21 January 2010

Free Computer Courses?

| ThatGuy
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I heard my friend speak something that I almost thought was jibberish the other day. She said ‘I don’t know how to use a computer’. I almost fell over.

This all came about because I am attempting to get her out of a rutt with her employment. Yet there seems to be a fairly large catch 22 with this:

Can’t use a computer –> misses out on good job opportunities –> can’t get a job with a decent salary –> doesn’t have the salary to be able to afford a computer course = can’t use a computer.

I know for a while that there was a free seniors computing course being held in Belconnen. Does anyone know of any free or cheap basic computer courses provided around Canberra? I haven’t been able to find anything through the normal mediums.

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troll-sniffer6:35 pm 23 Jan 10

Well now why didn’t you say she’s a looker? Geez man, I just remembered where I had seen a free computer course available, one on one, no fees for the first 100 lessons, personalised service, might even offer pick-up and drop-off service as well.

LOL

Plus she’s a looker so instead of sitting at home tinkering away, like the rest of us, she’s been out partying.

like, plain old ugly people like the rest of us are condemned to the tundras of loneliness while only the beautiful get to play? i find that statement offensive.

I ment buy computers there.

I didn’t think Charity Computers were good at all, and don’t but computers there, I bought one for my dauthter, she said it was hopless, and wouldn’t perform, also they put themselves on my computer as administrator, so therefore someone there could access my computer, which they did and had porn on it.

Haha got to love the fact that I did the exact same search and completely missed the PCUG website. I wouldn’t call that lack of computer skills, I’d call that lack of attention to detail.

I’ll admit that Swaggie almost hit the nail on the head with the description of said person.

She quit school after year 10 and has been basically working bars and after school care ever since. So there is never a need for her to tinker with a computer. Plus she’s a looker so instead of sitting at home tinkering away, like the rest of us, she’s been out partying.

Thanks for all the info guys, her first task is going to be to navigate her way to this post. Let’s see if she passes.

sloppery said :

el said :

It’s entirely possible for anyone over the age of 30 to have not had access to computers in school.

Possible, but unlikely. I’m in my mid 30’s, and went to a fairly crappy country NSW school, and they had computers even when I started in the late 80’s. And even if I hadn’t touched computers at school, surely I would have had some access between then and now?

Very possible, I can’t say how likely or unlikely it is though.

Late 20’s here, very limited access to computers at school, and most of the computer curriculum that was taught is long since completely irrelevant (the Apple ][e isn’t really a driving force on the corporate desktop now, is it?). All Canberra schooling.

It’s also possible that this person left school and found work that didn’t involve using computers. I’d been in the workforce for almost 10 years before I had to touch a computer even occasionally for work purposes.

Thankfully I had enough access to computers (as well as an interest in them) at home to teach myself – I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for those with no computer skills these days.

Hopefully the OP can find help for their friend to get them skilled up and employable.

el said :

astrojax said :

sloppery said :

I’m sure there’s more to the story, but isn’t this something you learn in school (if not before)?

didn’t have such new fangled things like computers when i was in school – mebbe this is an older job-seeker…

It’s entirely possible for anyone over the age of 30 to have not had access to computers in school.

Possible, but unlikely. I’m in my mid 30’s, and went to a fairly crappy country NSW school, and they had computers even when I started in the late 80’s. And even if I hadn’t touched computers at school, surely I would have had some access between then and now?

Charity Computers and Belconnen Community Centre (near the library) both offer computer courses. Both have excellent reputations, but BCC might be better given your friend’s COMPLETE ignorance. BCC is definitely free, too. Not sure about Charity.

Charity computers will also sell your friend a very cheap refurbished computer if she doesn; have one yet.

The Tuggers course sounds like it’s worth investigating.

neanderthalsis9:13 am 22 Jan 10

Depending on age, hours worked and whether their registered as a job seeker (you can be employed and be registered as a job seeker)she may be elligible to do a course funded under the Productivity Places Program. Contact centrelink or a JSA provider and discuss options.

I think some of the respondents here are just unhelpful; it’s a pretty simple query…

I did computer studies as an elective when I was at school, but none of what I learned then is of any use now, anyway. And I’ve never known of a puter course that was any good… this sort of thing can’t be learned; it must be discovered. Whenever my mum asks me a question about using her puter, my standard response is “did you click on everything?”. I tend to find that the only generational difference in computer usage is that the older peeps don’t tend to open as many menus or click on as many options, possibly for fear they will make a mistake.

I’d be getting your friend to sit at a puter and click on everything until she knows what everything does. Just make sure you also tell her how to reboot if everything goes pear-shaped. Best puter curriculum around.

Failing that, I would also suggest she join Tuggeranong Arts Centre’s Digital Storytelling class. While puter classes can be dull, a workshop like this would put a very real purpose to using the machine, which would hold the interest, and all the puter use training she’d need is a 5 minute tutorial on pointing and clicking. Plus there’d be someone around who could help if need be.

I hope things work out for your friend.

Try Mission Australia at Belconnen

If she’s unemployed then Centreline will pay for it

yawn @ hellspice.

icepoet – i was going to say the same. i thought centrelink had all sorts of courses they actually made people do to get them skilled up and gainfully employed (i learnt this because of someone i knew who chose to be unemployed for a while).

astrojax said :

sloppery said :

I’m sure there’s more to the story, but isn’t this something you learn in school (if not before)?

didn’t have such new fangled things like computers when i was in school – mebbe this is an older job-seeker…

It’s entirely possible for anyone over the age of 30 to have not had access to computers in school.

sloppery said :

I’m sure there’s more to the story, but isn’t this something you learn in school (if not before)?

didn’t have such new fangled things like computers when i was in school – mebbe this is an older job-seeker…

johnny_the_knife3:48 pm 21 Jan 10

There is a lot of nationally accredited (eg Cert II, III, IV) government funded training available for people who receive an unemployment benifit. This means the training is very cheap or free. The best bet would be to contact a registered training organisation (RTO).

I can reccomend Mantra Training and Development in Gunaghlin (www.mantratraining.com.au).

hellspice said :

you might want to look at jobs in the public service, apparently the less computer skills you have the more likley your going to end up in a position that needs them, when said position dosnt work out you will get promoted. Sorry had to say it 🙂

Lack of computer skills only cuts it in the public service if you’re a Senior Executive.

I’m sure that Centrelink actually have provisions for people on benefits to apply for a small amount of money to use for further training. I would suggest giving them a call or making an appointment to ask about what she is entitled to and I’m sure she’d be able to make a good case for some funding to do one of the CIT courses.

I haven’t looked at them for a while but I know CIT do ‘take home’ courses in computing where you are given all the materials and only attend the CIT to take the exams, but the suitability of that would depend on your friends confidence and level of basic computer skills (ie. does he/she know how to turn it on and how to open programs).

Ah…a product of the Nanny generation…..do everything for me, nothing’s my fault, everyone owes me a living etc etc. Tell her to get off her fat arse and get a text book on whatever course she wants from the library or heaven forbid buy one from a bookshop!

Define “cheap”? Tried CIT ACE? Basic PC course is $195 for 15 hours of tuition.

Otherwise perhaps she needs to approach Centrelink and ask to be put on some training.

Don’t know if that’s how it works these days, but many moons ago I got stuck on some god awful “retail sales person” training course for a week by the then DSS. I hated every second of it, but by the end of the week I had a job offer via a reference from the trainer. I was in that job for the next 4 years and it basically kick started my career.

There are normally fairly decent computing for beginners courses run by the adult education providers at most ACT Colleges. Otherwise both CIT and ANU offer similar adult education courses, which I think may be a bit more expensive.

you might want to look at jobs in the public service, apparently the less computer skills you have the more likley your going to end up in a position that needs them, when said position dosnt work out you will get promoted. Sorry had to say it 🙂

If I remember correctly the CIT ACE courses are fairly cheap if you can’t find any free ones.
Alternatively ask in the resource centre on the ground floor of the griffin centre they might know of some.

troll-sniffer1:34 pm 21 Jan 10

A three second google search threw up http://www.pcug.org.au.

No doubt a slightly longer search would throw up even more clues.

Perhaps the both of you need some form of computer education.

I’m sure there’s more to the story, but isn’t this something you learn in school (if not before)?

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