Brain Overload

[jayuk]

John

I agree.....over the years....I have found MS exams and Courses to be flawed and in all honesty very easy.....IF you follow the MS way....there questions and appoach when you are being tested is all about THEIR way...and not how things REALLY work within the infrastructure...which is what I have always found amusing......

However, saying that; you do still get companies (particulary the top SI's) who will employ on the basis of these Certs, and part of the recruiment process would be asking questions straight out of the MOC (MS Off Curriculum!)..how silly!!!

And yet the UK IT Industry wonder why we have such a huge skills shortage in IT?......

[jayboi2005]

Im teaching myself all the required information. I admit there is lots to learn! And its all the Microsoft way. I have found that some of the Microsoft way is some of the most stupid ways, but i can spot that so i know that i may not actually do that when working because there is an easier rout that is just as effective. However for the exam it is THE MICROSOFT WAY! These exams may not carry as much weight as they used to, but they certainly help! For example you could say the same about Clait and ECDL. Clait had been around for years and suddenly ECDL jumps on the band wagon. These are both effective qualifications to have. I also think it depends on what area of the UK you are working. I know people in lots of areas of the UK, and employers in some areas don't care about ECDL or are eve interested as to what it is, whereas here around my area they are ECDL mad.

[John Smith]

Sorry, but I thought that the European Computer Driving Licence is the really noddy stuff, like how to use Windows, Word and Excel. What a mouse is, and so forth.

Is it actually something that an IT person may actually find useful?

[jayboi2005]

It was just an example, i completed the course in 3 hours! That was just straight into the tests. EASY! However bear in mind i can use 99% of Office features, i can create databases in Access and use things such as IF function in Excel. As these were all requiremtnts at school. I think it is a usefull qualification because it does prove you can use Office Extensivley!

[Andrew MacLean]

We spend a small fortune putting our office staff throug ECDL. they need to be able to deploy and transfer skills across a range of platforms (mostly Windows but occasionally Mac, or another of which I cannot remember the name.

From our point of view it is evidence that the office owrker is competent at most computer operations that will be required of them.

Andrew

[jayboi2005]

Well Andwer can i advise you don't put any more staff through just yet. As Microsoft are about to release Office 2007 and ive got to say it is very different. The graphical interface has changed loads.

http://www.itprob.com/viewtopic.php?t=158

I have to say though ECDL is great i have it and it is respected, the good thing about it is its not just pure Microsoft Office it educates you about sitting correctly, and the basic hardware and software of a pc. Input and Output deviced.

[Andrew MacLean]

Our local FE college has its next course starting in September. I think we have three staff lined up for it. Others have to refresh their training every three or four years to keep their ECDL current.

I think that the qualification eveidence of a good solid grounding.

The problem that I have is that everything I do is more or less self-taught. I can manage more or less to accomplish most tasks that I am set, but I have no way of knowing whether I am doing them the best or most efficient way. The difference is that my job does not depend opn being able to do exotic things with my computer.

Andrew

[jayboi2005]

Where a Mac is concerned im afraid you can do far more than me! I have heard you say one or twice now that you don't feel you are too good on a computer. However it took me ages to turn the Mac on all the buttons are different, i couldnt figure the click on the mouse and the user interface was terrible. In the end i worked it out but its features were poor. I still stand by you are better on a MAC than me.

[Andrew MacLean]

J-B

Thank you for those encouraging words.

My wife uses a PC at work, and a Mac at home. My daughter has all her business on her Mac, and my son is a Mac devotee. the onlyh one of us who would be able to work in an office with a PC environment is my wife and she has squads of people to do the needful if she stumbles at her computer.

I guess we just belong to a simpler age when a typewriter made a clattering sound and bruised your fingers, and when computations were sume you did on an Abacus.

Andrew


ps Temporarily flying the Isle of Man flag in support of Lisa. (My American grandfather died on the Isle of Man, so I count it an extension of home!)