Frequently asked questions
Why pay for a course when I can find what I want in a book or on the Internet?
Like me, you may have a whole bookshelf of programming books, many with 1000+ pages,
but how many of them have you actually read?
It is common not to get beyond the first few pages. The detail can be overwhelming.
Having the book is not the same as having the knowledge or the understanding. Understanding takes time and effort.
With a course, an assignment deadline and a tutor behind you you are far more likely to suceed in learning.
To learn computing you have to do computing.
Too often reference books lack good exercises.
They often tell you what or how but not why.
At Xprodev the emphasis is always on why.
The Internet is an excellent reference resource, but the information is essentially unordered.
A course takes you through a carefully prepared progression of ideas to develop real understanding.
You do not waste time exploring irrelevant material.
Why should you choose Xprodev computing courses?
Our aims are to teach you the skills you need to produce real working
distributable software of commercial standard.
As an alternative, you could try a University course,
but too often such courses leave you dissatisfied, still not able to complete a real commercial application.
Most people need to learn new skills quickly, but to become a computing professional there is a lot to learn. Our courses are therefore very fast pace, giving you the level of skills required with a minimum of clutter. You can start when you want, and take 6 weeks to 6 months to complete a course. Our courses are modular and progressive. Each course is split into units, and the later courses in each track follow on from the basic courses.
Do I need prerequisite qualifications to become a student?
Most training providers would say no to this question, because they want to sell as many courses as possible. We think differently. Each of our courses has clearly stated pre-requisites, so that you do not waste time studying at the wrong level. In general you need the ability to study at University level to take our courses, and an aptitude for computing.
Are there any general requirements?
You must be aged over 18 to take our courses
Will employers recognise an Xprodev course certificate?
Employers usually value evidence that you have studied work-related skills. Since Xprodev certificates require submitting work showing evidence of understanding, they reflect learning and are not simply certificates of attendence. Therefore it is likely that they will be valued as evidence of ability.