online IT cerification course

Eircom_Sucks

31 , work a 3 day week in dead end job and have a mortgage and a baby son , so i have obligations as to why i can't go to college during the day

im looking to start my way in doing an it course online that is recognised by organisations and usefull to getting a job with

now i would consider myself computer literate , im forever on my laptop and fix our companys computer issues , all be it slower than an IT technician but i get there in the end , ive an interest in computing in general

so looking to start an online course that i can go at my own pace in networking , operating systems , comptia+ or something that i can do harder courses after etc

anybody any ideas where to start ????

ultimately i wanna be able to fix workplace pc's & laptops and any issues people may come accross

any info would be greatful

mbiking123

You could study with Open Universit, however be warned course fees are going up soon. If you already a registered student they are supposed to give you enough time to finish postgrad studies at the old rate. For new student fees will basically double. So if you want a third level qualification from OU act fast to basically get it for half price

Changes to Open University fees
As you may be aware, there has been significant change in how higher education
is funded in the United Kingdom. Most notably, in England, the Government is
changing the way it funds higher education and this means that new students in
England will be expected to fund a greater amount towards their studies from
September 2012. This is not the case in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
because those governments are continuing to make a commitment to keep fees at
the current levels in their countries.
Within the Republic of Ireland where The Open University does not have access to
state subsidy, our fees will be increasing from September 2012 for new students.
Fees for most current undergraduate students in the Republic of Ireland will not
change significantly. This is because transitional arrangements will be in place
to enable the majority of students to continue studying under the OU’s current
fee levels and funding options. However, it is important to understand the
action you need to take to secure and maintain your eligibility to pay the
transitional fee as you continue with your studies. This is explained on the
Fees 2012 website, www.open.ac.uk/fees2012 and further information is available
on our FAQ site www.open.ac.uk/studenthelp/fees2012/outsideUK
The choice you make now about what and when you next study may affect the fees
and funding options available to you in the future. We would urge you, if you
haven’t already done so, to read and understand the information on our Fees 2012
website so you can make the right decision regarding your future studies.
Registering for February 2012
If you are planning to study an undergraduate module starting in February 2012
you must complete your registration by 5 January 2012.
For more information about our qualifications and modules, or to register, click
www.open.ac.uk/study

Undergraduate fees for new students resident outside of the UK and starting their studies after 1 September 2012 will be the same as for students in England: £5,000 for 120 credits, £2,500 (60 credits) and £1,250 (30 credits). An honours degree totals 360 credits. On this basis an honours degree with the OU will total £15,000. This fee is a standard across all subject areas and modules.

Fees for current students studying with the OU and resident outside of the UK will remain as they are, subject to inflation-linked increases, as part of the OU's transitional arrangements. The OU has put transitional arrangements in place to enable eligible current students to complete their studies at a price and pace consistent with when they started, and these arrangements are on the same terms as those for current students in England. Current students resident outside of the UK pay approximately £1,470 for a standard 60 credit module (from £1,320 for current students resident of the Republic of Ireland), this fee varies between subjects.

The OU has kept fees as low as possible while sustaining high quality and remaining true to its mission of being open to all.

Students will continue to be able to access the OU's loan system, OUSBA (Open University Student Budget Account), which enables them to spread the cost of their studies into instalments payable during each module.

I understand I did not answer your question but I hope this information will be valuable to you

L1011

Basic qualifications I'd be looking for to get in on the ground floor would be A+ and the Windows 7 MCTS (70-680 or 70-686 is the exam code from memory). Dunno where you can do the A+ online, as I don't have one, but for the Microsoft exam its very easy to do them yourself.

The A+ isn't "worth" particularly much but if you've not worked in IT before it proves that you do know your arse from your elbow when it comes to the basics and can be trusted to know how to wire a PC together.

How I've generally done them is buying the Microsoft Press book (which come with a 15% off voucher for the exam, so remember to deduct 21 quid from what you think its costing) and the ExamCram book for the exam; and using Virtualbox or VMware on a PC to set up the "environment" you need to work on. The Microsoft Press book usually comes with all the CDs you need for the software. Work through the book and the practice tests and you'll not need any tutoring, exam costs 140 quid (119 with the voucher) and you should, hopefully, get it first time.

Microsoft always state "3 years" or "5 years" experience in the industry as needed to do the tests, but if you know enough basics that's completely un-needed. I had an MCSE (now retired qualification type) within 18 months of starting in an IT job. The person taking your details for the exam in the test centre isn't going to ask you to prove it!

A Cisco qualification isn't worth it unless you *want* to work with switches all day and you also need to take in to account that its quite common for there to be lads with a CCNA they got through cramming in FÁS and are completely clueless with other computing stuff - so going looking for a job with a CCNA and nothing else will have your CV binned. Once you've got some exams and experience and if you do want to work at this, go ahead.

mbiking123

Some good advice there

Also some exams only last 3 years and then you must re-sit them eg CCNA

One more to watch out for

However dont discount CCNA as its a good qualification to have along with other qualifactions.

Moonbeam

What part of the country? would you do evening? interested in degrees or just short courses?