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 ?
Prices & Payment Methods
Booking Training
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 will probably cover around 30% 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 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 for groups of 2 - 4 people on-site, or
here for 2 people at a time.
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 would run from 9.30am - 4pm with a 45 - 60 minute
break for lunch.
Intermediate
and advanced courses may go on for a little longer.
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 at least 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.
Some applications may vary, and you may need anything between 2 and 5 days
training to cover beginners to advanced level thoroughly - depending on
your requirements.
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 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 areas of the UK (including Birmingham, Bromsgrove,
Solihull, Redditch) - other areas may be possible if there are trains
from Birmingham, so please ask.
| Other Areas With Other Trainers: I can also organise on-site training with other trainers around the country. Prices and training availability will vary for different areas, 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. 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 Info (most information on this page does not apply to training organised with other trainers) |
If you are having on-site training, you should have somewhere suitable
to do the training where you will not be constantly disturbed and you will
need a suitable computer/s with the appropriate software installed.
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 at a time here.
See Location.
Training for Quark Xpress and Adobe PageMaker is not normally available here.
Custom Courses
The content of training can be modified 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 assumed you will spend at least
50% of the time working through 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 I will try to accommodate you if possible.
If you want something special and it is just a one day course then the cost may be slightly higher than normal, however if you are booking a 2 or 3 day course there is unlikely to be any extra cost unless there is significant extra preparation work required.
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
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. See individual course outlines for more information.
Notes and Support
Basic notes and reference materials are supplied with most training as well as after training support.
1 month support with all training, for questions related
to subjects covered in the training.
extra technical support is 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 need written evidence stating what training you have had, this can be supplied on request.
Payment Methods
BACS, Cash, Cheque.
In most cases payment will be due either in advance, or on the first day
of training.
For training organised with other trainers, payment will normally be due
immediately after the training.
Booking Training
Bookings may be made at anytime up to the day before training is to take place (depending on availability). More time may be needed before some courses to allow time for preparation (intermediate - advanced courses, and custom courses).
1) Check the Dates page to see if suitable dates
are available.
Next please either e-mail or phone to check those dates are still available.
Contact Details
You may reserve dates for a few days before confirming your booking.
2) If you wish to go ahead and book some dates please call or send an e-mail with your details and you will be sent a booking form. This will usually be sent as a PDF file attached to an e-mail.
Before sending the booking form I will need to know:
Which dates and courses are required
Which software you want training for
Number of trainees
Location of training
Information required when booking:
It would be useful if you could provide some information about your current
design software skills, and any specific things you need to cover in the
training. If you are booking intermediate or advanced level training this
is essential you supply information on your specific requirements and current
skill levels of each trainee.
This information should be entered on the booking form or given in some
other written form and mentioned on the booking form.
If you have a specific document which you want to reproduce then please
send a sample of that document when booking.
Location & Getting Here
We are based in Cofton Hackett which is south of Birmingham (UK) between
Birmingham and Bromsgrove close to M42 & M5 motorways.
A map is available on request.
Nearest main railway station with trains to other areas of the country
is Birmingham New St (10 miles)
There are local train stations in Barnt Green (1½ miles) or Longbridge
(1½miles),
which run from Birmingham New St.
Bromsgrove train station (6 Miles away) has trains to Worcester, Malvern
and Hereford.
Regular buses run between Birmingham and Rednal (just over ½ mile
away)
Training is also available onsite - at customer sites - see Where to do training ?
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 have also taken on occassional freelance photo retouching and web design work.
I started doing training around 9 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 most of the training in the Midlands myself, with the occasional job passed to other trainers when I can't do them. I also organise all types of design related training around the UK with other freelance trainers.
As well as the training I also do photo retouching, web site design and related design work to fill my time. I do all my own design work, including this web site.
Julie Hatton
Designer/Trainer
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