Advice on IT Training

lorrie1

i have just received a diploma, in Teaching Practices and ICT Skills (JEB), so can anyone advice me on what course to do next as a followup or where after getting this qualification would i look for a job. I have experience i have been teaching beginners computers in my spare time. I am really desperate to get a job in this area and move futher up the education ladder please help

layke

you should aim to become a CCNA teacher. It's quite hard to do (resit exams every 3 years) however there is always a demand for teachers in this area. I just spent €3250 on a 8 month course.

Tom Dunne

What other qualifications do you have? Also, do you work in the IT field?

lorrie1

can you tell me what CCNA stands for and what this involves so at the end of it what does it enable me to teach as opposed to the JEB diploma i have.

did you do the JEB diploma if so what did you go on to do after it

layke wrote:

you should aim to become a CCNA teacher.

lorrie1

well im not long out of school, so baically i have a business and computer course with NCVA, ECDL and the JEB Diploma - i do work in the IT area but have no qualifation as proof, i work in an ICT Department so i fix some hardware and software problem but it would be very basic and the only other think i would do in this field is teach beginners and intermediate computers i am qualified to teach the ECDL but havent had a student to do it with yet

tom dunne wrote:

What other qualifications do you have? Also, do you work in the IT field?

Tom Dunne

You actually have timed it quite well. Training colleges generally start looking for trainers around this time of year.

My advice to you would be to build up your experience in the IT field, while teaching night courses.

Personally, I feel a degree is required, but I don't hold the likes of ECDL/JEB very highly (I teach ECDL, by the way). That's just my blinkered opinion and to be honest, you may just get to teach evening classes with the JEB. Side note: I have a first class honours masters in computing and the place I teach night courses still want me to to the friggin' JEB. I'm not bitter.

Once you have a couple of years combined IT experience and training behind you, then is the time to move into training full time.

lorrie1

I am teaching privately in the evenings but you know its really hard to get a training job in the evening especailly in wexford

yes your right the JEB is no good on its own but i learnt alot from it i suspose

so where did you do your degree, i am interested in going forth with one but because im in full time employment i can only do one part time which unfortunately will take alot longer to do but am will to put the time and work in

have you ever thought of publishing a book and CD ROM on learning computers from beginners upwards was thinking about doing something like that !!

have you done the MOS course was thinking about doing that but again am unsure what it will have to offer on completion

fair play to you on your degree i wish i had something like

tom dunne wrote:

You actually have timed it quite well. Training colleges generally start looking for trainers around this time of year.

My advice to you would be to build up your experience in the IT field, while teaching night courses.

Personally, I feel a degree is required, but I don't hold the likes of ECDL/JEB very highly (I teach ECDL, by the way). That's just my blinkered opinion and to be honest, you may just get to teach evening classes with the JEB. Side note: I have a first class honours masters in computing and the place I teach night courses still want me to to the friggin' JEB. I'm not bitter.

Once you have a couple of years combined IT experience and training behind you, then is the time to move into training full time.

Tom Dunne

lorrie1 wrote:

so where did you do your degree, i am interested in going forth with one but because im in full time employment i can only do one part time which unfortunately will take alot longer to do but am will to put the time and work in

I did my degree in DCU.

lorrie1 wrote:

have you ever thought of publishing a book and CD ROM on learning computers from beginners upwards was thinking about doing something like that !!

Yes, after I publish my novel.

lorrie1 wrote:

have you done the MOS course was thinking about doing that but again am unsure what it will have to offer on completion

Did I mention I teach MOS also? It's basically a Microsoft-centric version of the ECDL. Again, I don't really think the qualification is worth much.

Regarding the CCNA - it's a Cisco Certified Network Administrator. You have to be careful of suggestions that you should teach this. It's all good and well studying it, but if you don't have any hands-on experience, it isn't worth a damn. Same goes for any subject, hence why I aksed if you were working in the IT field.

DC

What might suit you best is the IT Support route in the Institutes of Technology. This can either start off with a higher certificate in IT support, then onto BSc in IT Support and then BSc(Hons) in Computer Services Management. Most of the ITs do some or all of the programme on a part-time basis. For example, Tallaght do a 3 year programme on a part-time basis with work placement for 3 months. At the end of that you have a BSc (level 7 - i.e. old National Diploma).

They tend to do some CCNA stuff along the way as well. The further you progress the more it moves into the management side of computing. This would possibly make it suitable for MSc and PhD in BIS / MIS if you wanted to keep going with your studies.