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Archive for the ‘Computer Training’ Category

Emergency Services personnel receive extensive training in their respective academy.  In the initial phase of training, the subject matter is mainly academic.  Law enforcement personnel, for one, cover topics such as state law, drug recognition, hazardous materials recognition, and more through hours of classroom instruction.  The remainder of the training cycle is hands-on training.  In a portion of the hands-on training, computers play a major role.  For instance, for law enforcement there are ‘shoot or don’t shoot’ scenarios:  These are played out on a video game like system, in which the officer stands on a padded surface that detects every movement (ducking, kneeling, shifting side-to-side).  While standing on the surface, the officer has a weapon ‘holstered’ and is provided scenarios in which he or she must decide whether or not to shoot a subject.  During this training, the officers every action or inaction is monitored up to and including verbal commands given to the ‘subject’.  This type of computer training has proven vital over the years in terms of evaluating prospective law enforcement officials.

In the world of Emergency Services, certification is imperative.  Included in the definition of Emergency Services personnel are police, fire, and EMS.  In most states these personnel are required to maintain certification through a points system.  Personnel earn points through course completion; annual certification in different subject matter and annual re-certifications.  In addition to the points earned for required academic subjects, there are points awarded for similar training courses.  These ‘extra’ subject matter are often considered an acceptable substitution for required subjects.

In the past fifteen years, due to budget constraints and other factors, annual academic subject matter is being rearranged to accommodate computer training.  This has proven cost effective to state and local agencies:  budgets aren’t stretched thin, leaving funds available for special projects and such.

There are many examples of computer training received by Emergency Services personnel.  Of the many important classes, for example, are Hazardous Material recognition courses.  The benefit of completing a course such as this is twofold:  the materials can be covered easily during a shift, and instant results are generated.  The fact that a computer training course can be completed during a shift makes it cost effective for a small department in terms of travel expense, wear and tear on a vehicle, and time lost to training.

For policemen desiring to obtain training on subject matter that would normally require their attendance at a far off training conference, this is a boon.  Computer training courses covering topics such as drug recognition are relatively easy to find.  These courses are generally recognized by the respective law enforcement training division of the given state.  While a policemen may be discouraged from taking such a course during duty hours, it is entirely possible to complete such a course during off-duty hours.  Again, this type of computer training course benefits not only the officer, but the Department.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of computer training for Emergency Services personnel is the one aspect of their lives that become the most neglected:  family time.

Computer networking training is a must have for any professional in the IT (Information Technology) field today.  Networks are connecting almost everything we use in the computer world.  Printers are connected via networks, computers are networked together, we connect to servers the world over through the largest network in the world (the Internet).  Networking is the basis for some of the most revolutionary information sharing in the modern world.  Computer networking training can provide the skills and knowledge needed to set up, troubleshoot, and repair networking issues.  The technician who can successfully do this will be in great demand for some time to come.  Even the home office worker will benefit from obtaining computer networking training, as many home offices are now equipped with pre-installed network jacks and / or wireless network systems.

Computer networking training is just like any other kind of training.  You want to check out all of your options and available resources before signing the dotted line for any classes.  In the IT industry, any type of training courses that you take should be taught by certified instructors, and even the school should have some certification behind it.  It is important when evaluating computer networking training that you take both of these into account.  It won’t do you any good to take a class from an accredited school, only to be taught by someone who isn’t fully qualified to teach the class.  In fact, this could be a violation of the school’s accrediting agency’s requirements.  Likewise, if your computer network training is provided by a top-notch certified instructor, but the school isn’t accredited, then you will get a certificate of completing the course that is virtually useless.  Don’t waste your money if you’re not sure.

You will also want to make sure that the school provides an affiliation with an outside certification for you once you complete the computer networking training.  In the field of networking, the major players for certifications are CompTIA, Cisco, and Novell.  While there is some debate among the various governing agencies, a quick glance on the search engines seems to point towards an edge for Cisco’s certification and CompTIA’s Network + certification.  So why is your opportunity for certification so important when selecting computer networking training?  It is simple.  Certification is your means of proving you know what you say you know.  Without being certified, you are simply another voice on the IT landscape, drowned out amongst the crowds.

So, as we have seen, computer network training is a requirement for any individual who is serious about being a computer professional.  While the options may seem endless, the qualifications you need to look for are very specific, and should not be ignored.  A final consideration to make when evaluating your choice of training providers is, of course, the final cost.  This should include taking into account any discounted certification programs that are available at the end of the course.  Obtaining good computer networking training does not have to become a chore, but should benefit everyone involved in the end.

Computer training courses are easy to find:  a simple Google search on the internet for computer training provides numerous ‘hits’.  Deciding which course to take, however, is a bit more complex.   When evaluating computer training courses, several questions may come to mind.  Each plays a major part in the decision making process.  The most commonly asked questions include, but are not limited to the following:

What is the method of course material delivery?  It has long been accepted by education professionals that there are three methods of human learning:  visual, audio, and physical.  Audio:  the student learns by hearing.  Visual:  the student learns by reading or other visual cues.  Physical:  the student learns by doing.  There are those however who learn by a combination of two or more of these.  Online computer training courses offer all three. The students learning style plays a large role in determining which kind of computer training course to take.

Time considerations:  how much time is necessary to devote to course completion?  Is the computer training course available 24 hours?  Is there an instructor available to answer any questions the student may have?  Oftentimes students who are taking computer training courses are doing so beyond time constraints of work.  Military members are especially subject to time constraints with deployments and duty schedules playing a major role in making this decision. Time considerations are also a consideration for potential students who do shift-work or are on a rotating schedule.

Self-paced instruction or scheduled:  self-paced instruction is especially attractive to students who are unavailable to attend scheduled classes.  Self-paced allows computer training courses to be completed at the students convenience, yet requires self-discipline.

Location:  is the computer training course available online or will the student be required to attend formal classroom instruction?   Depending on the students work schedule or other personal considerations, online computer training may be the best option.  Opportunities abound for hands-on instructor led instruction if location is not a factor.  A potential problem with a formal classroom training environment is seating availability. Having online computer training available alleviates this potential problem.

Financial:  What arrangements can be made towards financing the computer training course?  The majority of educational programs are eligible for government funded grants provided they meet certain requirements.  Will the computer training course require a down payment and offer monthly payments? Are there other payment options available?   Some employers even offer tuition assistance depending upon what type of computer training course taken.

Certification:  What certifications can be attained through the particular computer training course?  Knowing the relevance of information being taught is of high importance.  After all a student wanting to learn a Microsoft application would want to learn about the most current program available.

Other evaluations or course reputation:  What have previous student experiences been?  Knowing what past students experiences with the computer training course is invaluable.  Did they find it challenging?  Were they satisfied with the material presented?  The lack of this information is often a deterrent.  Along with this, is the student provided with an opportunity upon completion to provide an evaluation?  In other words, opinions count in evaluating computer training courses as with any other training.

Finding the answers to these questions will provide the prospective student with the tools to make an educated decision.