Allo

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Hi all,

I'm raph. im currently based in ashford, kent working for an IT services company.
After 5 years of practice in Windows desktop/server technologies. It's now time to get certified and would like to take the MCSA certification.
I found so many different training centres and ways to achieve the MCSA. Have you ever heard of SKILLSOLVE or FIREBRAND TRAINING ? Any good ?

Cheers !

Raph

 

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I have heard of Firebrand, stay away from them. Never heard of the other but then again I don't trust any of these place as usually all they do is charge you loads of money and then give you some books to read. Why not cut of the fee bit and buy the books yourself and self study?

Welcome to the forums.

 

Thanks a lot for your comments about FIREBRAND. In any case my company wants me to pass a Microsoft certification. I will self study the exams and do the hands on practical things in a training centre.

 

Hi & welcome to CF

NB

 

Why not do the hands-on practical things in the comfort of your own home?

 

Firstly I will disclose I work for Firebrand.

In response to the unqualified statement "stay away from Firebrand" it saddens me to see a board such as this, that could do so much good for the community of IT professionals in the UK and further afield, being treated to unsubstantiated remarks.

Yes we live in a free society and anyone is welcome to hold their own opinion but if these boards are going to help people obtain certification, make decisions about the route they choose it should be with reasoned debate and not flippant opinions.

I encourage the poster who made this comment to provide evidence (not conjecture) to support their claim.

Here are some facts as to why you should consider Firebrand.

Firstly we are a Microsoft Gold Partner. Why is this important? Many of you reading this will think it's some piece of trivia that is easily obtained and retained. The facts are that we are audited on a regular basis to ensure we meet Microsof's exacting standards ( instructors, labs, equipment, materials, etc. ). As a Microsoft partner we have been chosen to do much of the Microsoft's partners "readiness" training, in other words training Microsoft's partners staff. Ask yourself why out of all the UK's training companies they continue to choose us?

Not only this but we are an officially recognised in similar ways by : Sun, Novell, CompTIA, (ISC)2, EC-Council, VUE and Prometric. Ask yourself why these companies would give us this vote of confidence?

Over the past seven years we have trained over 15,000 in the UK. We've grown every single year. Would we grow if you should "stay away from them"? How would that be possible?

Lastly and probably most importantly is what our customers actually say. I defy anyone to find another training company ( probably in the world ) to have as many personally written testimonials as Firebrand. At the last count it stood at 5,000. If you want to see them go to this page www.firebrandtraining.co.uk/testimonials and keep clicking the "Show More" button.

Al I ask is you judge for yourselves using facts and evidence whether we are suitable for your training needs.

If you want to speak to someone about how we do what we do then call on 080 80 800 888 - it won't cost you anything and you don't even have to tell us who you are!

Robert.

 

Hi, First off (firebrand-robert).
i have never used them myself, but have done a quick search. Most of what i read isn't good!

look here for example

http://www.certforums.co.uk/forums/thread22430.html

Also i looked at there site, MCSE in 14 days!? i don't beleive that is posible unless you already know all the content and have a few year experience.

My opinion is only based on what i have read, but based on that i wouldn't use them!

Sorry i almost forgot to say welcome to the original poster.

 

Hello and welcome to the forums!

Qs

 

"Most of what you read isn't good" - come on provide links - or are you saying you've read one negative comment on this site and nothing else?

I'm more than happy to have reasoned mature debate.

As for MCSE in 14 days and needing experience. This is what Microsoft's website says "Candidate profile
Candidates for the MCSE on Windows Server 2003 certification typically have at least one year of experience implementing and administering both network and client operating systems. They are knowledgeable about the planning, design, and implementation of Microsoft Windows server solutions and architectures in mid-sized to large companies."

Check the pre-req's on our website and we mirror this requirement.

So actually if you train with some who doesn't demand experience what you are doing is undermining the very qualification you hope will differentiate you!

Robert
PS "Big_Nath" why is this spam? If you want to discuss Firebrand's courses then you should welcome contributions from both sides of the debate. Or would you rather a one sided biased view of the world where people hide behind psudonyms?

 

Hi, i don't really wish to get into a debate, Raph asked for peoples opinion, which i have given. If you want to see other threads, just search firebrand with the forum search tool. Not everything is negative in the threads, but as i said from what i read it doesn't sound good.

In my opinion 14 days isn't enough time, even if you meet the microsoft recommendations.

 

This is why i said this spam!

 

Hi Robert

I'm with Nitlc and they are a distance learning provier with workshops.

To be honest mate, your flogging a dead horse. This site is dedicated to putting people off training providers, even though most of them have never used them.

I have given up defending TP's as it gets you no where. I have been happy with my TP for over 3 years now and they are still helping out.

They are scared of debates as most of the time they get found out.

 

So to be clear you are allowed to say "don't touch Firebrand" but we're not allowed a right of reply?

Democracy and free speech in action!

 

Where did anyone say you can't reply???

 

Exactly right.

Robert, I don't paint all training providers with the same brush - there are a few good ones out there. But the reason why most people here lead people away from traning providers is because most TPs DON'T demand experience. They simply look for an ability to pay, whether by cash or by credit.

I am curious - what methods does Firebrand employ to ensure that the candidate has experience? Do you verify a candidate's employment history and responsibilities? Or do you simply hope the candidate checks the Web site requirements before enrolling? Either extreme is fine... I am simply curious to know to what lengths a TP will go to protect their students. Most do nothing other than send out a salesman with high-pressure sales tactics, and occasionally, a questionable evaluation test that makes the candidate feel like they're "just good enough to take the class".

I am also curious as to what methods and training materials you use to get students through 7 exams in 15 days. That's shorter than MS requires using their MOCs - for example, Microsoft has 5 to 8 days of classes for 70-290 alone. So I am curious to know what tools and resources you use to help your students achieve this goal.

 

I'll provide you with some evidence, I'll ask one of your saleman to come round to my house and I'll record the BS he comes out with or I can just visit your website.

What he said

14 days isn't enough even with a lot experience unless the candates are given BDs

You can reply all you want, there is no harm in it, it's funny how you have managed to stumble upon this thread. Were you perhaps typin in google something along the lines of "stay away from Firebrand"?

I would also like to know how someone gets through those exams in that time frame, also would firebrand turn me away if I had the cash to pay for this course but didn't have the experience? If so then good for you but I have yet to hear of any company in any industry that will turn down the chance of their bank balance going up for whatever reason.

The reason I personally don't like any TP is because they fill peoples heads with BS and charge the earth for it. So what you can use a computer, it doesn't mean your MCSE ready. That would be like saying wow your really good at flying planes on Microsoft flight simulator here's a job as jumbo pilot.

No one should be doing a qualification that invloves high end server maintenance and high end support roles without the experience first.

 

OK some more facts as people are hell bent on spreading lies and rumours about Firebrand.

Firstly we do not send sales people to visit potential students. Never. Ever. In fact we don't target "self funded" students at all.
We train people who are funded by their companies. Over 50% of the FTSE100 have trained with us.
So the "I'll prove you by recording the BS when they come round" is utter rubbish.

Secondly how can we screen people? Well the website tells you the pre-req's for the course and we try our hardest to get students to explain what their experience is and actively discourage people from attending who "appear" to have the wrong experience. Why "appear". Because if you are spending this amount of money on a course we assume you are a grown-up and trust you at your word. We don't offer "finance" ourselves so we don't even make the money "easy".

How do we do what we do? Now I will get accused of "spamming" for answering that question but here are a few pointers. 14 days with us is 180 of training. We do 14 days including weekends. We teach for at least 12 hours a day. The students live onsite which why this works. Does this method suit everyone? No of course it doesn't but neither does reading books, eLearning or ILT suit everyone either.

Lastly how did I find this posting - easy - google alerts on the quiet obvious term "firebrand training".

What's a shame about the unconstructive knocking of us is all the good we try to do for people in this community. We are running a competition with Computer Weekly at the moment to find IT Super Heroes - to champion the people that so often are negatively stereotyped, we've lobbied parliment to get VAT scrapped on IT training courses to make it cheaper for self-funded students to train,to name but two.

I've been in IT since I was 12, taught myself to program a Comodore VIC 20 in machine code by peeking/poking, I've worked for IBM, I've been a programmer, I've got almost 30 years in IT now - so I'm no different from anyone reading this board in truth!

I just happened to have started an IT training company to share knowledge. I and Firebrand are trying to do some good!!!

 

They won't listen mate.

There in a world thats called 'CF'

Anything constructive towards TP's falls on deaf ears