MCSE In India 5

[ocean14]

I'm off to India shortly to do my MCSE via a boot camp. I've been working with a domain now for three years and it is time to make me official. Has anyone out there done the boot camp thing? and even better has anyone done the Indian thing or know much about it/ I am a liite concerned about the quality of training
regards
Michael

 

[StuBristol]

Good thread so far - so thanks for that.
My question is regarding Koenig again and C#.
Has anyone used the company for certification in C# please?
thanks
Stu

 

[Mainlad]

These courses are not very good at all.

1) Instructor talking in second language
2) 40 degrees temp (dodgy air-conditioning!)
3) Sitting on patio furniture
4) Resits may require moving of flights and additional accom
5) Constant power cuts

If you want a holiday go to Goa - failing that spend the money and do a professional training course.

 

[SimonDavies]

Have you done training with any of the companies mentioned? if so with whom and where did you do the training?

#1 Yes I can see your point, however I can show you a group of people from differing nationalities who speak a lot better English than most people, myself included. My girlfriend is Hungarian, she is often mistaken for a native English girl. I have spoken with Gates today and whilst she is Indian her English was perfectly easy to understand.

#2 Yes, the weather can be hot, but not all of India is that hot all of the time, just like not all ac is dodgy.

#3 The photos I have seen of the training rooms for Koenig haven't been on patio furniture.

#4 goes without saying, I am was already going to book an open return because of that risk.

#5 Every country has power issues, North America and Canada the other year. We are talking major cities here, not little hick towns in the middle of nowhere. India is fast becoming a major player in the International IT arena, why do you think that is?

These are professional training courses, each centre named so far are MS CTEC's. Each company has to follow MS's strict training procedure, in my mind that's professional.

What are your exact experiences with Indian training? Have you looked at the cost of training in the UK recently? for the courses I am looking at doing I am saving myself in the region of £10,000 and unless you are willing to pay that I am going to continue to look at training overseas.

 

[scottsinclair]

Hi All, I am surprised by some of the more negative comments in this forum.
So I would like to set the record straight. I have just got back from successfully completing a Koenig superfast track bootcamp in Goa (MCSE & Exchange 2003). I was out there for a month (all of January 2005). I believe it was the best choice I made. The ability to learn, get a qualification and a taste of India. I think it would have taken me at least 9 months to become qualified by self study. The course is significantly cheaper than UK and you get one to one training.

The trainer was very knowledgeable and his English was excellent. There was time for hands-on labs and a half a day to study before most exams. They do provide test kings but in the end they are not 100% and hopefully the reason you are there is to learn as well as pass the exams. The schedule is very gruelling, but once you settle into a routine time goes quickly. The labs are small with 4 computers, a white board and Fast internet connection but more than adequate for one to one training. The chairs where standard swivel and comfortable. There was a couple of power cuts but all computers where connected to UPS.

I stayed at the Hotel Delmon (basic but clean) for the first 2 weeks, the lack of sleep and city noise got me down (take ear plugs). There was also cockroaches and at lest one mouse in the dinning room, after complaining they closed it for fumigation. Koenig are now offering a hotel by the beach and I moved there for last 2 weeks . It is called Prainha (

http://www.prainha.com

) ask for a room with Beech view and it costs an extra $5 per day ( above Delmon) but worth it. The room are slightly more basic than Delmon but the beach and pool make up for it. Watch out for the mossies there.
Neither hotels provide a fridge in your room.
The only down side is there are only a couple of other restaurants nearby in Dona Paula. Go to Sea Pebble the food is excellent. So you will have to go into Panjim for more variety. (Only 100 rup taxi).
I had no problems with food poisoning while I was there stick to restaurant that have A/C they are slightly more expensive but probably cleaner kitchens.

Some other tips:
Try and do some site seeing on your days off (Sunday).
You will get fed up with curry for breakfast lunch and dinner. Fortunately Koenig do provide pizza as an option for lunch.
Take cereal bars, jam/mamalade or marmite for breakfast or even a box of cereal.
You can get prescription glasses made for under £40 in Panjim.
Good restaruants
Marriot hotel (five star) just out side Panjim does a fantastic buffet for 650 rup expensive by Goa standards but there is also western food there if your desperate (pepper steak and potatoes wedges).
Try Mums kitchen for seafood.
Nanadan Griound floor of Rajdhani Hotel, for their excellent vegetarian Thali.
Zen for Chinese/tai - 18 June rd near Bombay bazaar.
Delhi Durbar – Mahatma Gandi Rd
Take a travel kettle for your room.

Trips - I hired Francis the taxi driver who picked me up from airport on my days off for around 800 rup. His number is 9822169561. Go to Fort Aguada, Old Goa, Temples in Ponda, Anjuna market on Wednesday or Saturday night at Alpora near Anjuna has market stalls jazz music and food, DUDHSAGAR waterfalls, and Paradise sunset cruise, dolphin cruise, also visit Spice plantation. Unfortunately, I did not get down to South Goa but the other students did and said beaches where fantastic.
Well that about all I can think of.
Scott

 

[jkeogh]

I'm lookijng to go over any time in the next few months (if work will allow!)but as I will be going over on my own Im a bit concerned about things to do.
I'll be there for the best part of a month, and thats a long time with nothing but a MCSE book for company!

So is there anything to see & do whilst your there, do they offer/organise any excursions?
suppose I should ask something about the actual training, how much do the resits cost?

 

[SimonDavies]

Who are you going with? The reason I ask is that depending on who and what you're doing exactly depends on the amount of time off you will have.

I am going with Gates Training but doing mine on weekdays only from 10-6, what this means is that I have weekends free to do what I want. As far as things to do and see, all I can say is that my parents are going back there again for about the 5th or 6th time, they love the place and said there is so much to do.

Please let me know who you are going training with as I looked at a few people. I am actually flying out there in a months time now, flights booked last night, deposit paid and hotel being booked on Monday.

Good luck

 

[SimonDavies]

I have just over two weeks before I fly out for my courses to Mumbai. I pretty much have everything sorted and will try and post my thoughts whilst I am over there.

I have to say that leading upto my final decision between Koenig and Gates was hard but I have to admit that as there was a $3000 difference between Koenig and Gates I had to go for Gates.

I have spoken with people who have travelled to India to do this and so far I haven't heard any real regrets.

I am surprised that Mainlad didn't come back and give me his answers, perhaps because you haven't actually done the training over there? If given the choice of spending circa £16k or £5k I know which I would prefer to spend.

 

[bhavraj]

Thanks for all the info over here....I am also thinking of going to India for MCSE and CCNA, Are there any other organizations besides koenig or vibrant who conduct these courses? I am also looking to do a boot camp and have a holiday at the same time.

 

[Techyme]

Great to view this forum!
Am lookin for a MCSE+CCNA course in India.
Gatesbootcamp / Koenig I have shortlisted.
After having seen SimonDavies going with Gates for over 86 days, I am going to talk to Gates first.
Moreover they are in Bombay, where I want to visit my friends and relatives in this trip.
Need inputs from you guys!!

 

[SimonDavies]

Bhavraj,

Just to let you know that of the three main companies offering training over there Koenig and Gates got my attention more than Vibrant did. A further bit of information for you, Koenig are actually a franchise, they have a few different companies all working under the same hat, something I only found out recently.

I would look long and hard at what you want to achieve and where you want to achieve it. My aim really is to achieve certification, it happens to be a bonus that I am doing it in India. I know that were I able to get the training at the same cost in the UK that I am getting it for in India then I would have to think long and hard about where I would do the training. Whilst I am out in India for a long time I am in no way looking at this as a holiday, this is a training session, sure I will have sunshine and a pool for use first thing in the morning, but this won't be a time for partying.

Techyme,

As already mentioned I had shortlisted both companies but to be honest with you I am (at the moment at least) very happy having gone with Gates. I have now heard a couple of horror stories from guys who have recently gone to Goa with Koenig, their experiences were not exactly good.

I have to admit that I am going to India with my eyes open, something you guys maybe should be aware of is that some, if not all of the training books you will receive are locally published copies. Don't go over there expecting Cisco Press, Microsoft Press or Sybex original books because it won't happen. What you will get are copies, not upto the same publishing standard as you are maybe used to. The information is still the same, but the quality isn't.

I would also stress the importance of choosing the right hotel, it has to be conducive for studying, not noisy at all. I have it on good authority that the hotels in use in Delhi and Goa aren't exactly great for quiet study times. So be prepared to either change hotels at a slightly more expensive rate, or take ear plugs with you.

One other thing I will strongly advise you guys on is the flights. Choose your flights carefully, you want to go out there and arrive in good spirits, choose an airline that you feel happy flying with, not the cheapest flights.
I have heard horror stories about Air India that make animal haulage trucks seem like first class. So be warned that cheapest isn't the best. I would also think about flying direct rather than with a stop over, the last thing you want to do is spend 14 hours+ on a flight that should only take you say 9.

I have spent a lot of time investigating this, I have had to because this is my future. I am not prepared to waste 3 months of my time nor money on something that I was unsure of.

I have less than 2 weeks before I go now, I will definitely be giving feed back whilst I am there so for those considering it please stay tuned.

 

[edie209]

Well good luck Simon I will email you again before you go just been a little busy with work and Study and a little money issue which hopefully is to be resolved this week.

 

[SimonDavies]

Edie, thanks. I hope you get everything sorted.

 

[Techyme]

Thanks SimonDavies!
Gates seems to be COOL as has been talking to them.
Currently little undecided but would decide soon.
Bhavraj you should try calling Gates...
Good Luck to you SimonDavies!

 

[bhavraj]

Thank you for all the info. I am leaning towards Koenig in
Delhi as I have some family there. I looked at Gates website and they are charging much more than Koenig.

 

[AniceLady]

Hi SimonDavies

How are you? Hope you got safe back from India? I have read thru your forums comments and I am really interested to come to know how did you enjoy your stay in India . Please let me know !

Thanks a bunch
AniceLady

 

[SimonDavies]

AniceLady, I am actually still over here in India. I have to say overall that I am impressed with things as they are now. One thing I would say if you are going to come to India to study is make sure you know what you want to do.

Don't attempt to do too much in one go, for instance I had originally booked to do both my MCSE and CCNP, this training was supposed to happen over 2.5 months, now 1 month in I have to admit that it's just too much training to accomplish in one go.

If your primary reason is for a specific certification then concentrate on that certification only. One problem I had when I got over here was that I chose to use the Microsoft MOC (Official Curriculum) material, the MOC is good material but isn't aimed at passing the MCSE, instead the MOC is aimed at giving people the knowledge to use the product, in this case Server 2003. Since starting the training I have purchased the MS Press Books, which are a lot better and aimed at giving the information required for passing the exams.

I would also suggest enquiring about 1-1 training, the reason I say this is that in a classroom full of mixed experience you have to go at the slowest pace, you may go over material you already know and you can end up switching off. I have been fortunate that during my time here I have done courses on both 1-1 and 1-many and the courses with 1-1 have been the courses in which I have fared better on the exams.

I would also make sure that you choose a good hotel for your stay, you need to be in a place that offers you a good and quiet study environment, it's no good worrying about all of the noises and not concentrating on your studying.
Over all the food here is great, be careful about eating from street vendors (in other words don't) and make sure to only drink bottled water.

I would also choose a good long haul carrier, I chose BA and was very happy with the flight over but I know others who have chosen AI who didn't enjoy their experiences at all.

Finally make sure that you are ok with spending so much time away from loved ones, being away from a partner for so long is very difficult (or not if you want to get away ). I myself have found it very hard and I know my partner is feeling the same. It's lucky that I have a local mobile so that I can text her all of the time.

If you have any more questions then please don't hesitate to ask.

Simon

 

[qz01gs]

Simon

Did you pass all the certs you went over for? AM thinking of doing CCNP. Do they do Cisco courses on a 1 to 1 basis?

Thanks

Jonathan

 

[edie209]

Hi yes they do but really read all the advice above, it will make all the differance if you decide to go out.

 

[qz01gs]

Its a really good thread, am going to see how CCNA gies then I might to a bit of reading and go on the faster course. As I can really take 31 days of work.

 

[SimonDavies]

I would suggest if you do go for CCNP that you do go for the 1-1 training. As for going for the faster courses I think it would be a mistake, you can do the entire CCNP in the 31days you have.

It's a lot of hardwork and definitely read all of the comments here. Don't go over there expecting miracles, you have to put a lot of hard work into it, if you don't, don't expect to pass.