I have come back from a long illness and have restarted my A+ course under the new A+ course 2006, and to my amazment I have remembered a lot of items from before, I am studying a lot more this time round and have found the site a great improvment to the one I used before I have just completed TMA 4, since starting my course with you I have built 7 home computers from new with no problems also I have been doing a course online to and passed NCFE level 2 in TELEMATICS which has gave me the confidence in building websites and I am building one for my friend and my sons football club, this has all been a nock on effect from starting these courses A+N+ and when I have passed my exams (fingers crossed) I am going to look in to a course to build better websites than I am now, while building computers my wife has been watching me and she has become very knowledgeable and has fixed her own computer on 3 occasions, from changing her soundcard to installing a network card, I now receive around 5 calls a mth from friends and family with computer problems and now my wife trys to answer there problem if I can not get to the phone and to this day she has got them all right, in a way this is down to you as when I feel I am able to take the tma on she try's to answer them herself, I must hold my head in shame as she beat me on tma3 on the A+ I got 87% she got 91%, well I must sign off now as I have lots of studying to do. Thank you
-Christopher
Finding it hard to fit time to study into my very busy life ,due to starting work at 5.30 am and finishing at 4.00 pm ,and then looking after my ten year old daughter as my wife works till 9.00 pm. time to knuckle down to it ,studied every chance I had even in work ,had a few warnings of my boss for reading in work ,so I decided to build my own pc,bought the mother board and a pentium
4 dual core proccesor, case, ddr2 ram,dvd& cd r/w combo,floppy drive ,19" monitor and keyboard and mouse and windows xp o/s and a 200gb sata hard drive,total cost to build £490,built pc in under 2 hours installed o/s ,checked cmos ,everything working fine, decided to sell pc ,sold it for £500 and took another pc in part ex as I had put pc up for £600, upgraded the older pc and sold it for £300 ,not to bad for a man who so much going on in his mind and not enough hours in a day, thankyou.
-David
I feel I have 2 main achievements:
General achievements
2006/2007 achievements
General achievements:-
SURVIVING. Thought returning to studying would be ok and now older I would take things in a bit more. Had very little computer knowledge when starting the course. Defrag, emailing, internet, the basics.
I am a mother of 7 children in total, 4 of my own that live with me ( ages 13,11,7,4) and 3 step-children (14,13,11) that stay at a weekends. At 35years old and a stay at home mother for 10years, taking on these courses was a challenge, the odds were against me regarding to time and quietness. But routine, organisation and support and the will to achieve the impossible has helped.
I want to say THANK YOU tutor's for the study time table, this has become my bible! I print it of each week and note what I have studied and what amount of time I have done.
Fitting studying in is VERY hard, with a 4 yr old still at home, and noise of 4 children on week nights and then 7 on weekends. I have achieved something I did not feel I might not. Study regularly and achieve good results (average mark 90%) in my A+ course.
Now at the end I am cramming in revision from notes on week days, with time at the library and weekends studying toward new N+ course.
I also lost my grandfather April 05 and when I started the course was still grieving some what. Through hard work, routine, structure and commitment. I feel I have achievement so much and grown as much as a person this last year. I have now with the help of this course, upgraded 5 computers for friends and family (power supplies, graphics cards, memory etc) , one which was suffering from a fatal virus and would not boot up. I am helped 2 friends wireless network their laptops also.
2006/2007 achievements:-
I sadly lost my grandmother also on the 9th Oct 2006. This is a hard time now grieving for two grandparentsI am also now greiving the loss of our family pet of 17years, which we sadly lost on Jan 2007. I took two weeks in Oct 06 & Jan 07 out of any studying for personal time out. I needed it. It's now few months/weeks on; I can look back at what I have done. My assignment marks, course notes, study times, house (how tidy and clean it still is!), my routine and my family (they haven't suffered!) and ME. I personal have achieved many things than just TMA results. With starting 2007 with a TMA N+ mark of 100%.
Below is a daily flexible routine that helps me keep sane.
My daily routine:
Morning: 8:30am -12pm
School run times two children
Library visited with books (2hrs studying)
12:15pm -3pm
Creative time/educational time, Park with 4 yr old.
3-4Pm School run/ homework, evening meal prepare.
4-5pm chores and talk time with family
6-8pm Children time and bed times
8:30 – 12am quiet study time for me. (Approx. 2-3hrs)
I am achieving about 2-4 hours a day studying with flexibility around a noisy and busy family. From Sept I achieved with the wonderful help of my family and husband 20 hours of study, Oct 24 hours and 23 hours for Nov. I believe this achieved through the commitment and hard work from me and the wonderful support I have from my husband and children. My A+ and more recently N+ (Tma 8 – 100 %) marks are proof of this. This makes me so proud of myself.
These are my achievements, to someone that maybe small ones, but to me that are big ones (personal and educational). Studying around 7 children and having to work hard and take in and understand the course fully, has been stressful. You can achieve anything, if you put your mind to it. I feel I have and the odds I feel were against or should I say the “noise” of 7 children!
-Gillian
On 19 January 2007 my baby boy Boitumelo ( "The Most Appreciated One") was born. Months preceding the birth of the baby, I had to look after my wife, do a physically demanding job to support the family and pay for my CCNA course fees which I hope will help me get an IT job. During these preceding months and in January, I have been consistently submitting my assignments at a regular pace, scoring good grades. Since the birth of the baby delivered by Emergency C.S, I have had sleepless nights but I am even more motivated to finish my CCNA course sooner by consistently doing studies and submitting assignments weekly while still involved in doing all the other duies ,and looking after my wife and the baby. This birth has become another motivation for my success to ensure that my baby will have a secure future in a competitive world. After all his name suggests we should appreciate life and its challenges.
-Abia
I feel I have achieved more in the last month than I have all my life.
-Steven
Going back a couple of months ago I was offered a job with Star Internet working in a NOC however come this new year it didn't happen and they couldn't be bothered to reply to my emails, This of course has been a knock to my confidence with the thought of having to throw bags at the local airport for longer than I hoped, However after a holiday I threw myself back into my books revising for my final TMA on the N+ Course, this in turn has rebuilt my confidence back up and gets me through the days I have to do my current job.
It has also prompted me to carry on pursuing my dream job and instilled faith in me making a decision to pursue my career via skillstrain.
-Ian
THE ACHIEVEMENT IVE MADE IS THAT BY DOING THIS COURSE IS THAT IVE STARTED TO BUILD MY OWEN COMPUTER FROM SCRACH IN WHICH IM ENJOYING DOING AND IVE LEANT SO MUCH .
IVE WOULD NOT HAVE ABLE TO DO THIS WITH OUT DOING THIS COURSE.
-Julian
Using the skills I have learned in the past few months, I set about building and setting up my own home network. Setting up my network, which is both hard wired, and wireless, to connect my Desktop PC, to my Laptop, interfacing with my wireless broadband router, and an external "Network" hard drive, I was feeling quite pleased with my achievements. However my elation was short lived !
I returned home, last Saturday to hear my Desktop PC clicking away to itself, with the power light and the DVD writer busy light flashing continuously. This was also accompanied by a faint "electrical burning" smell. I quickly unplugged the power supply, and with an initial feeling of dread, I opened up the PC Case to start my investigations. I hadn't even removed the cover, when my training, and knowledge started to take over. I cleared a large work area, donned my anti-static wristband, earthed my self and started from the beginning. With notebook and pen, I started my investigations....... disconnect all ancillary components, and those not needed for start-up. Re-connect the power - still the same indications. disconnect the power, and disconnect the power feed to the motherboard. using a multi-meter check the supply voltages to the power connector. +12V only reading 1.3V, +5V only reading 3.1V. Initial reaction - blown power supply. On visually checking the motherboard, there were signs of blackening, and distortion on one of the chips, so I suspected that the Motherboard May be damaged as well. To prove this, I replaced the Power Supply with a known good spare, but on powering up, I got the same indications as before.
I now knew that the power supply was faulty, and either the Motherboard, or Processor, or both was also faulty. I then did some internet research, and discovered that e-machines 790 desktops, (the make of my PC), were susceptible to a triple failure of the Power supply, Motherboard, and processor. I contacted a local PC company who also agreed with my conclusions.
So what next?
Well, having just completed the module on "Purchasing a PC, or building your own", I did some research, and decided that I could upgrade my PC to a "current" spec, at a not too extortionate price. Buying the necessary parts (a WinFast 761GXK8MB Motherboard, and an Athlon 3800 - 64bit processor bundle), I was able to confirm that my current memory was compatible, and that it would fit my existing Tower case. I happily set off home, secure in the knowledge that I had all the parts I needed, and that they would all fit together nicely.
I stripped down the old unit, in the reverse order of building, and replaced the Power supply first. I found that I could slide the DVD drive forward in it's housing, and easily fit the new motherboard. A couple of the connections on the front of my tower had different plugs that would not fit the new Motherboard. However, the motherboard documentation allowed me to modify the connectors, and connect them, (headphone socket, and microphone).
Starting the PC for the first time was a little nerve racking, but no problems starting, no error messages, and apart from having to re-install Windows, I generally had no problems. Loading the drivers for the motherboard, for on-board Video and Sound, from the CD supplied with it, made everything go smoothly, and my system is now up and running again.
My initial reaction, on discovering the failure, was one of dread and despair, but by following the trouble shooting guides, and using the lessons that I have learned, the whole experience turned into a valuable and practical training lesson. I know that I'm not the best PC Technician in the world, but someday...... someday.
-William
During January I completed the first part of my CCNA studies, having last year passed all my exams for A+ and N+ with flying colors (scoring 870 for A+ Core Hardware exam 220-301, 829 for A+ Operating Systems exam 220-302, and 734 for Network+ exam N10-003) thanks to the structured training I have received from SkillsTrain. On commencing my studies I was initially somewhat intimidated by the apparent complexity of the CCNA syllabus, having not had a great deal of exposure to computer hardware and networking in the past. Now that I have got CCNA underway during this part month and am getting to grips with it I know I have really learned a lot during my studies with SkillsTrain, and feel a sense of achievement to have reached this challenging level of study whilst still working in a full-time job.
Having just completed the revision supplement TMA's today I am looking forward to starting work on the next part of the CCNA course, which will include Live Labs training.
-Ross
Just submitted TMA14 (so far with an average pass mark of 88%). My partner and I have just had a baby and are also entering property developement, this is on top of my full time job as a Master Technician for a large automotive manufacturer, and have the stress of a knee operation. So if I can achieve this return on my studying, anyone can. Just stick at it and set achievable goals on each section, and UTILISE the tutor team !
Good luck to everyone on each course.
-Mark
On December 22nd 2006 I sat and passed with a result of 100% my comptia network+, which I was over the moon about. This was my first step into the world of networking and after a well deserved festive season break I began work on my ccna mid January. I have just received my TMA1 result-100%-again I am over the moon. My TMA2 has been submitted today and I am confident I will maintain a high % result with this and all of my ccna work. I had wanted to begin work on the ccna earlier in January. However, due to my network+ results and enthusiasm my employers (siemens) have given me the opportunity to "shadow" their network engineers involved in the design and implementation of the network for the new headquarters of BBC SCOTLAND. This is a great opportunity which I have embraced. However it has had a negative effect on my study timetable. Perserverance has helped me achieve a great TMA1 result which I am very proud of. Apparently my hard work and enthusiasm are paying off already as my employers have also agreed to reimburse 50% of my course fees upon completion of the ccna. This is a huge incentive and coupled with the bbc network exposure is making my learning experience fantastic. Albeit more difficult to keep up my self imposed study schedule. I have even managed to setup a small home ,wireless network for my brother and sister-in-law(only two pc's, but we all have to begin somewhere!). The ccna while being difficult has envoked more enthusiasm from me than anything has done for many years. Henec my 9-6 job and "extra" activities with the siemens network engineers has not and will not slow down my learning curve. I would like to thank you all for your help throughout.
-Christopher
SINCE STARTING THIS COURSE I HAVE BEEN SO INVOLVED AND EXCITED BOUT THE MATERIAL I HAVE BEEN LEARNING. THIS I FIND QUITE OUT THE ORDINARY AS I HAVE HAD MY WORK CUT OUT, FIRST THE AU PAIR HAS BEEN QUITE ILL SO I HAVE HAD TO DO THE HOUSE HOLD CHORES AND LOOK AFTER MY 3 CHILDREN AND NORMAL WORK LOAD, PLUS I HAVE HAD MY WIFES SELF ASSESSMENT TO DO AS SHE HAS HER OWN CATERING BUSINESS. ON TOP OF THIS MY FATHER HAS HAD A STROKE TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF HIS BRAIN, I WAS QUITE UNSETTLED EMOTIONALLY AND DRAINED, BUT THIS COURSE HAS TAKEN MY MIND OFF MOST OF THE TEDIOUS DUTIES AND MY DAD SHOULD MAKE A FULL RECOVERY IN TIME. THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THIS COURSE IS NEW TO ME AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REST, THANKYOU.
-Mark
My main achievements this month has to be my tutor marked assessments!!I have gained higher marks almost everytime!!!I am very happy with myself for doing so.
Another main achievement I have made this month thanks to the team members of this college, is I have been able to do private work involving my I.T skills that I have obtained due to the team members support, and the skills in which I have learnt through my course. The private work I have done is for people I know and people who have passed me on as a good name. This I am very happy about to, as it gives me experience and confidence in working in an I.T environment!!
-Mathew
|
