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Windows Recommend a Training Provider

Discussion in 'Software' started by Cyndre, 6 Aug 2012.

  1. Cyndre

    Cyndre What's a Dremel?

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    Could anyway recommend a good training provider for studying and taking MOS specialist and subsequent master exams in Access and Excel?
    Would be great if they also offer other MS certs.

    I've googled and gone through quite a few but they either don't look legit, don't seem to cover the exams or have very poor reviews.
    Would appreciate any recommendations from anyone with first hand experience.
     
  2. Landy_Ed

    Landy_Ed Combat Novice

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    The difficulty is not so much with the provider but with individual trainers. QA-IQ are variable, one course I went on was decent, another the trainer was more interested in having the tired "Oracle V SQL Server" argument with me.

    Best trainer I've ever had was Dipti Shah, of Barefoot MCU in London. That was back in the 90's, don't think they're even going anymore.

    I've heard the bootcamp trainers Koenig are both awful and perfect if all you want to achieve is the exam pass.
     
  3. bigc90210

    bigc90210 Teh C

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    I recently paid and done my Prince2 Foundation and Practitioner Intensive weeks course & Exams through theknowledgeacademy.

    Overall they were pretty good. Their courses drop in price as the course gets closer/remaining seats get fewer so i got a pretty good deal. The trainer was amazing in terms of his knowledge on Prince2 (he knew the books inside out, and could pretty much quote from the book as well as give exact page numbers off the top of his head).

    The only thing i would say that was bad was the class size, there was about 25 of us in the class which was large, and the pace of the course was extremely fast from what i was used to (having said that, it was an intensive course and all!). Still, i got it from the cheapest place i could find, the guy knew his stuff, and i passed, so im a happy panda.

    Might be worth giving them a try for your Excel and MS courses?

    Hope that helps.
     
  4. saspro

    saspro IT monkey

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    Where are you based?
    Is the privately funded or employer funded?
    What's the eventual goal? (mainly interested as it's an unusual track to look at Master exams in Word etc)
     
  5. Cyndre

    Cyndre What's a Dremel?

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    Thanks Guys,

    I'm actually based in the Watford area and it is likely to be privately funded as despite using my skills, my company is reluctant to bankroll them :p

    The goal I suppose is to obtain formal recognition of a skill I actively use in the workplace both for my own self confidence and to compliment my CV (Handy given my soon to be redundant status!).
    Excel and Access are the two programs I make most use of and I am able to write VBA to a degree, use more complex nested functions etc.

    I had put this on the backburner whilst I learn't C# but tbh it's a low hanging fruit so to speak and well within my comfort level so would be nice to have.
     
  6. saspro

    saspro IT monkey

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    What sort of job are you looking for?

    The master exam series are very expensive if you just want to prove you can use a program.
     
  7. Cyndre

    Cyndre What's a Dremel?

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    I don't have a particular job in mind per se, the purpose as I say is more to do with accrediting a skill I use frequently as well as personal satisfaction from achieving a new qualification.
    Last time I got a qualification was a C&G Visual Basic Programming over a decade ago.

    Initially I want the specialist MCP cert rather than Master.
    I'm pretty pro Microsoft tech so really I aim to certify in all the techs I use eventually but I have to start somewhere and it has been a long time so specialist is a good baseline.
     
  8. yakyb

    yakyb i hate the person above me

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    i wouldn't bother with accreditation

    as someone whom recently was involved in recruiting someone i was interested in their experience and the confidence that the applicants showed when discussing technical side of the job role

    we didn't feel it necessary to perform a test in our case but it certainly wouldn't hurt if you volunteered for one
     
  9. saspro

    saspro IT monkey

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    I'd disagree with that. Maybe for a low level role accreditation wouldn't be needed but for any role with proper money it's needed.

    I make sure even our helpdesk team have at least 1 Microsoft cert & send them on the Cisco course
     
  10. yakyb

    yakyb i hate the person above me

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    role with proper money??

    i'd much rather the guy whom has worked for 20 years on MOD projects and large Data Warehouse projects over the guy with a MS Cert
     
  11. saspro

    saspro IT monkey

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    You need experience as well as certs.

    I know guys with 30 years experience but no certs and I seriously wonder how they've survived so long as they're completely useless with newer technology.
     

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