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How You can Turn Back the Clock

Cher sang “If I could turn back time” – and probably many of us have wished we could do that at various points in our lives. Well, the good news is, we can. Of course, we can’t wave a magic wand and make ourselves younger (more’s the pity); but we can make up for some things we didn’t get right in the past.

One of the most common of these is pursuing the wrong career path. The fact is, many people drift into careers rather than really doing something we enjoy. It might be that we were given poor advice by a careers adviser at school. Perhaps friends or relatives influenced us into taking the step we took – which might even have seemed right at the time, but resulted in a dead end. We might have chosen ‘A’ level subjects or even a degree course too hastily, which limited our choices.

Whatever the reason, there are many of us who wish we had studied something else. But thanks to distance learning, it’s not too late to make up for that false start. In some ways, that delay might even have been a good thing; at least, after a few years of pursuing the wrong route, you’re likely to have a better idea of what you really want to do.

Distance learning allows you to study almost anything you can think of. For example, you might be a civil servant or a teacher and wish you’d got some IT qualifications. No problem: there are many good study courses for IT, and much else besides.

What’s exciting about distance learning is that you don’t have to go back to square one and study at a conventional educational establishment like a college or university. That’s just as well, since we all have bills to pay, and some of us have families to support.

Because distance learning is usually home learning, it’s far more convenient. You use your spare time to study: evenings, weekends, holidays, even travel time. Home study means you can learn without having to make a journey every day to get to where your courses are held. And since you don’t need to give up your job, you can still pay the bills with your existing salary.

Best of all, home learning lets you fulfil your potential – which you may have felt would never be realised. There’s nothing worse than doing a job you hate; it takes up too much of our life to put up with that. If you’ve ever felt depressed on Sunday evening at the thought of going to work again the next morning, you’ll know what that means.

Home study lets you work at your own pace, in your own time, moving steadily towards your new qualifications or skill sets. And once you have them, you can launch your updated CV on your new job market. It should then only be a short while before you can say goodbye to the daily grind forever and start your fulfilling and rewarding new career.

What’s more fun than playing a computer game?

The answer to that is, designing one! Yes, playing a really good computer game can be thrilling, exhilarating and absorbing. But just think how great it would be to be part of a team actually creating a game from scratch.

You’d get to use the very latest techniques available – and in computer game development, as in other areas of computer animation and design, new ideas and techniques are becoming available all the time. When Andrew Adamson directed the 2005 movie of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, he said he was using techniques simply not available just a few years before. The same is true of computer game design. Every year, games are more realistic, more innovative, more gripping to play.

You might love to play computer games but never imagined you could design them. After all, playing games takes no special skills, but developing them surely takes many skills and lots of know-how, right? True; but you can acquire those skills through distance learning.

With distance learning, you can take game courses from the comfort of your own home. That’s a lot easier, and a lot cheaper, than attending a college to study computer game development.

It’s also likely to be more use to you. Because it is such a fast-moving industry, conventional college courses can be at a real disadvantage. They can be effectively out of date before they’ve even been introduced to the syllabus. A home-based study, on the other hand, can be updated far more easily, keeping you abreast of developments as they happen.

Another big advantage of home-based game courses is, if you choose the right one, it will be put together by games developers for future games developers. In other words, it will have been designed by people who have been trained up in the industry and know exactly what games companies are looking for.

Good course providers, again, will be fully recognised and accredited by the key games industry bodies. They will give you access to trained professional tutors, who will guide you, assess you and help you at every stage as you progress to an industry-recognised exam in computer game development.

And there are no formal entry requirements; you don’t have to have qualifications in maths, science or computer design, for instance. All you need is a real love of your subject, a willingness to learn – and that sense of wonder.

That’s what makes playing computer games lots of fun – and makes being games developers even more fun!

John Weller is the author of “What’s More Fun than Playing a Computer Game”. To find out more about Computer Game Development Please visit http://www.train2game.com.

Get Your Career in Shape – The Easy Way

There’s an old song, made famous by Frank Sinatra, whose opening line is “Love is lovelier, the second time around.” For many people, the same is true of study. It may even be lovelier! It’s certainly a lot easier, satisfying and rewarding.

Lots of people went through higher education almost by default. Many of us didn’t really want to be there at the time. There’s often peer pressure to cope with, irksome daily travel, and classes that just make our eyes glaze over. Worst of all these days, it’s very costly. Most graduates, for instance, emerge from university with a shed-load of debt to go with their degree.

Going back to a conventional educational establishment after a long break probably doesn’t look very appealing. Well, the good news is that you can still acquire new skills and qualifications without having to do that. You can study the easy way: through distance learning.

Distance learning, which is usually home learning, has lots of advantages. You can fit your home study around your lifestyle. It’s modular, so you can learn at your own pace. Obviously, there’s no travel to worry about – apart from the travel into the room wherever your computer is set up! And the classes are far from boring, because you select them yourself.

Home learning is structured but flexible. You get all the support you need from qualified and experienced home study tutors, who assess your progress regularly and provide all the encouragement you need to move on to the next level.

With distance learning, you can literally study anywhere you want. The only requirement is that your study centre is connected to the Internet, which is not likely to be much of a stumbling block these days. Good home learning centres make it as easy as possible for you to study. They’ll send you all the course material you need, and you can send in your assignments by post or email.

What’s particularly great about home learning is that your bank balance doesn’t have to suffer. Most home study courses are affordable, and many offer easy payment plans. And of course, you don’t need to get into debt to do them, because you don’t have to give up your day job; you can study in your spare time, in the evenings, at weekends, on holiday, even during train or air trips. You literally learn while you earn.

Home learning can be a great way to add to your qualifications. Most bosses would be impressed if you went to them and told them that you’d broadened your skill set in your own time and at your own expense. Home study also offers a fantastic opportunity to change careers by acquiring new qualifications in a different field. The job market is always changing, and it’s never too late to change with it. And if you choose the home learning route, it really couldn’t be easier.

You Can Break into a Great Trade

How often have you heard a friend or relative ask: “Do you know of a really good plumber or electrician?” You might have asked the same question yourself.

The truth is that plumbers or electricians who know their trade and who do a good job will always be in demand – because there will always be fittings in need of repair or improvement.

You might have thought along these lines yourself, and wished you were in this type of work. The problem, though, is getting started. While there used to be a recognised apprenticeship route for youngsters to learn these trades, this has pretty much disappeared. That’s not surprising; not many young people want to work for a pittance for a jobbing plumber or electrician.

And if you want to change your career later in life, the apprenticeship route is even less appealing for someone with bills to pay and a family to support.

But there is an answer – and one that’s much more appropriate for the 21st century. Distance learning allows you to acquire the skills and knowledge you need, working from the comfort of your own home. Plumbing courses, electrical courses and a lot more are all available for study in this way.

The beauty of taking plumbing courses, say, in this way is that you don’t have to give up your day job – so you don’t have to worry about earning that pittance that apprentices do when you still have all your bills to pay. Instead, you work in your spare time.

Mostly, this will be in evenings, weekends and bank holidays at home, but you can use any time and put it to good use. People doing plumbing courses or electrical courses, for instance, can study on a lengthy flight or rail journey. Or you could grab some time on your holiday to make more progress on your course.

Plumbing and electrical training is modular. That means you work at your own pace. Once you’ve completed an assignment and sent it in, you receive the next one. Experienced teachers are always on hand if you need help. They also assess your progress and encourage you.

If you already have some knowledge or even some qualifications in these fields, that’s fine, but it’s certainly not essential. There are plumbing courses and electrical courses for every level. What you do need is enthusiasm and a genuine interest in the subject. You might already be something of a handyman around the house, for instance, and enjoy it. Electrical training could help you turn that interest into a great career.

That way, in the future when someone asks if you know of a really good electrician, you’ll be able to say, “Yes – me!”

Want to achieve IT skills, but don’t want to go to college?

Training and acquiring new skills should be a lifelong process as workplace requirements change and evolve, in line with new legislation, new technology and new work practices. Yet the majority of British workers fail to renew their skills, or acquire new ones, throughout their working lives, often falling behind school leavers, particularly in fast moving fields, such as IT.

With the British government driving new initiatives to encourage more and more workers to train, unskilled workers who are already falling behind in today’s technological world will find it more and more difficult to retain work or to advance their careers.

The IT industry in particular continues to demand more and more engineers, software technicians, website designers and IT competent office workers, so the need for sound and comprehensive IT training is growing ahead of virtually any other field.

One of the greatest drawbacks for those considering career advancement or a mid-career change, is an inherent reluctance to go back to full time study. The reluctance to go back into the classroom alongside other, much younger students, compounded by the need to continue to work, to generate an income to support family and personal commitments.

Studying IT courses at home provide those who need to `earn while they learn’ or who are reluctant to go back to college, with a way of training for new IT skills in their own time, at their own pace.

Home study computer courses lend themselves perfectly to distance learning. E-mail communication gives students far more of an interface with the home study college and the tutors. Most home study organisations will have an Intranet system where students can download updates of their course material, find out about other students’ achievements and get a wider perspective of their studies.

New training methods, such as computer based e-learning, from DVD’s, virtual reality scenarios and methods such as Live Internet Training, create an interactive environment, that gives students far more of an interface with the home study college, regardless of distance or locality.

Naturally, studying computing at home requires discipline. Unlike college, the onus is on the student to keep pace with the course work. The more committed the student, the sooner the target of achieving industry recognised qualifications can be realised.

The great advantage of home study is its flexibility. Students study at their own pace, in their own time, around existing job, family and personal commitments.

Hundreds of thousands of people who may have left school without a qualification, or who’ve found themselves in dead end jobs, are turning to home study. With the British government outlining plans for Britain to compete in the global `skills race’, it’s one way in which everyone can benefit from training, without having to go back to conventional college.

It’s never too late

Imagine this: you’re in a job you can’t stand, with a boss who’s a constant pain. You can see no future for you in this type of work, no light at the end of the tunnel. You wish you could get one of the great-looking jobs you see advertised every day in the papers; but there’s no use even applying for them because you haven’t got the qualifications they demand.

If you actually are in that position, you won’t have to imagine it – it’s all too true. Many people in go-nowhere jobs are just resigned to the fact, because they assume it’s too late to do anything about it. After all, they say, how can I quit my job and go back to college? The bills have to be paid, and this is the only job I’m qualified to do.

Well, the good news is that it’s never too late to get new qualifications or certifications. Distance learning N+ courses mean that you can study a new skill or get a professionally recognised qualification without having to leave your current job.

How is this possible? Simple. Distance learning is home study. You can take almost any kind of IT course or acquire any commercially useful skill, all from the comfort of your own home. Take IT, for instance. There will always be a demand for good IT technicians, programmers, designers and managers – and there are many IT courses available through home study.

A good course provider will offer you excellent support from qualified tutors, who can assist you and regularly assess your progress. They will also send you all the course material you need, and you can submit your work by post or email.

The great thing about home learning is its flexibility. You work at your pace, and at your time – so you can fit your home study regime around your current lifestyle commitments. Because you work in the comfort of your own home, distance learning is often cheaper than studying nine to five in a school or college.

And there’s no travel cost to worry about. Indeed, it doesn’t matter how far away your course provider is. It could be on the other side of the world and still be only an Internet connection away.

Home learning is modular, so you can work at your own speed to complete the course. Some people with very little spare time might take a couple of years to get a particular qualification; others might do it in less than half the time. But whatever your circumstances, you should be able to find a course and a schedule to suit you.

So, thanks to home study, you really can change your destiny to something brighter and more exciting than you ever imagined. Sign up for a distance learning course today – and you’ll soon find that there is light at the end of the tunnel after all.

Love to work in IT? Training can make it happen…

Always been a bit jealous of the IT guys at work? Maybe it’s the way they’re always talking about their expensive new gear or the fact they own some of the smartest cars in the car park? Even in the middle of the credit crunch, most of the jobs with mouth-watering salaries seem to be in IT. So, how can you get a piece of the action?

IT Training courses could be the answer, they offer the perfect way to make the jump from your current job to that position you’ve always wanted in IT. Courses are easy to find and many start when you’re ready, so you could be enjoying the benefits of a new career sooner than you thought.

Exciting opportunities in IT

Courses can provide you with the skills and experience to apply for some of the most ‘in-demand’ roles in IT. Training is available to prepare you for positions such as:

  • Web Developer
  • Network Engineer
  • Project Manager
  • Web E-Commerce Manager
  • Help Desk Technician

Salary expectations are good too, with the current minimum salary in the UK being around £28,000. You won’t just enjoy great pay either, for most workers in IT, job satisfaction is high too.

Accessing IT training

IT training courses can be completed in a variety of ways – from attending your local college to enrolling on home learning courses. For many, home learning offers the most flexible way to complete IT training courses. Students at a home learning college enjoy the flexibility of studying at their own pace, to a timetable that fits around their other day-to-day commitments. Students who choose home learning courses also benefit from zero commuting costs, as they don’t have to travel to complete their IT training.

Am I qualified for IT courses?

Most IT training will not require any formal qualifications or previous experience. In fact many people who previously thought themselves ‘under-qualified’ or ‘low-skilled’ have completed IT training courses and gone on to enjoy well-paid careers. If you haven’t studied for a while, there’s no need to worry about whether the course will cover topics too quickly (or too slowly) for your abilities. Because home learning allows you to study at your own pace, you can complete modules as quickly as your skills allow.

Start when you’re ready with home learning courses

If you want to start as soon as possible, then choose home learning. College and university students have to wait for the beginning of term to enrol on IT courses, but students on home learning courses start as soon as they’re ready. So there’s no need to put off studying for a new career. You could even join a home learning college today if you wanted and take those first steps towards your new future.

Microsoft MCSA/MCSE

This MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) course is designed to serve the needs of those interested in advancing their careers by obtaining the MCSA status and who wish to gain skills to successfully manage and troubleshoot system environments running on the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Successful completion of this course, and acquiring the highly regarded MCSA certification, will provide business recognition of your knowledge and expertise across Microsoft’s range of products - the most used in the IT world. MCSA provides definitive evidence of a person’s competency as an IT professional. Already perceived to be the qualification of choice for Systems Administrators within the IT world, MCSA can also be a stepping stone to an MCSE qualification. It will be of particular appeal to those who aspire to be at the top of their profession as:

  • Systems administrators
  • Network operations analysts
  • Information systems administrators
  • Network administrators
  • Network technicians
  • Technical support specialists

Microsoft MCSA and Microsoft MCSE Certification
This course will guide you safely through this dynamic subject. It will enable and equip you for the real world demands of managing and troubleshooting Microsoft operating system environments. This course will prepare you for MCSA certification, a qualification of renown, respected by IT professionals across the UK and the world. Holders of an MCSA demonstrate to potential employers or business clients that they have the skills, knowledge and professionalism to successfully manage Microsoft systems.