General Computer Question 19

General Computer Question 19: How can I improve my  computer skills?

Answer:   If you intend to find work in the computer field itself, or if you plan to go into any of the large number of other fields that use computers, it is likely that you will need some kind of specialized computer training. There are a wide variety of resources available for those who do not want to become a computer professional, but who do want to gain some computer skills. They provide skills that will allow you to enter the job market for the first time or improve your chances for promotion in a job that you already have.

A number of universities now offer an introductory computer course that must be taken by all students. These courses are designed to introduce students to basic computing concepts, such as those presented in this text. In addition, these courses often provide hands-on tryouts of the most popular computer

applications. By providing the student with experience using basic software applications, such as word processing, database management, graphics, communications, and spreadsheet programs, these courses introduce some of the many advantages of getting work done through the use of a computer.

Another educational resource for computer training is the variety of workshops and seminars offered by companies that specialize in this type of training. These courses often cover one computing topic intensively for one or two days. Sometimes seminars are offered as part of the program at computer conferences that are put together by a professional group. These seminars are usually related to the main focus of the conference. Attendees can pay a fee to attend the conference and then select from the list of training sessions according to their own needs or interests. Companies are frequently willing to pay for employees to attend these workshops and seminars when the training provides the employee with new computing skills.

Alternatively, companies sometimes hire outside consultants to come into the company to conduct computer training with employees. This kind of training is particularly valuable if a company has standardized on a particular application program and wants to bring all of its employees up to speed right away.

Also there are now a number of companies who are producing video tapes and computer-based tutorials that cover everything from general computer literacy to very specialized subjects such as how to use one particular application program. Since these training programs include visual components as part of the training process, they can be very helpful for supplementing written training material. Some manufacturers of hardware and software products have produced videos and computer-based tutorials for their own products. Others are produced by companies in the business of selling training materials.