Techskills

I have recently started going back to school at Techskills in Brookfield. Just wondering how my of you out there have gone through them or heard about them. Also Pc Pro Schools, I was wondering anyones opinion on it as well. Thanks

Jon

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sprkymrk

I never heard of either school. Just wanted to bump your topic back up to the recent list for you.

macdude

Techskills is a good schools as long as you want certs. I don't think any of them offer degrees. I have talked to them a couple of times about getting certs from there but never have the time to go.

cacharo

I read about it in a recent post.

http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34386

You could try to PM the OP and see if he offers up any insight. It should be noted however that he posted some comments that didn't sit well with some members and he has been getting flamed for a couple days. I am not sure how willing he would be to help out a TE member.

Nakeja71

I am a current student. I enrolled because I got laid off last year.I personally think the school is overpriced.Im in the IT seris course that cost over $10,000 yet the only book I can keep is the A+ book.I wrote my name in the Network+ book and they told me I had to purchase it for $28. My problem with the school is that they are not telling some folks how hard it is to get into the IT field. Many are totally new to computers and they make it seem as if it is gonna be easy once they get certifications.One instructor is telling students once they get the their Network + certification they will get job offers from all over the country.Their training material is sometimes from other sources such as CBT Nuggets. I have talked to the lady in the job placement about telling people how much their appearance matters when going on interviews. One guy their is very intelligent yet he cannot get a job.Every interview he never looks professional.Shows up smelling like smoke, shoes not shined , hair all over his head.I have also tried to tell some of the young men that cornrolls and gold teeth have to go.I am a black man I just keep it real with them. I got a job with Duke Energy working in Smart Grid.My schooling is paid for and Im gonna get my MCSA then a few Oracle since thats what I use at work.But Techskills , I would not pay my own money to them.

Bokeh

PC Pro Schools used to advertise heavy on tv and radio here in MN. They have cut way back. I took their online test, which really was a joke, then got called from a "career counselor." They refuse to quote prices, its always come on in and let's talk. When I told him I can get the same training at local college for 150/credit hour, he got real quiet. Then mentioned something about they being better, train faster, etc.

I've seen these schools before, they are just in it to push as many people in and out the door as possible and take their money. Kind of like a puppy mill for the IT community.

Nakeja71

Exactly.The 2 instructors who really had good jobs and worked their on the side they got rid of them.My instructor cannot pass some of his Microsoft stuff. The only benefit is the cost to take my Vendors is paid for.I have 2 left which will be for my 70-270 and 70-290.

TXOgre

Nakeja71 wrote: »

I am a current student. I enrolled because I got laid off last year.I personally think the school is overpriced.Im in the IT seris course that cost over $10,000 yet the only book I can keep is the A+ book.I wrote my name in the Network+ book and they told me I had to purchase it for $28. My problem with the school is that they are not telling some folks how hard it is to get into the IT field. Many are totally new to computers and they make it seem as if it is gonna be easy once they get certifications.One instructor is telling students once they get the their Network + certification they will get job offers from all over the country.Their training material is sometimes from other sources such as CBT Nuggets. I have talked to the lady in the job placement about telling people how much their appearance matters when going on interviews. One guy their is very intelligent yet he cannot get a job.Every interview he never looks professional.Shows up smelling like smoke, shoes not shined , hair all over his head.I have also tried to tell some of the young men that cornrolls and gold teeth have to go.I am a black man I just keep it real with them. I got a job with Duke Energy working in Smart Grid.My schooling is paid for and Im gonna get my MCSA then a few Oracle since thats what I use at work.But Techskills , I would not pay my own money to them.

I agree. TechSkills has a bad reputation, and they've earned it. If you're just looking to cert up, and you're not footing the bill, it's as good a place as any to get the coursework done I guess. When I was laid off, I avoided TechSkills and took the WIA money to a B2B school with a good reputation with local businesses. It cost about the same, and they didn't offer placement assistance, but I don't really need it. Oh, and I got to keep my books, which were all given to me brand new as part of the cost.

Possibly unrelated to their IT program, but definitely related to TechSkills, my wife was conned into a medical billing/coding/transcription program there for about $10,000, with promises of placement assistance and good pay. They managed to place her as an unpaid extern 6 months after she finished, but that's all they did for her. They then listed her as placed at a high rate of pay, so their placement statistics would look good. The office where she was placed wanted to hire her, but they weren't allowed to hire from TechSkills. It took her 3 years to find work in that field, and she's making about 1/3 what they claimed she would make.

Nakeja71

I am just their to get my certifications.I just got my 70-270 book.They told me if I want it it is $38.

Aldur

All this sounds very similar to all the private schools out there. They cost 3x as much as regular schooling and promise 10x as much. But tend to deliver about 1/2 as much.

Most of the times they will give you examples of people who went through their program and who, upon graduation, did very well. They fail to mention that these people are few and far inbetween. Also these "Top Achievers" didn't get there by just relying on their education alone. They normally had previous experience, and previous certifications. These examples are presented to the people who are just breaking in to the field and have none of the above. Seems a little dishonest, doesn't it?

The only big draw to these schools is that you can get your education over with quickly.

Nakeja71

I have been enrolled since May and the school is packed.Im the only one who has landed a job and it had nothing to do with Techskills.Im just trying to get all my certifications because working for a company like Duke Energy I can put them to use. People are paying 10 grand to self study.

Aldur

Nakeja71 wrote: »

People are paying 10 grand to self study.

My sentiments exactly.

And 10k, sheesh! How much are they teaching you. 10k seems like highway robbery for certification learning. I would imagine this doesn't include any expert level certs, JNCIE/CCIE, either.

Nakeja71

Lots of folks who are getting layed off are going to the WIA program. Basically Techskills sits you in front of a computer and you watch their videos. Their lab is so small nothing can be done.The instructors they have have all these certifications and they post about all the jobs they have had .They list job titles, Not companies they have worked for.I got 2 paid certifications left so Im gonna take those 2 then Im out.I do not even care about going through their courseware because I can studuy on my own.I am very lucky. I got a job payiing 50 grand a year to start.Still a 10 grand paycut from my last job in the chemical field but in this economy I cannot complain.They want to use my job as a advertisement to place on their wall to lie to other students . I am not feeling it.I really feel for the folks who have lost their jobs and are told that the IT field will be big salaries and easy street.

Psoasman

I used the Techskills program for my MCSA:Security. I thought it was a pretty good program. They use a mixture of hands-on techlabs, CBT nuggets videos, MS Press /Sybex books, and TestPrep practice exams.
I had good instructors at my school, which helped. I paid around $6K for the MCSA program.

I was able to self-study using their materials and finish up the MCSE.

Nakeja71

6 grand is a lot. I feel for what they offer paying out of pocket and studying on your own is the best route. They use other folks material like CBT Nuggets. I could just pay CBT Nuggets buy a few Microsoft books and save myself $5,500 My issue is that their are lots of folks who are totally new to the IT field and computers in general that are being told things that are not true. I had a strong IT background and I knew someone who worked at my new job.They put in a good word for me and I managed to fina a better job than the one I had before. Not everyone will be as lucky. I hope they do but I know realistically many will not. Folks see I have a good job they figure once they get their A+ and Network + , the offers are gonna start pouring in. I just feel for these folks who have had their hearts ripped out by being laid off and then they are being lied to.It is not right.

Nakeja71

In my case, the state payed Techskills $10,000for the IT seris program.I think my course is A+ Network+ 70-270 and 70-271. For $10,000 I get only the A+ book. I can keep the Techlab printouts but no CBT's .Now keep in mind their are hundreds of folks like me at Techskills who may have lost their job and are going to school via the WIA program. I did a breakdown of how much the actual training should be:

Lets say I buy all my certification books. A + Network + Microsoft 70-270 and 70 -290.Each $60 ($240)
CBT Nuggets videos which Techskills uses especially in Network +

A+ $399

http://cbtnuggets.com/webapp/product?id=373

Net + 299

http://cbtnuggets.com/webapp/product?id=472

70-270 $149
http://www.cbtnuggets.com/webapp/product?id=33

70-290 $199

http://www.cbtnuggets.com/webapp/product?id=207

Total cost is with estimate for taxes included $1373.00 .Yet my course the IT seris is $10000 .Even if I throw in the cost of 5 Vendor test cost at $1000 .Techskills is still $7627 more.Include the price for gas and it is even more especially for folks who cannot access their courseware at home.

Lets exam the instructors.Here is a bio of the folks at CBT Nuggets.
http://www.cbtnuggets.com/webapp/trainers

The Techskills where I attend the lead instructor cannot pass certain vendor exams.

Also once you buy the videos at CBT Nuggets they are yours to keep unlike your courses at Techskills.You go at your own pace as opposed to being rushed to take a test a week.Everyone learns at a different pace. Techskills expects me to complete my 70-270 in 1 month if not they will put me on what they call probation

Psoasman

I went into IT from Massage Therapy, having little computer experience. If I could go back, I would probably have taken fewer courses and self-studied more. When you take their classes, you pay for a license for the year.

Nakeja71

Thats the sentiment of a lot of students. I feel for those who have paid out of their own pockets to attend. I know quite a few who have used their tax refund and taken out loans to attend. I plan on getting my 70-270/291 but I really am tired of attending Techskills. I am only going out of obligation to the nice lady who worked hard to get me the WIA money to attend school and have 5 Vendors paid for in advance. I have 2 left and I am going to not just throw that away. I have basically told Techskills that they are a joke and nothing they tell me carries any weight.Like one instructor who told me getting Oracle certifications are not a big deal because no one uses it. I told him I am using it with this Smart Grid technology along with Cisco here at Duke Energy. I passed both my A+ and Network+ without using any of their material including their TestPrep or Techlabs. I am using sites like this and CBT Nuggets to prepare for my Microsoft and beyond.

Nakeja71

I have 2 more vendors paid for at Techskills. Since I am working close to 50 hours a week they told me I still need to give them 12 hours a week or I would be on probation. I told them yeah right. Im taking my Security + next week so by end of December they can do what they want. I will have my A+, Network+ , and Security + then I can study my Microsoft and Cisco on my own. Like I said I feel for these new folks laid off that are being promised $70-$90 grand a year . What they are doing with new students is enrolling them in Network + first then they are going to go to A+. I told them someone with no IT background and new to computers is going to be blown away by Network+ The school has lied to them and told them they cannot take the 220-601 and 220-602 because they have expired. I showed a few of the students the actual fact is the test can be taken until Febuary 28, 2010.School is full of it