Evaluating and Planning for Security Risks

“As I was due to retire from teaching within a few months, I was looking to update my computer skills in order to facilitate a move to part time work in administration/ reception. After a chat with Linda, I decided upon the Fast Track Microsoft Office Diploma. This enabled me to remember work I had previously done in class using Word and PowerPoint and to also extend my use of the programs. The three others modules covered were Outlook, Excel and Access. I have to say Access was the most challenging for me, even though I could see the logic in it!!
I thoroughly enjoyed working through the modules as you are able to work at your own pace and go over areas again and again until you feel comfortable with your understanding. Another very positive aspect to going in to the Centre to work is the invaluable help given by the staff who are friendly and on hand to iron out any little problems; they calm you down when frustration levels begin to rise at your inability to see where you have gone wrong and expertly set you back on the right pathway!
I am delighted to say that I completed the course with Distinction.
At the moment I am not working but am now veering towards working within the NHS. In order to further my chances with this I am currently studying Medical Terminology. Again a bit of a refresher for me as I have previously studied Anatomy and Physiology, but am enjoying it none the less as it makes me use my brain cells. Not a bad thing!
Although not working I have been looking at the Show Website for NHS workers and will also be looking to find temporary work through an agency, if the first option does not work out, in order to gain experience back in an office environment.
I am glad I made the decision to call Pitman and chat to Linda about options. I can be a bit of a learning junkie and once I have the bit between my teeth I may well find another area to study and keep me at Pitman that bit longer.
Very satisfied client”

“Working as a secretary with Axis Media I felt that I needed to brush up my skills on some of the Office programmes that I was using as part of my job as well as gaining a recognised qualification. The Fast Track Diploma did this for me, and clarified some of the “mysteries” surrounding programmes such as Access which I had used slightly but never fully explored.
The course books and audio CD were clear and easy to follow, and the training staff were all very friendly and helpful, to the point of offering advice even after the course had finished.
Their unfailing cheeriness and sense of humour (together with the excellent facilities and pleasant working surroundings) added to the good atmosphere at the Pitman’s centre which is why I’ve now come back to do another course!”

“I studied the Fast Track Microsoft Skills Diploma and touch typing. Before my training with Pitman I was unemployed as I had been made redundant. Within 4 months of starting my training I got a job working as Receptionist/Admin for The Edinburgh Physiotherapy Centre. I was successful in my application over other applicants due to the training I was doing and my boss was very impressed with the knowledge and skills I had learned with Pitman.
I was promoted to Operations manager within 6 months this was partly due to my knowledge base of Microsoft Office.
I thought the training I received with Pitman was second to none and would recommend your services to anyone. The service is excellent and the staff are very helpful and understanding. Thanks to the excellent service and training of Pitman I am now more confident and efficient at my job.”

“I would just like to say thank you to yourself and all your staff for the wonderful training I received at Pitman Training!
I did the Microsoft Office Plus Diploma which took me through the whole Microsoft Office package and gave me a firm understanding in all the different areas such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc. It even allowed me to take electives in different areas such as book-keeping which widened my skills and knowledge in areas I hadn’t looked at before.
I undertook the training whilst I was studying at University and the confidence and experience the courses gave me during my degree and also when going for job interviews was priceless. The job market is terribly competitive at the moment but with the training I received at Pitman I had that something extra that employers were looking for, and the ability to talk about the courses and my experience at Pitman Training.
In particular, I had an interview where they tested my skills in Microsoft Excel. If I had not done the course this would have been a very daunting experience, however, knowing what I had learnt from the Excel course within the Diploma I was very confident in my skills with Excel. I even managed to spot a mistake in their test which I pointed out to them and no other candidate in the past had spotted it!
Consequently I got offered the job as a consultant in a pensions company. However, I did not take this job as an even better job came along within risk management in the banking industry and so I will be starting this in September. I know that they use a lot of Excel and other Microsoft packages and so I am looking forward to being able to show my skills in these areas and it makes starting my new job a more exciting prospect as opposed to one which before I may have been slightly worried about.
Thank you again!”

“I enrolled with Pitman in August 2008, having been made redundant from my job as a Legal Secretary in July 2008. I studied the Pitman Upgrade to Fast Track Microsoft Skills Diploma. When I returned to work in 2000 having raised my family, I was unfamiliar with computers I undertook a very basic computer course and was lucky to be offered a part time job with a local Solicitors, but I always felt there was so much more to Word and Excel that I did not know. Having spent six months at Pitman doing the above course, I was lucky enough to get a part time job as a typist/receptionist with W R Hall, Chartered Surveyors. Although this job is very different to my last one, I have been able to make use of the skills I learned on your course, especially with Word and Excel.
Having been a volunteer with the Citizens Advice Bureau for many years, in August 2009 I was offered an admin job. I needed to use Access and could confidently do this having completed my training in that as well. I now have two part time jobs which keeps me very busy! I feel sure that I would not have been offered the second admin job if I had not learned Access, as this takes up a great part of my working hours.
I really enjoyed my time at Pitman. The staff were really friendly and helpful and it was a very professional environment to be in. It certainly got me through the six months I was unemployed, as it felt almost like going out to work on the days I attended the Training Centre.”

“I had previously enrolled on a ECDL course through Aberdeen College which I failed to complete as the course was primarily home based with pre-historic methods for learning the given subjects and using there computers wasn’t really an option because of full time classes and a raffle ticket method for trying to book a computer.
I work offshore so my free time is varied and is never the same month to month. I needed to learn these as more and more of my job required knowledge in how to use for example word, excel and outlook. I contacted Pitman Training Aberdeen and went into see Faye about the Microsoft Fast Track Diploma which covers all the key Microsoft packages used in any office. The flexibility in the Pitman Training method of training is what really attracted me to their course, I could go to there training centre at any time I wanted. The learning process is very well developed, and by means of listening, reading and most importantly doing flowing exercises I found I learned the given subjects very fast with ease.
I recently decided to set up my own Ltd Company to enable me to provide Maintenance services primarily to the Oil and Gas Industry for Gas Turbines, diesel engines, pumps and compressors. In doing this I decided to enrol on the Sage Line 50 course as this would help me with my book-keeping and the Dreamweaver course so that I could set up and maintain my own website for the company.
I would recommend anyone wanting to learn or improve their skills to train with Pitman Training Aberdeen. Both Iain and Faye have been really helpful and would not hesitate to enrol on another course with them if I need to.”