One of the best decisions you can ever make is to attend a computer training school. As I've written in several other articles, you have to ask the right questions before writing a check or taking out a student loan, but when you find the right school you are indeed on your way to a successful career.
There's a big difference between attending a tech school and excelling at the classes, though. Whether you just "float through" the school or really work hard is totally up to you. From my personal experience at such a school, I'd like to offer you one simple tip that will quadruple your chances of success at the school and in the job market.
Get there early and stay late.
When I attended a tech school years ago, I admit I was surprised that most of my classmates had what I call the "junior high school" mentality - they would get there late and leave as soon as class is over. Guess what? You're no longer in junior high. You're attending this school to create a career for yourself. Get to class early, get some extra study and work in while you're waiting for class to start, and then stay after class!
The most important part of your computer school studies is getting hands-on experience with the technologies that you're learning. If you're taking a Cisco class, you need to work with a router or switch as often as you can. If you're learning a software program, you need to work with that program in the school's labs as much as possible. Reading books alone will not teach you everything you need to know. The best time to get extra work in is after class. You may not be able to work in the computer labs at night if the school offers night classes, but odds are there are very few people in there during the afternoon. You need to be one of those people.
Doing only what is required of you is not the path to excellence. You need to go beyond the requirements of the school and invest the extra time and effort into your career. I speak from experience - there is no field in the world that rewards individual effort more than the IT field. Develop the habit of going "above and beyond" today, and this will pay huge dividends for you in the future.
Showing posts with label ecpi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ecpi. Show all posts
Friday, December 26, 2008
Computer Training School Tutorial: Know Your Instructor
Making the decision to attend a computer tech school can be one of the best decisions of your life. Another great decision is to tap a hidden wealth of knowledge that is right before every student at schools such as ECPI and ITT, but very few students take advantage of it.
When you're attending a computer training school, you must avoid the mentality that some other students will have - "I gotta go to school, I gotta be here, I can't wait to leave and go home". When you're preparing for a career working with computers, you've got to take advantage of every learning experience you can get, and that includes getting to know the most valuable resource at your school - your teachers!
Your teachers have busy schedules, but it was my experience that every single time I asked for help or had questions outside of class, my teachers went the extra mile to help me. I’m sure yours will do the same for you, but you have to let them know you want that help!
At your tech school, you must develop the skills and work ethic that you will use to succeed in the IT field. By staying after class, working overtime in the computer labs, and getting to know your instructors, you'll be astonished at the additional knowledge you can pick up. Almost any good teacher is going to have real-world experience, and you need to draw on that knowledge. Having lunch with an instructor is another great idea, as it allows you to get to know them away from the classroom.
Part of success in any field is making contacts for the future. You may not be in the IT field yet, but you should already be getting to know people with IT experience - and who better than your teachers? Besides, they hear about job openings all the time from friends, and the more you stand out from the crowd, the more likely you are to be remembered for such opportunities!
When you're attending a computer training school, you must avoid the mentality that some other students will have - "I gotta go to school, I gotta be here, I can't wait to leave and go home". When you're preparing for a career working with computers, you've got to take advantage of every learning experience you can get, and that includes getting to know the most valuable resource at your school - your teachers!
Your teachers have busy schedules, but it was my experience that every single time I asked for help or had questions outside of class, my teachers went the extra mile to help me. I’m sure yours will do the same for you, but you have to let them know you want that help!
At your tech school, you must develop the skills and work ethic that you will use to succeed in the IT field. By staying after class, working overtime in the computer labs, and getting to know your instructors, you'll be astonished at the additional knowledge you can pick up. Almost any good teacher is going to have real-world experience, and you need to draw on that knowledge. Having lunch with an instructor is another great idea, as it allows you to get to know them away from the classroom.
Part of success in any field is making contacts for the future. You may not be in the IT field yet, but you should already be getting to know people with IT experience - and who better than your teachers? Besides, they hear about job openings all the time from friends, and the more you stand out from the crowd, the more likely you are to be remembered for such opportunities!
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