CIW WITH SKILLTRAIN

Discussion in 'CIW Certifications' started by Tecx, Aug 20, 2005.

  1. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    That's the thing with most certifications.
    Nobody can 'give' you experience, you have to go out and get it yourself. As soon as you have learned enough HTML, put together a website. Do a few using different tools and styles.
    They might start off dire, but you'll get there. Before you know it, you've got a portfolio of sorts.
    It may be the case that your course is structured so that you don't have to actually produce a website. You can certainly pass the exams without having done one.
    When you gain confidence, see if you can do some local work for a school, church, football club etc. It's a tough stage to get through, but it's worth it.
     
    Certifications: MCT, MCTS, i-Net+, CIW CI, Prince2, MSP, MCSD
  2. Belmont

    Belmont Bit Poster

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    The salesman of SKILLStrain has left some hours ago, leaving me full of nerves that I signed an agreement and paid an enrolment fee of 50 quid. I've been browsing through the topics of Certforums and I'm glad to see these positive feedbacks on them. I think I'm gonna apply. I've got seven days to cancel the agreement, though.

    The course fee is 2750 quid now, which -- methink -- is "affordable"... They did offer to pay back all my money if I had no job in three months' time after getting my qualification.

    Please update your progress if you was really "given" a job after getting your qualifications.

    At this time, though, I'm not really worried about the job. Having read the posts I'm a bit relaxed that hopefully I won't just chuck my money out of the window for nothing. It seems I'm really gonna get something worthy for that price if I decide to apply for CIW with them.

    Thanks for everyone who shared their knowledge about Skillstrain. Just keep updating your statuses, please! :)


    P.S. just one more thing: I've been told that a machine with W98 is enough -- I doubt that. Which is the min. config you suggest for taking the course? Have to buy a new machine, I only got a crap notebook.....
     
    Certifications: none related
    WIP: Master CIW Web Site Manager
  3. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    Depends what course you're doing and what coursework you have to run. If they give you stuff on CD-ROM then it's likely that '98 will be good enough.
    However, if you decide to study 70-270 XP Pro or something, then it makes sense to have an XP machine to play with.

    The price of new machines is so low at the moment that it's cheaper to buy a new one than upgrade an old one. One good trick is to write down the specs of a Dell machine or something from a shop then take it to a small villiage PC place. Tell them you can get this from PC World for £300 and see what their quote is for the same spec machine.
     
    Certifications: MCT, MCTS, i-Net+, CIW CI, Prince2, MSP, MCSD
  4. Clyde

    Clyde Megabyte Poster

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    I believe the current Site Designer course uses some macromedia products and while off the top of my head I don't know the specs on macromedia products, but I'd be surprised if an old notebook running 98 was up to the task.

    Id grab a demo copy of macromedia studio anyhow whether CIW want it or not as familiarity will be useful in the web design world
     
    Certifications: A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA, MCSE
    WIP: MCITP
  5. Belmont

    Belmont Bit Poster

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    Thanks for the hint.

    I'm doing CIW Website Design Manager. Meanwhile I quickly browsed through the materials the salesman gave me, and it seems to be the course for me. I have some basic knowledge in webdesign, but mainly through a hobby-like self-study (building up homepages using mainly X/HTML and CSS, "minimalist" graphics, stuff like that). I did a crash-course, though, with a peek into PHP, Javascript, configuring webservers and graphical design.

    I also found a config they recommend. (The salesman did show me a page with a recommended config but I took that as a marketing trick.) It's better to get a machine with XP.
     
    Certifications: none related
    WIP: Master CIW Web Site Manager
  6. tfwdraven

    tfwdraven New Member

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    Their salesman is here at the moment. My Mum is interrogating him extremely throughly. I'll let people know how it goes... ;)

    edit: Well, he's gone. He was here for about an hour or so (in which time I popped up to my PC to check stuff on here so I could ask him the right sort of things. I am SO glad I found these forums; thank you, everyone! :thumbleft ).
    We did NOT sign anything today, and we made it clear from the outset that we wouldn't. He didn't seem to have a problem with that.
    We asked him to send us the following:
    -a copy of the contract we would have to sign (so we can go through the small print)
    -contact information for companies who acknowledge these certifications
    -contact info for people who have completed the courses successfully

    I will also contact some of the agencies he mentioned, and find out a little from them about how they get people on these courses into work.

    A few things that he said stuck in my head, after reading through various threads about Skillstrain/Scheidegger on here:
    -I asked him about what happens if I don't complete the course in the allotted 2 years (i.e. do we get charged more). he categorically stated NO.
    -ALL exams are included, including the certification ones at the end of the course.
    -The certifications are recognised internationally (this is VERY important for me, as my fiancee is moving here from California, and we may well go back there to live in the future; it would be a GREAT help to have something that is recognised over there)
    -He DID indeed say that they guarantee a job in this field within 3 months, or a full refund.
    -I noticed that the software you are promised (Dreamweaver, Flash, and so on) is not provided to you at the beginning of the course; you get a voucher that you send in when you have completed the first section of teh course, and THEN they send it to you. This is a pity, since I would like to pootle around with it first (fortunately, I do already own Dreamweaver, and already use it, but it's a pity about the other apps).
    -He hadn't done the courses himself (as a salesman, he wouldn't have to) but he DID seem to know what he was talking about with regard to the subjects covered in the course (part of the training, I suppose). At one point I did get into a small argument with him over which was better out of Paintshop Pro or Photoshop (I prefer PS myself).
    -He is going to put all these points down in writing for us.

    Anyways, the upshot of today's "meeting" is that he is going to send us some stuff; I'll keep people posted on what I receive. He's off to Switzerland for his birthday next week (this sales thing must pay well...! ;) ), and he is going to send the stuff when he gets back.
     
    Certifications: None yet
    WIP: A+
  7. Em

    Em Bit Poster

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    I am also doing a course with Scheidegger, they have been very good to me and I can not find a bad word to say about them through personal experience. Sorry to hear about your bad luck with them. I am a little confused tho? I am doing Web Master with them and un-sure of the the certificate I will be getting now as I have read a few people doing the same course but different qualifications??? I thought it was CIW ???? :ohmy
     
    Certifications: Diploma level3 Web Design?
    WIP: CIW
  8. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    CIW is the exam sponsor.
    They do a number of different qualifications. Check out www.ciwcertified.com for more info.
    It's unusual to see more than Master Site Designer and Web Manager.
     
    Certifications: MCT, MCTS, i-Net+, CIW CI, Prince2, MSP, MCSD
  9. Belmont

    Belmont Bit Poster

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    A quick status report: This week I received the letter confirming my enrolment. Hm... the so-called "tutor details" are only a list of some nicknames (first names) and there is a freepost address of a "Teaching Department", a local rate phone-number and an email address, which seems "collective" (tutor at ...). Not that I've got high expectations but as "tutor details" I imagined one person's full name, his own e-mail address and a mobile number.
    I did the online "intro", an automated e-mail was sent as a reply, and here I go.
     
    Certifications: none related
    WIP: Master CIW Web Site Manager
  10. joanne

    joanne New Member

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    I did the online "intro",

    hi how did you do this as im having problems with the web address given on my letter.
     
  11. Belmont

    Belmont Bit Poster

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    What type of problems? If it's offline, then try again. It's just a simple form, fill it in, submit and that's all.
     
    Certifications: none related
    WIP: Master CIW Web Site Manager
  12. joanne

    joanne New Member

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    got it sorted, just emailed them. :biggrin
     
  13. wyzerus

    wyzerus New Member

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    I am seriously considering doing this CIW course too.

    Has anyone come across someone who HAS gained a job due to their CIW qualification?

    PM me if anyone has - i would relly appreciate it.

    Hows your courses going anyway.

    Is the Skillstrain the way to go.

    Regards and good luck
    E
     
    Certifications: C.L.A.I.T, IBT II, OU Course T171
    WIP: CIW
  14. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    I think there is more to it than that.
    A certification will help you, but it will not 'get' you a job. Your CV, experience and performance during the interview will do that. You must look at certification as a tool, not a magic pixie wand that opens doors.
    CIW was my first certification.
    Did it get me a job?
    No. Not exactly.
    I got me a job using the skills and knowledge that I gained by doing my CIW, plus being me. It helped me, that's for sure - but nobody said 'sh1t, he's got CIW, let's hire him!'
    You're on the right track. Keep working!

    Good luck.
     
    Certifications: MCT, MCTS, i-Net+, CIW CI, Prince2, MSP, MCSD
  15. wyzerus

    wyzerus New Member

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    Ha Ha

    Thanks JonnyMX

    I will keep working at it. :)
     
    Certifications: C.L.A.I.T, IBT II, OU Course T171
    WIP: CIW
  16. Belmont

    Belmont Bit Poster

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    One thing is to get a job -- the other is your being able to keep the job, so to say. :o)

    Regarding the status update: I've just done my third tutor-marked assignment (waiting for their reply for the third, they replied in 4-5 days so far).

    The only thing that can hold you back is the lack of free time.
     
    Certifications: none related
    WIP: Master CIW Web Site Manager
  17. rwilmot

    rwilmot Nibble Poster

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    i have studio mx :) got it cheeeeeap
     
    Certifications: Village Idiot Award
    WIP: working towards everything..
  18. Keimos

    Keimos Byte Poster

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    Hi all,

    This is really just a word of warning to anybody considering a CIW course.

    1. Make sure that youare studying for the latest exam (Master CIW Designer) 510, 520, & 525
    2. You must have windows XP.
    3. Make sure it is CIW approved course material.
    4. The designer stage show you various tools to use, it is up to you to learn which one suits. Adobe Macomedia is not suitable for most budgets.
    5. You have to build a portfolio of sites, the qualification will help, but the first thing any prospective employer is going to look at is what you can do. That applies to any job.

    Keimos
     
    Certifications: Microsoft Office Specialist
  19. geofftaylor

    geofftaylor Bit Poster

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    I noticed that on the CIW flyer the SkillsTrain UK rep left with me today it says version 4 of all these exams - I must ask if they'll be upgraded!
     
    Certifications: BA Fine Arts, Dip TEFLA, MEd
    WIP: considering CIW
  20. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    Version 4 retired in June I believe.
    Be intersting to see if they had noticed...
     
    Certifications: MCT, MCTS, i-Net+, CIW CI, Prince2, MSP, MCSD

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