due to the medication I take for Cancer I managed to undertake all my Assessments for CCNA Discovery Semester 1. I achieved a total mark of 99% for Discovery Semester 1 and 90% on Skills Based Assessment I which l really appreciate. I didn't think it was going to be possible to achieve this so far and I'm very proud of myself and my achievements. I'm glad that I started the new CCNA Discovery Course even if I had almost finished my CCNA 640-801. I realised that there are new things that are on the new syllabus that were overlooked on the old one that are really helpful for a technician in troubleshooting a network. I'm really enjoying CCNA Discovery as its easy to understand and well structured.

Right now I'm in the middle of Semester 2 of CCNA Discovery and l feel very confident, motivated and my average Passmark is 98% . I'm looking forward to finishing Semester 2 and take a CCENT exam which I'm confident I will do well with the help of the Tutor Team who have been tremendous in my achievements so far.

To those who are disadvantaged in some way like me l say 'keep the spirit up and believe in yourself because you are special and nothing is impossible'.

Thank you.

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I just started doing the A+ course in PC engineering a month ago and despite having health problems I have still been able to achieve very good marks for my assignments. I've now handed in my 5th assignment, but for me to be able to get the marks, I've wrote down the important parts to help me learn more easily. I have Crohn's Disease and M.E (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) in which I have good days and bad ones, plus I can't concentrate for too long without getting tired. Yet even on my bad days while in bed I've still picked up the book and read some of the course, I've tried not to let my health problems interfere with my studying at all, I've carried on despite been in pain or been tired. I look at it this way, despite having problems there is a solution to the problem so you can carry on studying like when travelling to work etc. on bus or train, read about your course then, there is no such word as I can't.

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Hi, I have completed the CIW Web Design Manager course a few weeks ago. I have now taken the first exam 1D0 510 CIW Associate and passed with a 100% score!

I thought 1 exam in the bag 4 to go! I was so nervous. I didn't think I would pass. I have two very young children and a very busy life. This proved to me that success is only around the corner but it depends on how much you want it.

I started this course out of sheer boredom. I just had my second child and was stuck at home and I am not really a home bound sort of person and thought there must be something that I enjoy doing that I can do whilst taking care of my boys, then I saw a ad on TV about Skills Train and here I am!

I am now doing revision for the JavaScript exam and hope after completing all my exams to have a very successful career.

So my message to you is- if you have the drive and set you mind to anything you want to achieve, you can do it! Go for it!

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Having completed the first section of the CIW Web Design Manager course I have set-up in business. I am now operating as a sole trader and managed to juggle my full time job, setting up and registering as a sole trader (bank accounts, tax, accountants, etc.) with the learning.

Despite being competent with computers, I would never have had the confidence of starting my own business without the course. Although there is still quite a way to go before completing the whole course, I have managed to apply my new knowledge and celebrated my first contract this week!

Yes, it's only a small website, but it's a start. The response I've had locally from businesses I've contacted has been very positive and I am constantly networking with people. - providing advice where possible.

I completed the first project on time and within budget so the client was very happy. Rather than creating free websites for friends/family I now have the confidence to approach "paying" clients.

At this rate the course will have paid for itself in no time!

Thank You, thank you, thank you.

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I believe that I could be considered for entry on the grounds that I have worked very hard and have achieved good results. I completed reading my course guide in three weeks and completed all the TMAs. I committed about 7-8 hours per day (plus night hours) going through the course material. I read on the bus, at the bus stop and even sometimes walking and reading on the road. So far I have submitted 3 out of 5 TMAs and have achieved an average of 90% plus. I have completed and re-checked my other TMAs in preparation. I am in the process of re-reading the Course Guide so I can consolidate all the ideas as well as prepare for my first exam, while I wait for part B to arrive. I hope that my zeal, enthusiasm and achievements will be impressive enough to merit me an award of one of the prizes.

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