A discussion about education..

[Sennback]

I have been an enduser for many years, and am now an engineer working with Meridian and Succession every day.

I would like to say this to many on this site:
Take a course! Educate yourselfs!

Yes, it costs money, but not so much!
How much does it cost to spend days trying to find out how your meridian system works? I am sure it costs much more!
How much does system downtime cost your company?

The meridian/succession system has several hundreds of functions that could be used, that could be of help for your companies!

The phone systems are often a very vital function within the companies, it is as advanced as your computer systems and should be treated the same.

A couple of days to learn to program extensions is a good start. It could be held by Nortel, or a local vendor or why not visit someone here that has that experience!
You could learn so much, that from the same minute you have the experience could help you to make better solutions for the users of the phonesystem.

From the same minute, you will start to make more money for your company.

Yes, we sell education as well, but I am not talking as a vendor. I know how much use I had of the courses I took when I was an enduser.

So, now, go to your boss and say that you want to take a course. Its well spent money.

 

[hawks]

Just to add, you can even take some of the courses on CD now to help keep the expenses down. I agree sennback it's a small price to pay compared to stumbling around for a week or so just make a couple of changes to the phones. Just my two cents......

 

[Sennback]

Absolutely. And often are the computer systems seemd as more important. Wich they aren't.

Its time for the companies to fully integrate the telephone guys on the IT departments and treat them all the same.

With the right education its easy to start to make money by building safer and better solutions.

 

[RBeaudoin]

I agree with everything said. I am an end user and took my 200 course by CBT, but found that the X11 database course was great, also got my NNCFS for Symposium, has done wonders. I now use the forum for specific questions to problems you don't encounter everyday.
The reason telecom doesn't get the recognition in many companies is because it is so reliable. Once they work they are rock solid, unlike a client/server environment. But educating yourself will allow you to find new ways of doing things and ultimately help your organization progress. Get your courses.

 

[dezel]

This all sounds GREAT. OK where can I find CD course or class offerings

 

[sandyml]

Global Knowledge:

http://www.get.globalknowledge.com/norteltraining

 

[johnpoole]

or better yet call Bell South and pay for me to come over and crash your system. kidding aside golbal does great work. i've been to over 20 of there classes and they have good people and decent labs. seenbacks right, education is cheaper then stupid. even big shots realize that, after the system is down and your waiting on an outside vender to finish coffee and decide to swing by.. johnP

 

[MrPederman]

I do maint on an Option 81c 25.40b with Symposium,Call Pilot, Web client, CallPilot reporter etc. My company is going to send me to CallPilot school. Should I go to Admin or I&M. I lean toward I&M but some say if you are doing service after an install, You don't need all that I&M offers. What do you all think?

 

[NARSBARS]

Take a course. Great advice but a BCM CBT course can cost $2500.00. A one week school can cost $2500.00 plus hotel plus airfare, plus time off. The benefits of attending a schoool where you have no distractions and can trade "war stories" with peers is invaluable. When will the companies we are working for realize that training saves money and promotes efficiency. In my area a $2500.00 course is a very large part of most technicians salary.I am very grateful that I can come to this forum and perhaps help a little and be helped.