IT training - ECDL or equivalent - advice wanted

[the stupid one]

Afternoon all. Long story short, I'm about to have my contract terminated through ill-health (back injury, operating theatre role). In a couple of months there may be vacancies for an office-based job which asks for ECDL or equivalent.

A quick online search (including in this very forum) reveals that there alternative qualifications such as ITQ, and that there are quite literally zillions of providers of squillions of different courses. I am about to start drilling down into the results to see if anything makes sense, but I would be thrilled if somebody with more knowledge than me (and I'm looking at all of you) could recommend good online providers. I'm thinking I'll need the usual Office suite stuff, but I'm prepared to go further if it looks useful - if the previously-mentioned job doesn't happen I'll have that skill set for something else.

Many Thanks.

S.

 

[alpine fenlander]

Can't give any specific recommendations, but I'd start by downloading the ECDL exam questions and have a look through to give you a rough idea what you need to learn. Many colleges or libraries do cheap or free evening+day courses for ECDL, might be a better option than on-line as you can ask questions and it gets you out the house. If they don't do ECDL as such they might at least have various MS Office courses (which probably cover mostly the same stuff).
You should be able to get books/ materials/ Youtube videos etc free on-line - I'd start with those before parting with any money and then maybe book a one-to-one class for the stuff you're struggling with.
Haven't heard of ITQ, ECDL seems to be more of a standard, but maybe that's different in certain industries/ areas.

Disclaimer: I run an IT training business, but mostly advanced stuff like programming, as there is no money to be made with ECDL/ MS Office because there are so many free or very cheap places.

Spend some time googling and then let us know if/ when you need more info or if you can't find anything suitable!

 

[the stupid one]

Thank you, AF. I'm looking to study online so that I can fit it around the family's pre-determined schedule and work at my own pace (usually hastily and at the last minute - I need to stop that). YouTube has some excellent stuff, to the extent that I'm confident I could get myself up to speed for the role I'll be applying for, but it would be nice to be able to show them a certificate, and have it available if I don't land that job and need to go looking for another.

I mentioned ITQ after searching for ECDL on cyclechat, and seeing references to it being perhaps a more updated standard, but looking online it may well not be, and might be an umbrella term which includes ECDL.

Still eyeing up the various options.

 

[raleighnut]

I'd say ECDL level 2, I did it and it is pretty comprehensive. Mind you I had a very good tutor who didn't just tell you how to do things but explained how the different menu's were configured.

 

[cyberknight]

In a union?
Mine has free courses for it I have done ecdl lvl 2 ,is replaced by its
It might also be worth approaching your employer if apart from health issues you have a good work record regarding retraining for that role

 

[the stupid one]

ECDL level 2 seems the way to go from what I've read so far.

I am in a union, though I've had minimal contact with them. I might look into that. I have left it too late to ask for help with retraining from the employer, they've given me plenty of help trying to find redeployment mind you. It seems my qualifications and experience are of limited value anywhere else, though.

Thanks both.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Afternoon all. Long story short, I'm about to have my contract terminated through ill-health (back injury, operating theatre role). In a couple of months there may be vacancies for an office-based job which asks for ECDL or equivalent.

A quick online search (including in this very forum) reveals that there alternative qualifications such as ITQ, and that there are quite literally zillions of providers of squillions of different courses. I am about to start drilling down into the results to see if anything makes sense, but I would be thrilled if somebody with more knowledge than me (and I'm looking at all of you) could recommend good online providers. I'm thinking I'll need the usual Office suite stuff, but I'm prepared to go further if it looks useful - if the previously-mentioned job doesn't happen I'll have that skill set for something else.

Many Thanks.

S.

Are you already IT literate and able to use Windows, a network, the internet and Office suite apps without a problem? If you probably already have "equivalent" skills.

 

[cyberknight]

https://www.unionlearn.org.uk
http://learnwithunite.org

 

[raleighnut]

Are you already IT literate and able to use Windows, a network, the internet and Office suite apps without a problem? If you probably already have "equivalent" skills.

It's all about the 'certificate' these days, back when I was a 'youf' (late 70s-early 80s) it was generally me drove the forklift (mainly cos no-one else wanted to get on the fecking things) but you try that nowadays, likewise with data systems they want to know you have a recognised level of competence.

 

[Tin Pot]

ECDL?

I've been "in IT" for twenty years, never heard of it.

 

[raleighnut]

ECDL?

I've been "in IT" for twenty years, never heard of it.

User qualification, nothing to do with the guys who ask "Have you turned it off and on again" before emerging from their lair covered in sausage roll pastry 'flakes' and blinking in the daylight.

 

[Tin Pot]

User qualification, nothing to do with the guys who ask "Have you turned it off and on again" before emerging from their lair covered in sausage roll pastry 'flakes' and blinking in the daylight.

Users have qualifications?

Well I never...

 

[the stupid one]

Hello again.

Cyberknight, thank you for the links. I'll have a look in the morning.

GrumpyGregry, I'm a Mac user at home and haven't really needed IT skills at work, so I'm unfamiliar with anything newer than W97. I did an OU degree a few years ago, so used word processing a lot, but limited Excelesque stuff and back then it nearly made me cry. Last week I visited the department I'm hoping to join, and when I asked about ECDL-level skills I was given the impression that maybe that was overstating things, and all they needed from day to day was very basic as far as Excel is concerned. But I'm with raleighnut regarding having a certificate, and it is written down as a desired skill/qualification.

Tin Pot, your grumpy-old-soddism made me larf.

Thanks again all.

 

[raleighnut]

Users have qualifications?

Well I never...

Probably the people you never come across cos they don't fark the system up.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

It's all about the 'certificate' these days, back when I was a 'youf' (late 70s-early 80s) it was generally me drove the forklift (mainly cos no-one else wanted to get on the fecking things) but you try that nowadays, likewise with data systems they want to know you have a recognised level of competence.

It really isn't. In the case of IT literacy, anyway.