What training course?

Gingernutty

I've fallen into a first line IT job by random chance.

I work part time nights performing specific tasks, but my training is so limited that there are quite basic things that I can't do.

I have no qualifications in this subject and there is no training budget.

I've been looking at courses in the local colleges but they're full time and too advanced.

I'd like to keep the job I've got and do, say, a part time course.

What courses are there out there?

Would anyone recommend Microsoft's own courses?

What sort of career path can someone in IT take?

ECDL seems too basic for me but what happens after that?

I'm lost, my department are happy for me to carry on as I can do the job with relatively few muck ups and I'd be paying for the course/s myself.

A few pointers in the right direction would be gratefully received.

Gingernutty

Well thanks for all your input guys, that was very helpful.

The local colleges have stopped running ECDL and Microsoft courses, the courses on offer are full time and the NHS training budget is non-existent.

Learn Direct do ECDL courses at £25.20 a pop but are at pains to point out

Please note that the courses themselves do not amount to an ECDL qualification, rather they provide the background knowledge for key aspects of the syllabus. The required assessments for ECDL qualifications must be purchased separately from an approved ECDL test centre and additional training may be required for qualifications at Level 2 and above.

The ECDLUK website refers visitors to some obsolete sites.

I'm stuck and I don't know how to help myself and no one is standing out as a good bet...

Voyager2002

Well, the Open University offers modules in computing, and in the past has won a number of awards for these. They would certainly be part-time and distance learning.

Gingernutty

The OU is too advanced for my needs.

marlot

Look at pluralsight

prowla

A networking course, if available, would probably come in handy.

agrinnall

You might want to get an ECDL because some jobs require it, but in terms of actually learning anything from doing it I think it would be a waste of time.