Training courses - IT

[TheAngryDog]

I've been looking at various courses available to improve my knowledge for my role and future roles.

While doing this, I came across various comments from people who hire staff that they frown upon people who do online courses, rather than classroom led ones.

I am currently doing a few on line at the moment via CBT Nuggets but I am considering putting some of my own money into a classroom course.

Is there really that much emphasis put on where you achieved your qualification, especially if you're in a role that can "back it up"?

[Herbie58]

All that matters is you pass the assessments. And realistically that you can and have successfully applied the skills.

[Troubleatmill]

If you are doing it on CBT - odds are you are doing it in your own time ( and most likely your own money )

That speaks volumes to an employer.

[TheAngryDog]

Troubleatmill said:

If you are doing it on CBT - odds are you are doing it in your own time ( and most likely your own money )

That speaks volumes to an employer.

My current employer supplies the access to CBT so I aren't paying for it, but I am doing it on my own time.

[TheAngryDog]

Herbie58 said:

All that matters is you pass the assessments. And realistically that you can and have successfully applied the skills.

Valid points - I just wonder if I might get more out of learning in a classroom environment with others doing the same course to bounce ideas off.

[quinny100]

Classroom based IT training varies dramatically - if you've got an instructor who's been there and done it and can pass on their real world experience which usually falls outside of the syllabus, it's great. If you've got an instructor who's been a trainer for 20 years and never worked at the sharp end, who's best advice is to start again from the beginning when one of the examples doesn't work, the value here is no better than an online course.

I've found some classroom based IT training to be terribly slow paced. I've tried some of the more condensed classroom courses where you end up blindly working through prescribed exercises with no real thought going in to why you're doing what you're doing.

My advice if you can set up an adequate home lab for the exercises, do online. If you need to get your hands on expensive kit to learn properly, classroom training can be beneficial.

[boxst]

Learning is learning and certainly online courses are not frowned upon. Some people do not learn well in this environment and need the interaction with others or the ability to ask questions to solidify knowledge.

The company that I work for are creating more self-paced classes as that is what is demanded. 90% of our other classes are also online (i.e. no travelling to a location) but with a live instructor.

[TurricanII]

Classroom/online learning and exam passing is not as important (in my opinion) as experience. When someone lists exams on their CV then the first thing I do is look at their work history to see if they actually used the technologies. If you are a desktop support person and you pass the Microsoft Server/virtualisation/networking exams then I would advise that you do whatever you can to get into a server/virtualisation/networking role ASAP.

[TheAngryDog]

TurricanII said:

Classroom/online learning and exam passing is not as important (in my opinion) as experience. When someone lists exams on their CV then the first thing I do is look at their work history to see if they actually used the technologies. If you are a desktop support person and you pass the Microsoft Server/virtualisation/networking exams then I would advise that you do whatever you can to get into a server/virtualisation/networking role ASAP.

I am already in one of those roles, but the job isnt what I thought it was.

[SwissJonese]

I always do a mixture:-

• Online Training - Web events and things like Microsoft Virtual Academy are great
• Paid Classroom Training - at least 1 weeks course a year, but as already said if you get a good experienced trainer that has worked in the industry you can learn a lot, if you get just a trainer that has only read the training material it can be really dull and a bit of a waste of money
• Free Classroom Training - I've attended loads of Free Microsoft .Net, SharePoint, SQL Server and even BlackBerry events around the country. So far all have been really useful and you get some up to date IT skills usually from people out in the field or at the cutting edge

[jesta1865]

quinny100 said:

Classroom based IT training varies dramatically - if you've got an instructor who's been there and done it and can pass on their real world experience which usually falls outside of the syllabus, it's great. If you've got an instructor who's been a trainer for 20 years and never worked at the sharp end, who's best advice is to start again from the beginning when one of the examples doesn't work, the value here is no better than an online course.

this is so true, i went on my first networking courses run by a bloke who only taught 2 weeks a month, the rest of the time he was on installs and network planning. when we were being taught by him (series of courses over 6 months, at the same training company) he used to show us what microsoft / ibm / cisco etc said was on their side of the reality gap, then show us how it really was in practice. he even had a section not on the course books that was how to fix the common network issues.

my last boss when full-time used to have her own training company, had training certs coming out of her ears, and was now supposedly running the IT Helpdesk. You were lucky if she could talk someone through changing the resolution on their screens. Oddly (for IT) out of 5 of us (6 including the boss) there were 2 other ladies, who were both superb, now and again they would ask how to do something, but they were so good at calming situations and smoothing over issues, they were a total bonus, so people skills is a great help as well.

as a contractor i do a lot of online stuff, even if it's just watching youtube videos on how to do things (some are dire as well some are great) it's never been looked down by anyone who's taken me on, i've been told that recruiters find it good that you educate yourself.

get on groupon as well, sometimes they have deals on online courses, i have done a couple that way.

[TheAngryDog]

Thanks guys.

I've been looking at groupon recently but there doesnt seem to be much around at the moment. I'll keep looking though.

I have applied for a few roles different to what I am doing (back to help desk, but still doing some of the stuff I do now), mainly so that I have a support network around me as at the moment if something happens that I cant do (be it weekend, night or even during the day when I have other colleagues around) I get ZERO help. I want to be back in a company where I can get help from colleagues when I need it, and can offer it myself when needed.

Hopefully I will get taken on locally by a company who can see the potential in me and take me on for a role I aren't fully qualified in, but are happy to put something back into me.