Information for Computer Training
One To One Training or Group Training
?
How Long Is The Training For ?
How Many Days Training Do I Need ?
Where To Do The Training ?
Custom Courses
Computer Platform
Skill Level
Notes And Support
Do I Get Qualifications Or Certificates ?
Booking Training
Payment Methods
Location & Getting Here
My Background
One-to-one training or group training ?
With one to one training you will learn a lot more than you could as part of a group, you cover a lot more during a day than you would in a group of three or four and you will be able to look at the application in much more detail. You can learn at your own pace and spend more time on the areas you find most difficult. The training can easily be tailored to include working through any current projects that you may have.
Group training is available (usually for up to 4 people - sometimes more) on-site.
Usually the smaller the group the more you will learn in a day, and also
the easier it is to customise the training to specific requirements.
Trainees in a group should have the same current skill level and the same
training requirements.
One or two trainees is ideal if you want in-depth training.
How long is the training for ?
A typical beginners course will run from 9.30am - 4pm with a 45 - 60 minute
break for lunch.
Intermediate
and advanced courses may go on for a little longer depending on the course.
How many days training do I need ?
The amount of training you need will depend on your current design skills
and the level of skill you want to work towards. Most design software will
take a long time to learn properly and you will need to allow time for practicing
the techniques you have learned during the training.
If you are relatively new to design software then you will obviously need
longer to learn these applications than if you have already have some experience
of this type of software.
For each application, you should allow one day for an introduction to that software, and further days to cover those applications in more detail.
As a guide, for each application you are likely to need:
1 day for beginners level,
+ 1 day for intermediate level
+ 1 day for advanced level.
This does vary for different applications, and you may need anything between 2 and 5 days
training to cover beginners to advanced level thoroughly.
For a complete beginner wanting to learn Photoshop, I would usually suggest starting with 1 day to cover the basics and familiarise yourself with how that program works, followed by 2 days intermediate and advanced training later on, to go into more detail on specific design and image editing techniques like retouching, montage and design.
If you would like some advice on the training you may need, please ask.
Where to do training ?
1) On-site (at your premises)
Training is available for up to 4 people at a time at customers sites in
Birmingham and Midlands and around the UK on Windows PC or Apple Mac.
I can also organise on-site training with other trainers around the
country. Prices and training availability will vary for different
areas and different courses, but I currently have trainers available in and around London
and South East, Manchester/North-West, Yorkshire area and Bristol/South-West,
as well as in and around Birmingham and Midlands areas. Some trainers may be happy to
travel to other locations, so if you are not in those areas the training
may still be available. More
(much of the information on this page does not apply to
training organised with other trainers)
If you are having on-site training, you will need somewhere suitable
to do the training where you will not be constantly disturbed and you will
need a suitable computer equipment with the appropriate software installed and working.
You should ideally have either one computer per person, or one computer
between two people.
2) With me in Cofton Hackett
I can provide training for one or two people here in Cofton Hackett, using a Windows PC.
See Location.
Very Limited Availability
Custom Courses
The content of most courses can be customised to better suit your requirements.
Beginners courses are only able to have a limited amount of customisation,
while with the more advanced courses it is usually assumed you will spend around 30 -
50% of the time working with your own projects and designs.
Courses Available
If you require something special such as a combined Illustrator and Photoshop course, please let me know your requirements and we will try to accommodate you if it would be possible to do so effectively.
Computer Platform
On-site - Training can be on Windows PC or Apple Mac
Here - Training will be on Windows PC
The platform that you learn on doesn't really matter for most applications
because most techniques are exactly the same whether you use Mac or PC.
Skill Level
For all beginners courses, it is assumed that you will have reasonable computer skills: know how to
open and save files and that you are competent with basic computer applications
such as a word processor. Some basic experience of image editing, graphics
or DTP software would also be helpful for most courses, and for web design
an understanding of file management is necessary.
Requirements for other courses will vary - please see individual course
outlines for more information.
Notes and After Training Support
Basic notes and reference materials can be supplied with some of the courses (but not all). We usually sugegst making some of your own notes during the training, and we can usually suggest a couple of good books.
1 month support is available after your training - for questions related to subjects covered during the training. Extra technical support may be available if required, please ask for a quote.
Do I Get Qualifications Or Certificates ?
The courses are intensive, flexible courses aimed at giving you the skills you need to do your job, rather than set courses which are working towards an exam. Therefore you will not get any type of qualification at the end of the course. However you will hopefully go away with the work you have done during the training which should be a better example of your real skills than a certificate.
If you do want written confirmation of which training you have had, this can be supplied on request.
Booking Training
Bookings may be made at anytime up to the day before training is to take place (subject to availability). More time may be needed before some courses to allow time for preparation (especially for intermediate / advanced courses and custom courses).
How to book training
1) Check available dates:
Either check the Dates page to see if suitable dates are available, or contact us to enquire which dates may be available for on-site training.
2) Reserve some dates:
The next step is to reserve some dates and you will then be emailed a booking form for the training on the requested dates.
Before sending the booking form I will need to know:
Which dates and which courses are required
Number of trainees
Location of training
You can usually reserve dates for a few days before confirming your booking.
3) Return the booking form with all information required and your booking will then be confirmed and you will then be sent an invoice for the training.
Payment Methods
BACS, Cash, Cheque.
Payment will normally be due 14 or 21 days in advance of training start date - depending on number of days booked.
My Background
I have been using Adobe Photoshop since version 2.5 (more than 10 years). I studied photography and digital imaging at college and started to learn web design and desktop publishing shortly afterwards. I have worked for Solihull College for a while and at Birmingham Post and Mail Newspapers doing desktop publishing and design for the newspapers, and later on web design and banner ad design for their web site and their advertising customers web sites. I also take on occasional freelance photo retouching and web design work.
I started doing training around 10 years ago. After Initially just doing training for Adobe Photoshop and some general computer use (Windows, Office, Internet, etc.) I decided to concentrate on training for a range of professional design software.
I currently do some training myself, and I arrange all types of design related training in the Midlands and around the UK with freelance trainers.
As well as the training I also do photo retouching, web site design and
related design work to fill my time - when I am not doing gardening or DIY on the house!
I do all my own design work,
including this web site.
Julie Hatton
Designer/Trainer
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