Reece Geld

I have been training with Firebrand for nearly three years now over the period of my two apprenticeships. I started with entry-level courses such as the Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) series when I did my level three apprenticeship and have now moved onto more advanced ones on my level 4 such as the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Security and Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) Sever 2016.

I would not have been able to attend so many courses if it was not for the apprentice scheme that Firebrand implement so well. This means I have been on a huge variety of courses and have had many instructors so I can say that Firebrand provides consistent high quality. I work as 1st line support on the IT helpdesk and have been in this position since I started the apprenticeship, then training I have had goes hand in hand with the work I do on a daily basis. For example, I spend a lot of time working with networks. When I was new to the world of IT trying to understand a lot of concepts were difficult but when I came to Firebrand and was shown the theory I could then apply what I had learned at work and solidify this knowledge.

The most recent course I have attended is the CCNA Security course which was done over a period of 4 days. We learned a lot of concepts I already understood but the course went into so much more depth. It was a challenging exam and I am already looking forward to my next course at Firebrand! While I am on the apprenticeship I also have to complete projects to support my technical competencies which also works well into my job as it allows me to interact with other departments of my company I wouldn't otherwise do to collaborate and work together to fulfil the criteria needed to pass. This also means I get even more real-world experience outside the scope of what I normally do. My goal is to finish my apprenticeship and with my knowledge and qualifications I have gained from Firebrand and the experience of on the job work throughout, become a 2nd line member of the helpdesk and possibly then potentially specialise in either networking or security. I cannot recommend Firebrand highly enough.

From the perspective of an apprentice, it is a no brainer, I get the opportunity to attend these courses, use them in my job and get paid. The environment at Firebrand is fantastic for anyone as you stay for the duration of the course, you can dedicate all the time you are here to study with no distractions with 24-hour access to the rooms and course material. Apprenticeships are great for an employer as Firebrand do a lot of the leg work to get candidates that are willing to put in the time to learn and happy to find out more in the world of IT. It isn't just for desktop support.