Andy Byrne – CompTIA IT Fundamentals
The impact of COVID-19 on the events sector left Andy Byrne from Birmingham with a gap in his freelance work as a telemarketer for a business that creates exhibition stands. Self employed Andy has not been working since the start of lockdown, but he has kept busy by studying and successfully achieved a qualification in IT through the Digital Skills Academy.
Andy said, “During the coronavirus lockdown, my usual source of work dried up almost immediately. I have appreciated the time because my mother was recovering from two broken hips just as the lockdown started and I have been looking after her. I also took advantage of the time to learn some new skills that might help futureproof my career if there are long term effects on the events sector that prevent me from getting back into my freelance career.
“I noticed the Digital Skills Academy posts on Facebook and its offer immediately interested me. I felt more confident choosing a college rather than a private training provider, and the fact that the courses were free of charge was hugely appealing considering my current circumstances. I had tried a paper-based distance learning course many years ago, but it didn’t work out very well for me than. I recognised CompTIA as being a worthwhile accreditation and was keen to get signed up.
“I really enjoyed the IT Fundamentals course and found myself looking forward to the sessions I spent learning online. They provided me with a welcome distraction at a time when they were so many restrictions on daily life. I found that studying helped with my mental wellbeing during what was an extraordinary and difficult period.
“I had no prior technical knowledge aside from using a laptop and smartphone so it was really interesting to learn about how the hardware functions, how networks and systems operate, and how the Internet of Things means that so much of life is now connected and automated.
“The course helped me to gain skills in troubleshooting common problems and I learned about the languages used in software programming. It had been a long time since I was last in formal education, so I felt a great sense of achievement when I completed the course and passed my qualification. I was so enthused by the experience, which was supported by my tutor Shakil, that I have signed up for the next level of qualification, the CompTIA A+.
“There is obviously a great deal of uncertainty in the employment market at the moment, and I don’t know how quickly I will be able to return to my freelancing role. Building on the IT skills I have gained seems to make sense in case I need to change the focus of my working life in the future and I feel pleased to have something secure to fall back on. There certainly seem to be plenty of opportunities in IT and digital roles and these types of skills are sure to be in major demand in the future.”
Find out more about how you can study the CompTIA IT Fundamentals course.
Colleges across Coventry and Warwickshire will receive funding totalling more than £5 million as...
Ian is gaining new skills as part of a Digital Skills Academy bootcamp that...
An opportunity to take the first steps within the video games sector will enable...
