IT career: Cerco Training

DreXeL

DreXeL

DreXeL

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OK, a bit of background.

I currently work as a CNC Programmer/Operator for a stuctural steelwok company. I make £20-£25k depending an overtime etc. The Job isn't too bad, but the hours can be long and unsociable, and it can be tedious work sometimes.

I saw an ad for Cerco Training and checked out the website. With computers being a hobby of mine for a long time I have always fancied something in IT. Basically, according to the marketing spiel, Cerco do a 'fast track' course, with 98.3% of people getting employment at the end of the course, with companies like Fujitsu regularly employing graduates from the course. They say the courses are 'invite only', with only a few spaces a month, so they have an online entry test.

I did the test and blitzed it, with a score of 98%. I got a call today from them and they would like me to go to an evaluation appointment, basically an 'informal' interview, and another test similar to the online one. They then decide wether to give me an invite onto the course.

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of course? If so I have some questions.

There is no mention of cost yet, any ideas what sort of costs are involved?

Is it realistic for them to say I am 98% certain to get a job at the end of the course?

Anything esle I should know?

Thanks for any advice.
 
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I got 93% on the test, but it also said I haven't finished the test when I had... :confused:

Anyway, go to the Interview and find out.
 
DreXeL said:
The Job isn't too bad, but the hours can be long and unsociable, and it can be tedious work sometimes.
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I have to ask, if this is a problem are you sure a career in IT is for you? Long hours and tedious work are usually accosiated with the IT industry. Maybe the grass is always greener but I think I'd prefer to be a CNC programmer than what I do now :p
 
Cerco = way expensive.

Not worth it, in my opinion.

What sector of IT are you interested in? I can give you a bit of advice on helpdesk, pre-sale technical, post-sale technical, project management, management, account management...

It's a very varied industry but it really is not for everyone; I'm happier now on the sales/accounts side of things than when I was project managing large-scale LAN/WAN/Networking kit but at the time I was doing that I never thought I'd do sales.

*n
 
The guy said the jobs offered are usually hardware maintenance/network maintenance, which is just the type of thing I am interested in.

Scorza: It's not so much the hours that is the problem, it's the work itself. I don't mind it so much when I'm programming, but most of the time I'm just operating a CNC Plasma/Punch, as we have a full time programmer, I just fill in for him when he is away, or if we are particularly busy. It's pretty monotonous work.

EDIT:

Trifid said:
I got 93% on the test, but it also said I haven't finished the test when I had... :confused:

Anyway, go to the Interview and find out.
Click to expand...

Are you running Firefox? I found the test has a few 'issues' in Firefox, I had to use IE.
 
I'd be very dubious about this if I was you. Personally I'd go for a more well known certification by a known certification authority such as A+, or CISCO CCNA.

Both of which you could buy the book and possibly a network simulator for the CCNA and do at home. But I'd get on the job websites knock a CV up and be realistic about what you are going to do, and how you get there. Even with an A+ or CCNA without experience the pay is not going to be great and the sort of hardware/network maintenance they are talking about even with a few years under your belt is probably gonna top out at 20k max, more than likely less.

For many of these roles some knowledge, a clean driving license and enthusiasm will get you in the door. Also remember that getting your foot in the door of a big company even onto the helpdesk will make it easier to get to where you want to go. Its often far far easier to get the roles you are after once you are an employee.
 
Mate I did this course over 4-5 years ago in Nantwich. Its dead simple but I did it as they also find you a job at the end of it.

If you have IT experience then you will be able to find your self something and save about 4-5k.

If you need drop us a mail.
 
Dangerous said:
Mate I did this course over 4-5 years ago in Nantwich. Its dead simple but I did it as they also find you a job at the end of it.

If you have IT experience then you will be able to find your self something and save about 4-5k.

If you need drop us a mail.
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I have no IT experience atall :(
 
DreXeL said:
There is no mention of cost yet, any ideas what sort of costs are involved?

Is it realistic for them to say I am 98% certain to get a job at the end of the course?

Anything esle I should know?
Click to expand...


#1 - 18 months ago it was £4000 for 4 weeks including accomodation. the course is 9-5 each day Mon - Friday.

#2 - yes but it might take a few weeks like it did for me. however i did have an interview on the last friday of the course. infact most people had interviews during the last few days / the following week.


some other stuff you might want to know:

i'll put the worst thing first - it will be very likey that you will take a pay cut! this is because you are on a fast track course to learn basic to moderate hardware IT skills. you will probably see that most IT jobs ask for 2 years experience for 1/2 decent pay.

i was struggling to find something decent that i wanted to do after getting a degreee in Business and Technology. basically i was going no-where. i saw the ad in the paper and did the tests, went for an interview, got accepted on the course and went ahead.

now i've been working as a field service engineer (drive around fixing comps/printers etc) for 15 months and i'm very happy. best decision i ever made.

Cerco is also basically a job agency for their 'graduates', one benefit being that you only pay 1/2 of your fee until they find you a suitable job. so it's in their interest to get you work... hence the 98% job guarantee. in return they get a fee from the employer or whatever so it is a win-win situation to a certain degree.

don't be too concerned / bothered with the tests, it's just a quick indication for them. there were some very non-techincal ppl on the course when i did it.

they used to include A+ certification, but now it's an extra. but you would probably be ok to apply to do the A+ after this course, as that type of stuff is covered also.

we did this much work in the 4 weeks. so it's not just a few sheets, it's actually a lot of work. iirc 4 or 6 exams each friday, practicals included.

they have quite a few repeat employers who use Cerco all the time, i think they have a decent reputation.

well ask some more stuff if you want. it was just ideal for me, i wanted to get into IT maintenace and didn't see another way, and it turned out great.
 
P_A_N_I_C said:
they have quite a few repeat employers who use Cerco all the time, i think they have a decent reputation.
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4-5 years they didnt as they went BUST 3 weeks into the 6 week course of mine! :eek: Think they were black listed from the armed forces now.
 
Dangerous said:
4-5 years they didnt as they went BUST 3 weeks into the 6 week course of mine! :eek: Think they were black listed from the armed forces now.
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iirc they got a new director about 2 1/2 years ago and turned it around totally. plenty army boys on the course when i was there. :eek:
 
Freedom said:
How far an area do they find jobs, Do they find jobs that are local for me, such as in Scotland?
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Yeah UK/Ireland/World Etc

P_A_N_I_C said:
iirc they got a new director about 2 1/2 years ago and turned it around totally. plenty army boys on the course when i was there. :eek:
Click to expand...


Maybe but I got a email from them offering me £70k to goto Iraq :eek:
 
Freedom said:
How far an area do they find jobs, Do they find jobs that are local for me, such as in Scotland?
Click to expand...

this came up when i was there because there was a scottish guy there. depends on where abouts exactly. if you're remote they they might have to write a special contract :p . generally they look for jobs within a max of 50 miles of where you live.
 
Thanks for the advice and comments guys. In all honesty I'm not in a position to take a £4k course and a paycut at the moment, I just can't afford it.

Thanks again for the advice.
 
I live just 20 miles south of glasgow in Ayr so commuting aint a problem, Im actually very interested in this course, Ill going to give their site a read before i ask any more questions :)
 
Well took the test for a larf- got 100% and had over 11 mins left on the clock at the end of it- plus noticed that the questions had a rather amusing Windows 95/98 era, Microsoft slant :)
 
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