TTS-UK: Blog

Why would you use Linux?

2010-09-07T16:04:00.002Z

You may have noticed Linux being offered with laptops and netbooks, but what is Linux and why is it getting more popular? Well Linux is an operating system like any other which glues all of your software together but the main difference is that it is FREE.

The use of Linux has heavily increased in private and educational sectors across Europe as well as through the use in many smart phones that are being supported by Linux. Many businesses and individuals are benefiting from the fact that Linux is available both as a server and desktop and can be freely used, modified commercially and non – commercially.

For larger companies Linux can be offered through a variety of upscale operating systems such as Red Hat, Canonical and Novell. There are dozens of free desktop applications from spreadsheets, word processors, audio players, email programs and web browsers.

When you think of the costs of operating systems in the market today and compare that to the powerful platform of Linux which has as much capability and performance as the leading Windows operating system it is really hard to image that it is free to use.

How to get started?

Total Training Solutions offer a range of Linux training courses from Introduction to Advanced Shell Programming, ideal for system administrators, programmers, operators etc or the Advanced System Administration for the expert user.

Our Red Hat training courses are aimed at delegates who are looking to prepare for the Red Hat certification status.

What is PRINCE2?

2010-09-02T15:25:00.001Z

PRojects IN Controlled Environments or PRINCE2 for short is a method that’s used to manage projects in a structured and process based manner. There is no hardware or software involved with the exception of some supporting tools; as the elements are based on how to best approach projects in a consistent and effective framework.

PRINCE2 is extensively used in the UK as well as internationally and is also used to enable the user to manage the processes of risk management and quality control.

Who is PRINCE2 for?

PRINCE2 is commercially focused and can be applied to all kinds of projects from very small ones to the very large. It is ideal for those in project management roles in the public sector as well in other industries such as construction, engineering, IT, business, and financialservices industry.

What are the benefits?

Using PRINCE2 allows the user to:

Have greater control of resources
Ability to manage risk more effectively
Maintain quality control throughout each stage of the process
Adapt better to changes
Improves communication channels between the project, project team and organisation
Ensure projects are aligned with the strategy
Set flexible decision points

What types of PRINCE2 qualifications are there?

Total Training Solutions offer a number of PRINCE2 training courses that are available throughout the United Kingdom. We offer a variety of packages including online, offline, CBT, and instructor-led tuition.

The PRINCE2 Foundation course is ideal for individuals who have asupporting role in projects and the Practitioner course is targeted more towards individuals who are leading projects. Also available is the blended course which has made it possible forcandidates to take both the Foundation and Practitioner PRINCE2 modules in one package.

A directory of all candidates who have passed the PRINCE2 exams can be found at www.prince2.org.uk. As an employer you can check the validity of someone’s PRINCE2 certification, prior to contract or employment.

Follow this link for further information on our extensive range of PRINCE2 training courses.

What is Primavera P6?

2010-08-20T15:28:00.001Z

Primavera P6 is a project management software package that is used for managing and controlling project related activities. Resources representing labour, materials and equipment are used to track time and costs for the project.

Most commonly used to handle large and complex projects, like the construction or maintenance of a nuclear power plant for example, Primavera P6 is class leader in Project Portfolio Management (PPM).

Who is Primavera P6 for?

The Primavera P6 courses offered by Total Training Solutions are the ideal qualifications for those in industries including engineering and construction, public sector, aerospace and defence, utilities, oil and gas, manufacturing and high tech, and IT and services.

The range of Primavera courses run by TTS includes Administration, Advanced Project Management, Methodology Management, Overview and Reporting and System Administration, Configuration and Design amongst others. Many of these are available with P6 Web Access.

What are the benefits?

Total Training Solutions’ Primavera P6 courses will enables users to:

Select the correct strategic mix of projects for the desired outcome.
Ensure corporate control of a project.
Increase processes and methods.
Improve project cooperation between teams.
Measure progress toward objectives.
Ensure projects are aligned with the strategy.
Complete more projects successfully and with the intended payback.

Primavera’s PPM products, together with parent company Oracle’s management services and software are expected to provide the first comprehensive Enterprise Project Portfolio Management solution soon. This solution is expected to help companies optimize resources and the supply chain, reduce costs, manage changes, meet delivery dates, and ultimately make better decisions, all by using real-time data.It is anticipated courses in this programme will be available from Total Training Solutions as they are developed.

Demonstrate your Virtualization Expertise

2010-08-12T16:13:00.001Z

In these times of financial uncertainty, it is more important than ever for businesses to ensure their IT systems are running effectively and efficiently. VMware courses from Total Training Solutions can help you do just this.

VMware are the global leaders in cloud infrastructure and virtualization solutions – systems which can save companies time and money by reducing IT complexity.

What is Virtualization?

Today’s computer hardware was designed to run a single operating system and a single application, leaving most machines vastly underutilized. Virtualization lets you run multiple “virtual machines” on a single physical machine, with each virtual machine sharing the resources of that one physical computer across multiple environments. Different virtual machines can run different operating systems and multiple applications on the same physical computer.

Software is used to transform or “virtualize” the hardware features including the CPU, RAM, hard disk and network controller to create a fully functional virtual machine that can run its own operating system and applications just like a “real” computer.

Each virtual machine contains a complete system, meaning you can safely run several operating systems and applications at the same time on a single computer, whilst eliminating potential conflicts.

Why Your Company Should Virtualise?

To improve the efficiency and availability of IT resources and applications.
Free your IT admins from spending so much time managing servers rather than innovating. (About 70% of a typical IT budget in a non-virtualized datacenter goes towards just maintaining the existing infrastructure, with little left for innovation.)
Lets you respond to market dynamics faster and more efficiently than ever before.

Why choose us?

The VMware courses offered by Total Training Solutions cover installation, configuration and management of the various VMware programs. They vary from specialised and dedicated areas of cloud computing and virtualisation, such as vCenter Server and vSphere Management Assistant, vCenter Converter and ESX/ESXi to a complete ‘fast-track’ package, covering all aspects of VMware systems.

Total Training Solutions also give existing VMware Certified Professionals (VCPs) a short-cut, 2-day course to up-grade their qualifications to include the new vSphere.

Why Choose Official Sage Training?

2010-08-06T12:37:00.001Z

Businesses the world over use official Sage software and services; the same can’t be said for their training. At Total Training Solutions we believe in learning from the experts and offer nothing but official Sage courses.

Sage have unrivalled experience in delivering high quality, effective training that is tailored to meet your business needs.

Total Training Solutions offer 15 official Sage courses that cover ACT!, Bookkeeping, Accounts, Instant Accounts, Forecasting and Payroll, all of which are delivered by Sage instructors.

Total Training Solutions offer many Sage packages including online, offline, CBT, and instructor-led tuition meaning you can choose the best approach to gain the skills you need for your business.

The courses are easy to follow and jargon-free and tutors are constantly up-dating and reviewing their course content with the latest developments so you can be sure your employees are receiving the best training possible.

So, who's it for?

Everyone! Whether you’re starting your accounting career, brushing up on existing skills for a promotion or setting up your own business, a Sage training course can help you get ahead.

The training is suitable for anyone who uses Sage software - or who's thinking about using it. Whatever your level of skill or field of business, official Sage training will help you keep up-to-date with the latest technologies

The Sage courses offered by Total Training Solution range from beginners to advanced classes and we teach everything from the basics of manual bookkeeping and simple payrolls to sophisticated foreign trading and complex financial forecasting.

PRINCE2 Blended Learning Course Launched

2010-07-30T10:20:00.002Z

By blending the PRINCE2 Foundation eLearning module together with the Practitioner workshops, Total Training Solutions have made it possible for candidates to take both PRINCE2 Foundation and PRINCE2 Practitioner modules in one easy package.

Who is it for?

PRINCE2 stands for PRojects IN Controlled Environments and is a process-based method for effective project management. PRINCE2 trained professionals are used extensively by the UK Government and PRINCE2 training is widely recognised in the private sector, both in the UK and internationally.

This makes it ideal for those seeking a career as a project management professional and gives you the qualifications you need to work effectively in high quality project teams. Many leading organisations make PRINCE2 certification a requirement for all of their project staff.

How does the e-learning package work?

When you book our PRINCE2 Training eLearning module you will be given access to the course materials via a unique access key. As you study the course materials you will be able to test yourself with the on-line testing system and have access to a PRINCE2 training expert via email should you need assistance or have any questions.

After successfully completing the tests you will be able to take the full PRINCE2 Foundation exam. This then leads onto the workshops of the PRINCE2 Practitioner course.

The PRINCE2 Course Workshops

In order to become a full PRINCE2 Practitioner you must complete a second exam and our 2 days of workshops will guide you through to the successful completion of this exam.

Day 1 concentrates on different exam topics and questions so you can try them in a training situation before moving on to the exam itself.

Day 2 involves sitting the exam and is designed to show that a candidate has a thorough understanding of PRINCE2 theory, practices and application for different project scenarios.

For full details of this excellent new IT training package please read the full course outline here: http://www.tts-uk.com/training-courses/category/prince2/prince2-blended-foundation-and-practitio/

Follow this link for further information on our extensive range of PRINCE2 training courses.

New ITIL eLearning Package Launched

2010-07-22T08:05:00.000Z

Our new ITIL V3 foundation course is the ideal entry level qualification for those seeking to complete the full ITIL V3 IT Service Management training scheme. In order to progress through the full V3 qualification programme, candidates must complete this course first and our eLearning packages allow them to do this at their own speed and from their own location.

Who is it for?

The foundation course is aimed at those people who are looking for a basic understanding of the ITL framework; those who need to understand how ITIL can help improve overall IT service management within an organisation and those who are already working within an ITIL environment and wish to better understand the practices and processes involved.

What topics are covered?

On completion of the course candidates should have an awareness of all of the key elements of the ITIL V3 Service Lifecycle. These include links between different lifecycle stages, the processes used in ITIL service management and how these processes contribute to service management practices.

What does eLearning package include?

The ISEB (Information systems examinations board) approved scheme includes access to the foundation eLearning module; the official ITIL V3 foundation manual; email access to 30 leading industry experts and our online exam simulator.

Once you have reached the end of the test elements you will also be invited to complete the process by taking the exam paper at a local test centre.

For full details of this excellent new IT training package please read the full ITIL course outline.

Follow these links for further information on our extensive range of Prince2 training, Sage courses and VMware training.

Are all PRINCE2 Training Courses the same?

2010-01-08T16:32:00.004Z

The PRINCE2 training market is complex and dynamic. There are numerous suppliers, some with good credentials, others not so. When you source a PRINCE2 course you may shop around and hear claims from providers about the quality of their offerings, but how do you choose the right course for you and are all PRINCE2 training courses the same?

Firstly, make sure that you are talking to an accredited PRINCE2 provider.
Why is this important? Well, the accrediting body for PRINCE2 (APMG) accredit the training course, the training organisation and the trainer. This ensures that the course fulfils the curriculum set for the examinations and also ensures that the training provider has sufficient processes to handle the delivery of the training in a professional manner. More importantly, it ensures that the trainer has sufficient 'real world' experience and knowledge of PRINCE2 to answer questions raised during a course and can adequately bring the subject to life. You can find the current list of Authorised Training Organisations at http://www.prince2.org.uk/TrainingOrganisations/ATOs/ATOListing.asp

Why should I avoid talking to a grey or unauthorised provider?
They are not accredited and are unlikely to have any external assessment of quality. They cannot offer a formal exam as part of their course and it is likely they will refer you to a public exam centre - at an additional cost and risk

Once you've established that you're talking to an accredited provider make sure that you get answers to the following:

1. How many delegates will be on the course and what's the absolute maximum number that the provider will allow? The last thing you need is to be on a course with 15 or 16 other delegates and unable to get the full attention of the trainer!

2. Find out the exact location of the training venue and decide if it is easily accessible by car or public transport. If you're driving, does it have a free car park and how near near is it to the venue? Car parking and trave/hotel expenses can add considerably to the cost of a 3 or 5 day training event.

3. Make sure that your course materials are in full colour rather than tones of grey. There is now a body of research that shows that colour is important in both cognition and recall.

4. Make sure the training method that the organisation uses is based on Activity Based Learning or Accelerated Learning. Here the focus changes from what the trainer needs to deliver the course, to what the learner needs. With this kind of delivery, classes are designed around the exercises and games that stimulate learning. Emphasis moves away from lecture mode to practical engagement with the subject by the delegates.

5. Find out if there is any post course support. After the course you have to put your learning into practice for it to be consolidated into your experience and for it to become a habit or standard practice for you. Is there any support from the training provider to help you do this if you want it?

For a full list of our accredited PRINCE2 courses please see the main website by clicking here. This includes dates and locations at centres across the UK for the PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner courses.

Further details of our other professional best practice, IT and personal and management development courses can also be found at http://www.tts-uk.com/

PRINCE2 Courses and Training

2009-11-06T10:02:00.006Z

What is PRINCE2?
One of the most highly regarded qualifications, PRINCE2 (Projects in Controlled Environments), is a project management method covering the organisation, management and control of projects. PRINCE2 is used extensively in the public and private sectors and has become the number one standard for generic project management in the UK, becoming increasingly popular worldwide.

Why do we need PRINCE2?

The majority of organisations that implement PRINCE2 encourage their employees to take the examinations. If your staff have accredited PRINCE2 qualifications, then you can present your company as using PRINCE2. This has particular advantages when you tender for or supply to any public sector organisations such as the NHS, local and central government and police authorities. The majority of individuals who consider PRINCE2 as a qualification do so for personal career reasons.

How do I get qualified in PRINCE2?
Individuals need to pass the examinations at either Foundation or Practitioner level. Foundation confirms your understanding of what PRINCE2 is, Practitioner shows your knowledge in the application of PRINCE2. If you work in project management in a supporting role then Foundation level may be enough. If you are leading projects, however, then Practitioner level would be the most appropriate certification to aim for. PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner courses are available to prepare individuals for these examinations. The Foundation exam is taken on the last day of the Foundation course and the Practitioner exam is taken on the last day of the Practitioner course. The APMG run an online register to show candidates that have passed the examinations. This can be found at http://www.prince2.org.uk/.

PRINCE2 project management training
Delivered by trainers with a wealth of project management experience, our PRINCE2 project management courses will help you deal with real project management issues and pass the examinations! Our delegates consistently achieve pass rates above the national average. For information on our range of PRINCE2 courses please see the PRINCE2 page of our website. Foundation and Practitioner courses are available at 25 of our training centres around the UK. Course dates are also listed for each centre.

For a comprehensive list of all our professional best practice, IT and management and personal development courses please see the main website at http://www.tts-uk.com

Sage courses to help your business

2009-11-05T17:08:00.002Z

Sage is the leading Accountancy software in the UK and we provide a wide range of Sage training courses to suit individuals of any level and experience. Whether you've just started to use Sage or you've been using the software for a number of years but feel you're not getting everything you can from it, then we can tailor a training programme to your specific needs.

Courses are available on Sage 50 Accounts, Sage Payroll, Sage Instant Accounts and even Sage ACT. Our partnership with Sage UK means that we can offer authorised instructor led training at any of the 10 Sage training centres around the UK. In addition to this popular training method, we also offer:

1. Self paced learning - this method suits individuals who prefer to work at their own pace or may find it difficult to take time away from work for a number of days at a time. Online or CBT (CD-Rom) titles are available and allow you to study at times to suit you, whether that means studying from home or from the office, or a combination of both.

2. One to One learning - we specialise in personalised one to one training on Sage 50 Accounts, Sage Payroll and Sage Instant Accounts. We can come to your premises to design a bespoke course tailored to your individual needs or you can attend one of our training centres.

3. Group Learning - if you're a corporate customer and have a number of Sage users you wish to train then we can deliver any of the public scheduled course on your site or design and deliver a tailored training programme on your system. This is often a more economical way of getting the skills you need if you can train at least 3-4 people at the same time.

What are the benefits of undertaking Sage training?

1. Save time by getting to know the software properly
2. Save money on Accountants and Book-Keepers fees
3. We design and tailor courses to your needs at no extra charge
4. Become more confident using Sage
5. Courses are delivered by consultants who work with the sofware as well as train on it
6. Options to gain certification after training

For a full list of available courses please visit our Course Listings Page on the main website. All the courses available through TTS-UK are official courses delivered by Sage. Our partnership with Sage allows us to offer their full curriculum of courses at any of their UK training centres.

For further information on our Sage courses or any of our other business applications and IT courses visit our website at: http://www.tts-uk.com

Excel 2007: What's New?

2009-10-09T17:40:00.010Z

Excel 2007 looks very different from earlier versions of the software, but underneath all the cosmetic changes are quite a few useful new features:

1. New User Interface - Excel 2007 includes a single ribbon at the top of the screen and not the menu/toolbar seen in previous versions. This makes every feature easier to locate and use.

2. Improved Conditional Formatting - this has become much more powerful. Take a look at the screen shot above.

3. Formula AutoComplete - entering formulas can now be far less cumbersome. When you beging typing a formula, Excel displays a continually updated drop down list of matching items, including a description of each item.

4. Improved Pivot Tables - this feature is possibly one of the most underutilised in the application. With a few mouse clicks a pivot table can turn a range of data into a useful summary table. Just about every aspect of pivot tables has improved in Excel 2007. Pivot charts (created from pivot tables) now retain their formatting when updated.

5. Larger Worksheets - an Excel 2007 woksheet has more than 1,000 times as many cells as an Excel 2003 worksheet. In fact, the 2007 worksheet contains 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns.

So how do I get to learn about all the new features in Excel 2007? Rather than spending months and months playing around with all these new features why not do it all in a day or two and attend one of our public scheduled courses. Course are available at Introduction, Intermedaite and Advanced level so whatever your experience there is a course that will be suitable. Locations are also available UK wide.

In addition to our public scheduled Excel 2007 courses, we also offer on-site training. This allows us to tailor the contents of the course to suit your exact needs and the needs of your business. For people that find it difficult to take time away from the office, Excel 2007 online and computer based training (CBT) is now available. This allows you to study at your own pace and at times to suit you.

For further details please use the contact page on the website or see the full course listings at http://www.tts-uk.com/.

Is IPv6 Finally Needed?

2009-10-05T14:55:00.002Z

The Internet Protocol (IP) that we currently use is version 4 (known as IPv4). This has been around for many years but does not scale well enough to last longer term. The address space (the number of IP addresses that exist) is running out.

Internet founder Vint Cerf believes that we are now facing and address crisis on the internet. "The internet cannot continue to grow effectively without the need for new address space" supplied by IPv6, says Cerf. "We're going to run out of IPv4 address space somewhere around 2011, and that's not very long from now in terms of preparing a fully operational IPv6 system running concurrently with IPv4."

The main difference between the 2 versions is that IPv6 uses 128 bit addresses whereas IPv4 uses 32 bits (you may have seen IP addresses written like this, 192.138.1.2, which give you around 4 billion combinations. This means that IPv6 has much more flexibility when it comes to allocating addresses and routing internet traffic. IPv6 gives you a lot of addresses - more than enough to give you an address for every atom in every computer in the world!

It would seem to be in everyone's interest to adopt IPv6, but here we are 10 years after it was designated the successor to IPv4 really not much further forward. There's no doubt the financial investment to upgrade sytems has much to do with this. Regardless of this though says Cerf, "it's absolutely critical that our business sector, the private secor, be prepared for operation of both IPv6 and IPv4."

For anyone out there that doesn't have a plan to adopt IPv6 then I say then start to think about one now. For anyone looking to upgrade their skills on IPv6 then attending the 3 day Implementing IPv6 course would certainly help. By the end of this course you will be able to:

Plan for IPv6 addressing
Analyse IPv6 packets
Plan a migration strategy for IPv6
Configure PCs and routers for IPv6

A shorter 2 day course exists - IPv6: An Introduction. This course provides a technical overview of the aspects of IPv6 and the differences with IPv4.

For further details about IPv6 training or details of any of our technical IT courses then please contact us

How to build a website

2009-09-30T16:55:00.002Z

Designing your own website isn't difficult. Or is it? It's not only about creating a professional looking site that adds credibility to your product or service, but it's also about making sure that you get enough traffic to the site as well. What's the point in having a great website if nobody actually visits it?

Whether you want to create a corporate or personal website, there are 3 main steps involved:

1. Plan
2. Choose the hosting and domain name
3. Design and build

Once the website is complete you will then need to:

1. Build traffic to the site
2. Make money from the site (if this is your corporate aim)
3. Monitor and maintain your site

So how do I build the site?

There are numerous software applications available to help you create your own website. One of the market leaders is Adobe Dreamweaver and this 3 day Web Design and Development with Dreamweaver CS4 training course will give you all the necessary skills to create a really professional looking website.

This courses teaches you more than just how to use Dreamweaver. It teaches you to avoid the common mistakes that many new designers make and it will give you the confidence to start building quality websites quickly and easily. The use of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) in website design has evolved a great deal over the years and is now a pre-requisite of any good website. This course will demonstrate the importance of CSS and the real benefits of using them in your website design. You will also look at many modern techniques such as Spry and Flash to ensure your website is eye catching as well as functional.

For a full list of web design and Adobe courses, take a look at the Adobe section of the main website.

How do I build traffic to the site?

There are 3 main methods that are suitable to most organisations or individuals:

1. SEO - Search Engine Optimisation
2. PPC - Pay Per Click (Google Adwords)
3. Email Marketing

Search Engine Optimisation is key to attracting visitors to your site and it is certainly worth investing in a suitable SEO training course to learn the basic principles, or you can use the services of a specialist SEO marketing company. Either way, the results will take time. Don't expects instant results. PPC and Email Marketing generally give you quicker results, although this can be far more expensive. Make sure you have a sensible budget and stick to it!

For further information on any of our web design or SEO training courses please visit http://www.tts-uk.com

How do I achieve ITIL v3 Foundation Certification?

2009-09-29T08:47:00.006Z

The ITIL v3 Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management provides knowledge and comprehension of the key concepts, structure, terminology and processes of ITIL.

This entry level qualification provides candidates with an awareness of the key elements of the ITIL v3 Service Lifecycle and on completion of the relevant training and examination candidates can expect to gain an understanding of the following areas:

1. Service Management as a practice
2. Service Lifecycle
3. Key Principles and Models
4. Generic Concepts
5. Selected Processes
6. Selected Roles
7. Selected Functions
8. Technology and Architecture
9. ITIL Qualification Scheme

How do I acheive Certification?

Candidates need to attend the ITIL v3 Foundation course. This 3 day course is available through TTS-UK at venues around the UK. For a full list of available course dates and locations see the course outline on the website.

This course is assignment based, combining short lectures with individual and group assignments and mock examinations in preparation for the multiple choice ISEB examination. Comprehensive course documentation includes student notes, copies of all slides and also a copy of the itSMF IT Service Management pocket guide.

Target Group for Certification

1. Individuals who need a basic understanding of the ITIL framework.
2. Individuals who need an understanding of how ITIL can be used to enhance the quality of IT service management within any organisation.
3. IT professionals and others working in an organisation that has adopted ITIL and who need to be informed about, or contribute, to an ongoing service improvement programme.

ITIL certification, however, is open to anyone with an interest in the subject

Exam Format

The v3 Foundation Examination tests candidates in their ability to understand the basic concepts, describe them and demonstrate basic comprehension of the ITIL practices.

The exam consists of 40 multiple choice questions, where only one option is correct and will be awarded a mark. The pass mark is 26 out of 40 (65%)and the exam duration is one hour.

For further information on our range of ITIL training courses please visit the main website. There is also course information available on the full range of IT, Professional Best Practice, Business Applications and Personal and Management Development training courses.

Please see http://www.tts-uk.com for further details.

Why Sage Certification?

2009-09-26T17:00:00.002Z

Sage certification is a valuable way to show your competence at using Sage software. It gives you an added boost to your skills and helps you to stand out in the job market. For employers, Sage certification makes staff selection easier and for employees it makes promotion more attainable.

How does Certification work?

Certification can be attained in any of the following areas:

1. Sage Instant Accounts
2. Sage 50 Accounts
3. Sage 50 Payroll

There are 7 Sage Certification Exams as follows:

Sage Instant Accounts
Sage 50 Accounts Level 1
Sage 50 Accounts Level 2
Sage 50 Accounts Level 3
Sage 50 Accounts - all 3 levels
Sage 50 Payroll Level 1
Sage 50 Payroll Level 2

Each exam is online and costs £50 + VAT.

How do I prepare for an exam?

If you feel confident that you have the skills and knowledge to take an exam then you can buy exams online at: http://shop.sage.co.uk/home.aspx.

If you need additional training to prepare for any of the exams above then instructor led public scheduled training courses are available at Sage training centres across the UK. For a full list of available courses please visit our Course Listings Page on the main website. All the courses available through TTS-UK are official courses delivered by Sage. Our partnership with Sage allows us to offer their full curriculum of courses at any of their 11 training centres across the UK.

For further information on our Sage courses or any of our other business applications and IT courses visit our website at: http://www.tts-uk.com

VMware Certification on vSphere 4 Now Available

2009-09-22T12:31:00.005Z

VMware recently announced the next generation of their V13 product, which will be named vSphere 4. The training and certification programs have now been updated for vSphere 4, and VMware have created various paths for individuals to achieve the certifications on this new version.

The VMware Certified Professional (VCP) is specific to the software version and does not expire like other vendor's qualifications.

Certification Paths

1. Standard Path
Attend course: vSphere 4: Install, Configure, Manage
OR
Attend course: vSphere 4: Fast Track
Then take exam: VCP on vSphere 4

2. For Individuals already VCP on VI3
Attend course (optional): vSphere 4: What's New
Then take exam: VCP on vSphere 4

3. For Individuals already VCP on ESX 2.x
Take exam: VCP on VI3
Attend course (optional): vSphere 4: What's New
Take exam: VCP on vSphere 4

Course and Exam Availability
The courses and exam on vSphere 4 are now all available. For a full list of course dates and locations across the UK please visit the VMware training course page on the website.

Exam Format
The vSphere 4 exam consists of 75 multiple choice question which must be completed in 90 minutes and a score of 70 or more is required to pass. Some questions require multiple answers and questions are weighted meaning some score more points than others.

How do I book an exam?
The VCP exam can be booked online at: http://www.pearsonvue.com.vmware/ and can be taken at Pearson Vue testing centres.

Why Refresh PRINCE2?

2009-09-17T15:43:00.006Z

The UK's office of Government Commerce (or OGC), who are the owners of PRINCE2, recently carried out a thorough review of the methodology to ensure that it meets the needs of it's users.

The review consisted of a public consultation exercise which involved gathering feedback from organisations and individuals on the PRINCE2 method. The opinions gathered were considered by users, academics, trainers and consultants in order to provide strict guidelines on the objectives for the refresh.

What are the significant changes?
The principles and content do not differ greatly. The most significant change is that there will now be 2 books:

'Managing Successful Project Using PRINCE2'
'Directing Successful Projects Using PRINCE2' (new)

The new manual 'Directing Successful Project Using PRINCE2' is aimed at project board executives, project sponsors and board members. It will give them guidance on desicions such as: is the project on track and should it continue; has it finished and has it achieved everything it set out to. An additional qualification is now available for project board sponsors.

Changes to the PRINCE2 Examination Structure

The Foundation and Practitioner exams are based on the new 'Managing Successful Projects' manual and will not include material from the new 'Directing Successful Projects' manual. All qualifications gained with earlier versions will remain valid. Students with the Foundation qualification are not required to re-register. Practitioners are required to re-register every 3-5 years

The 2005 examinations will be discontinued in December 2009.

What courses are available in the new version?

For available courses please see our PRINCE2 course listing. TTS-UK provide the new PRINCE2 2009 Foundation and Practitioner courses at locations across the UK.

For further information on PRINCE2 and all our other courses then please visit http://www.tts-uk.com/

Can we live without email?

2009-09-01T16:14:00.003Z

Our recent office move has made me think: have we become too over reliant on email? Having been without email for 2 days during our office move last week, I've found myself asking just that question. How is it that we consider ourselves to be in a state of limbo without this 21st century form of communication, and do we really place too much importance on technology and in particular:

email
SMS
MMS
MSN etc. etc.

When I count the number of tools at my disposal that allow me to communicate electronically with customers, suppliers, colleagues and friends the list becomes mind blowing.

Having returned to over 100 emails in my inbox this morning I soon realised this state of panic to be completely unecessary. How many of those 100 emails were not spam or could not wait a couple of days for a response. Very few, I soon discovered.

How many of us actually send emails now when, a couple of years ago, we would have quite happily called or met with that person directly? Are we losing the art of face to face or even telephone communication?

Like it or not, email communication is here to stay. I for one certainly need to better manage the time I spend on emails and here are my tips for managing emails more successfully:

Try to check your email only once every 2-3 hours
Use email for sharing relevant information
Use email for setting meetings and agendas
Ask yourelf - do I really need to send this email or can I make a call instead?
Do not use email to communicate bad news, to give personal feedback or to give advice

Managing your email is about Time Management. It's a question of prioritising and developing a system to minimise time wasting.

For details of our Time Management and other personal development training courses then a visit to our site at http://www.tts-uk.com/ is certainly worthwhile.

For further information visit http://www.tts-uk.com/

Training Company Offers Ingenious Training Courses

2009-08-27T11:29:00.001Z

Training is one of the cornerstones of any business or individual employee’s development. Effective training can enhance an individual’s contribution to a company as well as enhance their job prospects. Unfortunately it is one area which is often neglected to the detriment of all parties. However, recently training has seen a resurgence due to the realisation of its cost effectiveness and aid in productivity. One of the leading providers of cost effective training courses including, prince2 training and excel training courses is www.tts-uk.com.

Total training solutions, whose website is www.tts-uk.com, are one of the leading providers of training courses in the UK. Providing public scheduled, one company, online or computer based training (CBT) courses, this company are one of the UK’s premier suppliers of training courses covering many aspects of working life.

The difficulty in finding a quality service provider can be overcome by ensuring the provider offers excellent service levels and a variety of well designed and comprehensive courses add to that the type and quality of their customer base gives an indication of the quality of courses and service levels provided. Www.tts-uk.com prides itself on the fact that its service levels are second to none and one overriding factor is the fact that they provide training courses for some of the largest well known names and brands within the UK, which alone is testament to the quality of courses provided.

Online courses have become an important aspect of training, with the flexibility it offers. The ability to access the course whilst anywhere or at anytime means that the course can be conducted at pace that suits the student. The same can be said for CBT training courses. All that is required is access to a computer, laptop or net book and the course can be studied at their own leisure.

The variety of courses available through www.tts-uk.com is unrivalled with courses to suit any requirement or budgets. From its impressive prince2 training, excel training courses, through to sage courses, the choice is outstanding.

For anyone looking for effective training courses from a provider of reputation beyond compare, then a visit to www.tts-uk.com is worth your while

For further information visit http://www.tts-uk.com

Are you providing good customer service?

2009-08-25T15:45:00.005Z

What happens if you are required by law to publish the number of complaints you receive?

That is exactly what has been proposed recently by the Financial Services Authority in response to the Government's White Paper on financial regulation.

If your company receives 500 or more complaints every 6 months you would be required to publish figures on:

exactly how many were received

how many were upheld

how many were closed

Results would then be published in a "league table" that allowed comparison with your competitors.

The first figures are due to be published in July 2010.

Complaints received from the end of this year will be included in the statistics. This gives companies only a few months to really improve their level of customer service.

So how can we all improve our customer service skills? Our customer service course is designed for any member of staff whether existing or new to handling, selling to or dealing with customers.

Some of the content includes:

How to project the right first impression

The importance of communication in customer service

Active listening & questioning techniques

Building rapport

How to use body language

Remember - like it or not, customers are the life blood of every organisation so take your approach to customer service seriously.

The customer is always right. Well, maybe not! But at least make them feel that way....

IT Home Learning Courses - Value for Money?

2009-08-04T15:53:00.008Z

We've all seen the adverts. Train for a better career in IT in your spare time and earn over £30K in your first year!

Several training providers out there use various platforms, including national TV advertising, to promote their wares and, on the surface, this all seems perfectly plausible. But are these training providers simply preying on the vulnerable, the low paid, the un-educated, the 'no idea what I want to do' members of our society?

Having considerable personal experience of this industry my own thoughts are that far too many students are taken on by these providers without any pre-course assessment or interview. In a lot of cases, the personal investment made by these students can be well over £5,ooo and, even more disturbing, is the fact that less than 20% of these people will actually complete a training programme!

You have to be encredibly disciplined to complete a self study training programme from home and most IT training programmes such as MCSE, CCNA or Web Design can take anything up to 3 years to complete. How many of us actually do have the motivation and structure in our lives to dedicate 10-15 hours each week to studying towards a new career over a 2 or 3 year period??

The harsh reality of it all is that these home learning providers are simply sales machines designed to put numbers on the bank balance rather than providing their students with a worthwhile and rewarding career in IT. The level of support and guidance given to students once they've parted with their money is quite frankly poor to say the least. One or two of the providers I'm very familiar with actually call their sales people 'Selection Executives' and claim to have a selection process in place - "We don't take everybody that applies..." Absolute nonsense!

It's time for the Government and varoius Watchdogs out there to get tough on these providers and put some real and measurable perfomance indicators in place. Do it now before thousands more students are mislead and mis-sold a career!

Welcome to our blog

2009-08-04T11:08:00.001Z

And welcome to the very first blog post from TTS.

We've just getting started with Blogger, and we'll be posting to our blog very soon so please check back with us!