» Links to Computer Training and Testing resources «
Intro
I believe there are some 3,000 training centres in the UK alone and there's no way I will find them all! If you want adding to this list, just ask...
As it is fast getting bulky later I will break this up by country and by category - those offering CBT course material, those offering training and examing / governing bodies.
IT Software Training Finders - Directory of software training providers
2 Train UK Training venues around UK. Searchable.
Boson
Brainbuzz
British Computer Society- ECDL controlling body in the UK. UK test centre locator.
Cram4Exams
CramSession: Prepare for Success
I don't know about the courses, but they have some outstanding articles and in depth details on all the courses.
They also have demo questions and links to hundreds of training sites and vendors
I thoroughly recommend you visit and maybe explore this site at least once.
CertCities - "The ultimate site for Certified IT Professionals"
Their extensive Links Library is brilliant.
Certification Magazine - Free magazines (US) and newsletters too
Cert Times
Cert Talk
Checkpoint
Chief Learning Officer Magazine
Cisco
CIW Certified
CompTIA (Computer Technology Industry Association)
Computeach
Computer Weekly
Department for Education and Employment - UK Government Ministry responsible for training funding etc.
Forefront
My opinion? What an utter rip off and waste of money!
I'm not even going to put up the link, which pulls up a Smart Certify page in any case...
(ISC)2
IT Cert Info
ECDL Foundation - Controlling body for the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)
(IT Contractor Magazine) Now rolled into Certification Magazine (US monthly)
Gateway IT
IT LearnEasy
[www.jcert.org] JCert - A Prometric meets Sun / IBM / CIW thing. Cross platform certification.
(Down May 2005)
Knowsley College (Merseyside) - Courses include A+, CCNA, MCSA and MCSE
LearnKey
Linux Professional Institute
MeasureUp - Loads of test exams to try for free. MS Certified Practice Test Provider
Microsoft Press
Microsoft Skills (UK) - find training centre and info etc
Microsoft Training Certification
NITLC
Page Forward
Planet Learn
Prometric - leading worldwide provider of technology-based testing and assessment services
QA Training Tel (020) 7656 8484
Real-Exams.com
Self Test Software - MS Certified Practice Test Provider
Smart Certify (UK)
Self Test Software Inc : A Kaplan company
Sybex
Syngress
Test King
The Skills Market Tel: (020) 7354 9669
Training Camp UK Tel: (08700) 775 501
(85% pass rate. Also the only authorised reseller for CISSP in the UK (October 2002)
Taitec
First off, this is an objective view of someone looking for training and seeing their site for the first, even second time. My comments in no way reflect the professionalism of the franchise or it's training staff.
The first time I visited their site I found it annoying and uninformative. However, after an email from one of their franchises, I decided to give it another look-over...
"I run one of the Taitec franchises and stumbled accross your site accidently. We prefer to work on a personal contact basis and don't expect people to sign up for courses they haven't seen online. You clearly haven't contacted any of our Centres since you can so flippantly write us off. I would appreciate it if you could check all your facts before you publish such damming opinions."
At first it didn't ring a bell, then after a few minutes of Owls, telephone numbers and logos constantly fading in an out I remembered why I went off them from the first. Perhaps you noticed you almost complete lack of java applets, mouse-over effects, Flash and animated gifs on Ackadia... Strike 1!
The "Centres" page (complete with pulsing map points) is no doubt comprehensive but when I see lists with companies and contact names I personally expect links to individual sites and contacts emails. For myself, it jars when I don't see something I expect. It's rather like when someone decides to emphasise something badly and you sit there clicking like crazy, thinking, "Why won't this blimming link work?" Strike 2!
Finally, which is why I found it uninformative, it has a courses page. Lets choose "The Design Series" Good, there are 3 Macromedia courses they run. Lets click on "TTEC202 Macromedia Flash 5". And we get? The "Contact" page. No matter what option you choose, you end up on the contact page asking you to contact them for further information.
The above comments can equally apply to any other commercial website. Basically, as an end user looking for training I will stand by my first impression. As far as I am concerned, I went there to look for information and was bounced from pages to page before being shepherded to a contact form. I can deal with companies being vague about pricing, the exams fee's alone for an MCSE are over £800, but what I don't like is unanswered questions.
The lady in question has obviously missed the entire point. I did contact Taitec. The web site was my first point of contact...
As for not signing up for "courses they haven't seen online"...
Surely my entire argument is they - I - haven't seen seen the courses online because there's nothing there to read! Take TTEC010 A+ PC Support Certified Professional for example. Is this one of their own exams or the CompTIA A+ certification? No distinction is made. Assuming, naturally that it is the latter, maybe I don't even know that this course entails and I think clicking on the link with give me further information.
Throwing oil onto the fire I'll put it another way. I follow a link recommending a training site, the courses offered appear to include some seriously involved Web Design courses. I take one look at the site. Strike 3, you're out!
The lady is correct, I did write them off without bothering to contact them further or giving them a better chance. Over the next few years I am looking to continue my sabbatical with an obscene number of courses. These include MCSE, MCSD, CCNA, CIW, LPIC, Advanced ECDL and at least a dozen others. And my point is? The web site simply does not inspire me to bother finding out anything further. Sooner or later I will visit again, if only to check the link. If things look better maybe I'll be more complimentary.
TroyTech - Apparently "We are temporarily out of business"
VUE Testing Services. There's an AWESOME amount of information here!
Taking the above comments about Taitec into heart, I have to be fair and rip a chunk out of VUE. VUE offer discounts if you book courses in bulk. Despite an order form, they don't appear to publish the fee's* At least not that I could see, but I'm a typical lazy surfer. If I can't find it without a big spade, I'll dig no deeper.
*(Yes, right you can fill in the blanks my credit card...)
.
Anyhow, I decided to find the nearest VUE testing place. It's alphabetical. What, you can't sort by area? A real hate of mine - one which Prometric are equally guilty of - there are no links to the training centres. What is it with these people!?
Maybe it is just me, but I deeply distrust any IT company that doesn't have a web presence and it rattles me no end to see a list of venues without URL's or email. As far as I am concerned it goes like this. Visit the web site. Is it appropriate, good even? Right, let see what I want... I have neither the time nor the patience anymore to walk through messaging systems through secretaries, first, second and third line support before finding someone who understanding what I am talking about.
Incidentally, the closest VUE is Knowsley College and they are a waste of space. I've been trying for three months to get on MCSE and A+ courses and they simply don't follow up conversations, mail nor email. If I get one more brochure offering flower arranging courses...
WaveTech
Windows Galore : Certifications
