Michael benefits from flexible learning whilst in full-time employment
For most people, the definition of ‘getting it done’ is dealing with something quickly and efficiently. For us at Pitman Training, it’s ‘Michael Bui’. In between working a full-time job as an Apple Store Genius and becoming a father, Michael completed his Advanced IT Security Engineer Diploma at Pitman Training Reading… in just nine months.
After previous roles in sales for Apple and an insight marketing business manager for Game, Michael decided he wanted to take his career in a different direction. When he found out his family was expanding, Michael set his sights on a technical career in cybersecurity which he felt would offer better job security. However, finding a training provider that could fit around his current full-time job and caring for his new-born daughter was his first hurdle.
“My step-father recommended Pitman Training to me. I did some research and saw they were a training provider I could trust with a strong track record of student success. So, I was really pleased when I read the course list and identified one perfect for my preferred career path. I spoke to the team at Pitman’s centre in Reading and felt like it was a good fit for me. It wasn’t long before I was signed up for the IT security and engineering course that would give me the qualifications to work in cybersecurity.”
“Because my wife and I had just had our first child, it was important for me to keep working my full-time job to support my family. When I spoke to the team at Pitman Reading, my mind was put at ease straight away. Andre, their director, made it clear that I would be able to do the diploma at my own pace and that I could either study in the centre or at home. This flexibility was exactly what I needed.”
As well as Pitman’s flexibility on where you choose to work through your course, or how fast you wish to complete it, students also receive help from a learning coach. The learning coach’s job is to provide you with extra help if you need it. It doesn’t matter if you choose to learn inside the centre or from the comfort of your home, your learning coach will be on hand to help you whenever you need it.
“Because the course was laid out to me in a really simple and manageable way, I didn’t feel I really needed to use the learning coach much. I must say though, the Pitman team were superb. The diploma was gruelling at times, but they were always super responsive whenever I did need them. My diploma was made up of a few shorter courses, so whenever I needed to activate a new course the team were on hand to help me do that. Nothing was too much trouble for them which really helped me to get on with the course at my own pace.”
“The diploma proves my qualification to be able to switch careers in the near future. Until then, there’s plenty I learnt from my diploma that are helping me now in my job at the Apple Store. As you can imagine, having a job where you are labelled a ‘genius’ means a lot of tech-savvy customers ask you tricky questions. Because of my personal and professional development with Pitman, I’m more confident to answer certain questions now and can definitely hold my own when talking to anyone about IT. Also, I can now more easily translate security knowledge into layman’s terms for customers.”
At Pitman Training, we use the highest-quality technology to provide our students with the education they deserve. We are hands-on in supporting your learning and pushing you towards getting the diploma you want. If you’re interested in developing yourself personally or professionally in a supportive and flexible learning environment, get in contact with your local training centre.
