IT Training Newsletter

We are finally able to supply affordable multi-user licences for NETg's CBT range of courses, see below...

In this issue we are covering the following topics:

1. New NETg Multi-User CBT Licences

2. Steps to Certification - Part 2 Service Technicians

3. Update on Government Funding Schemes

4. New Payment Options

5. New CBT Courses from NETg

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1. New NETg Multi-User CBT Licences

We have had a long wait but we are finally able to supply affordable multi-user licences for NETg's complete range of CBT courses.

For a long time the official NETg multi-user licence schemes were priced for large corporations and out of the reach of smaller enterprises. This lead us to provide bulk discounts on however many single user licences would be required by a customer, but we were unable to provide truly competitive multi-user licensing by this means.

However, we are now able to supply multi-user licences with significant savings as follows:

You will need sufficient number of user licences to cover the number of staff who will be training using the courses at any one time.

For company purchases, licences become the property of your company and can be allocated by you to staff and then transferred when staff leave or transfer roles and no longer continue with a course.

Contact us for a quote

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2. Steps to IT Certification

Part 2 - Service Technicians

There are many routes to professional IT certification and experienced IT professionals can usually jump straight in to whichever course is needed to gain their preferred certification. However, less experienced people may need to take a number of steps to achieve their ultimate goal. This continues a series of articles explaining what those steps are.

This month we look at routes for Service Technicians.

As stated last month, novices and beginners ought to start with the European Computer Driving Licence - ECDL. This is an internationally recognised certificate of IT competence in the use of computer skills.

More information and courses for ECDL...

The next step is to obtain CompTIA A+ Certification. This is a CompTIA (Computing Technology Industry Association) sponsored testing programme that certifies the competency of entry level computer service technicians and is backed by major computer hardware & software vendors, distributors & resellers.

There are two A+ tests - one hardware and one software - which contain situational, traditional and identification types of questions. All of the questions are multiple choice with only one correct answer for each question. The tests cover a broad range of hardware and software technologies, but are not bound to any vendor-specific products.

A+ certification signifies that the certified individual possesses the knowledge and skills essential for a successful entry-level (6 months experience) computer service technician, as defined by experts from companies across the industry.

We can provide a range of CompTIA approved self-study courses as well as a Wave boot camp and an eCamp to help you to achieve certification.

More information and courses for A+ Certification...

Once you have mastered A+, you might want to consider other CompTIA certifications such as Network+, iNET+, Server+ or  even Linux+.

More information on other CompTIA Certification...

Following from this you could consider gaining professional certification from Cisco, Microsoft or Novell. In deed, Microsoft accept the A+ Certification together with the CompTIA Network+ or Server+ Certifications in place of some of its own elective examinations when working towards their MCSA or MCSE certification.

We plan to explain more about these routes to IT certification next month. in the meantime here are some links to Cisco and Microsoft certification information:

3. Update to Government Funding Schemes

Small Firms Training Loans (SFTLs)

With typically short notice, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) closed the Small Firms Training Loan programme to new applicants at the end of January 2003.

The reason for closing the scheme was given as "...continuing low take up and new initiatives that are being trialled, such as the Employer Training Pilots and the Small Firms Development Account." One is tempted to suggest that a major reason for low take up was because of poor publicity. I wonder just how many small firms knew about the scheme...?

Career Development Loans (CDLs)

The CDL scheme continues but the Clydesdale Bank took the decision to withdraw from the CDL programme on 15th October 2002. However, this leaves three high street banks in the scheme.

Career Development Loans or CDLs are deferred repayment bank loans to help you fund up to two years of education.

In brief, with a Career Development Loan:

• You can borrow between £300 to £8,000.

• You can use it to pay for up to 80% of the cost of your course fees, and if you're in full time education you can use it for living expenses.

• During the course and for one month afterwards the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) pays the interest on the loan.

• You won't start your repayments until two months after the end of your course.

• You can repay over a period between 1 and 5 years.

• Your repayments are fixed when the loan is agreed and remain the same throughout the period of the loan.

To qualify you must live or intend to do your training in the UK and work in the UK, European Union or within the European Economic Area after your education has finished.

CDLs are available through three high street banks: Barclays, The Co-operative and The Royal Bank of Scotland.

Click here for up-to-date information on Career Development Loans from the DfES

Or call the CDL Information Line on Freephone 0800 585 505
(open between 8am & 10pm Monday to Sunday, except Public Holidays)

4. New Payment Options

We continue to increase choice for customers over which payment methods they can use.

Firstly we expanded the range of credit cards we accept by adding American Express. More recently we have added the m-pay facility from Vodafone that enables you to pay by mobile 'phone.

We plan to incorporate the secure "Verified by Visa" facility over the next three months

The full range of cards that we currently accept is as follows:

All of our credit card processing is undertaken by WorldPay who are part of the Royal Bank of Scotland group. So you can rely on the security of your information and feel safe in the knowledge that you are dealing with a reputable organisation.

In addition to payments by cheque, bank transfer and credit card, business customers may request a credit account to be set up which enables them to order online and select to pay within 30 days against invoice.

5. New CBT Courses from NETg

New Computer Based Training courses from NETg this month include:

In addition to our extensive range of Business & Professional Development course modules, we are now able to supply the following Complete Curriculums:

More information about Business & Professional Development courses...

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Best regards,

Tim Weaver

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