Student Q&A: Brandon Potter

Editor's note: Brandon successfully completed his studies with Upskilled in August 2020.

Please note: Upskilled no longer offers the course in Infomation, Digital Media and Technology but the equivalent qualification, ICT30120 - Certificate III in Information Technology is now available for study. To express your interest, contact our team on 1300 009 924.  

Brandon Potter is currently studying the Information, Digital Media and Technology qualification with Upskilled. Currently working as an IT Technician at a school, he has had to quickly adapt to the changes brought by COVID-19, helping staff members transition from face-to-face classes to online learning.

Brandon had a strong interest in IT since a young age but took a different career direction and dabbled into cabinet making for five years. After working in the industrial sector for quite some time, he quickly realised that he wanted a career that offered more stability and work opportunities so pursuing the IT career path was a no-brainer.

In this Q&A, Brandon shares more about what aspects of the course he has enjoyed so far, the benefits of online studying and how his trainer has supported him throughout the course.  

Why did you decide to studyInformation, Digital Media and Technology?

 I felt like I was falling behind in IT and needed a boost in my job. In addition to this, I also felt that the “golden paper” would help me further in my job or find a new role if needed. The best thing about studying online is I don’t have to travel anywhere to do the course. 

What are you currently doing for work? Are you finding that the course is helping you boost your knowledge and skills for your role?

I work as an IT technician at a school and work in many areas such as servers, phones, printers and the security side. I repair and update all the equipment used on a day-to-day and help set up any IT requirements.

So far, the course has helped me boost my knowledge and gain some essential skills about the technology that is being used, pushing me outside of my comfort zone so I can expand my knowledge in the IT world. Normally I’d feel hesitant because I’m not used to new tasks in fear of messing them up but my trainer has been there to point me in the right direction.

You previously studied cabinet making but made the switch to IT. How did this come about?

I studied IT all my life until Year 12. However, in the same year I did industrial skills and received the dux award for it. I decided to follow this career pathway and get more of a hands-on approach to work and took up cabinet making for 5 years and became a qualified cabinet maker. 

Unfortunately, I needed a job that was decent pay and allowed me to move around with no fear of job loss and in IT, how could you go wrong? So, I applied for IT jobs and was accepted in roles where I could either work in an office or school. I decided to go ahead with the school job as an IT Tech.

What aspects of the course have you enjoyed so far?

 I have studied other online courses and they failed to keep me going with the non-interaction in the teaching and support, so I thought I would give Upskilled a go as my last resort and they have impressed me majorly. Their website is so easy to use and the trainers follow up and you can ask any questions, and they help you in a manner where they make you think about your answers instead. 

Tell us more about how your trainer is currently supporting you with your studies. 

My trainer, Richard Mills, has helped me even through the hard times of me going crazy and asking a million questions. He still replies on the day I send them and his assistance has helped me realise where I went wrong in an assessment. 

Even through the hard times of COVID-19, he helped me when I was all over the place at work, trying to handle everyone being online. He was patient and willing to help me when I couldn’t hand in assessments for a week. Even when the site was down, he was already working on it and getting it up and running for me to do the next test.

What do you think are the benefits of studying online?

 I think at this stage, online [studying] is essential because not many people can travel around and get to their assessments and the materials needed. I found it really convenient to login since everything I needed was there. 

I could even check my marks for the assessments and see where I needed to improve. The grading system is wonderful as it tells you what score is needed to complete it. The best part is I can be at work or in a café and still carry on with my course. 

What do you hope to achieve once you finally complete the course? 

I hope to achieve more of an understanding of some computer terms and how it runs in a business. All my life, I’ve been working on computers at home so getting an understanding of how it works in an office is essential. 

Throughout the course, I’ve definitely got a better understanding of how computers and servers are implemented. The information provided is amazing and will expand your knowledge for sure. 

Grow your skills in IT with Upskilled 

 If you're like Brandon and want to expand your skills to help you provide better IT support within the workplace, consider studying the certificate-level in information technology with Upskilled. Get in touch with our team on 1300 009 924 and enquire about this course today!