Entrepreneur Andrew Saunders has improved his career prospects by learning how to become a web developer from scratch thanks to Bath College.
The 34-year-old graphic designer said he ‘reinvented himself’ by enrolling on a part-time web programming course at City of Bath College.
Returning to education after 12 years has opened up a world of opportunity to him in today’s ever-evolving technological world.
He is now recommending the ‘Programming for the Web – Introduction to HTML’ course to others.
Andrew has a background in graphic design and took voluntary redundancy after 10 years at Future Publishing.
He said: “You could say I’ve reinvented myself as the job opportunities are now vast.
“I have learnt more about web programming than I could ever have imagined and I now have this thirst for knowledge.
“The course has been a real eye-opener for me. It’s been a great opportunity for self-improvement.”
Less than three months into learning web design, Andrew has already created two websites to promote his design and wedding photography businesses. Andrew is also hoping to share his skills on a freelance basis by helping other companies to build their own websites.
Andrew said: “I wanted to learn web formatting and Bath College was the first place I looked.
“I could use the software but in terms of the workings of websites, I was technically challenged.
“I thought website design was totally beyond me, I had no knowledge whatsoever, but I have learnt so much in such a short period of time.”
The Love2learn web programming course starts on January 14th and runs on Tuesday evenings from 6pm to 8pm.
The course covers the fundamentals of web pages and website design, such as file management, site structure, browser compatibility and domain names. The aim is to introduce students to a range of applications to allow them to upload websites and edit pages.
The five-week introduction course can mark the start of a two-year programme of study that can lead to developing complex interactive websites and/or mobile web applications.
Andrew added: “I’d recommend the course to anyone looking to seize new opportunities.
“The course is really good and you can work at your own pace.”
IT Lecturer Steve Harries said the course would enable learners to get a head start in web development.
He said: “The Love2learn web programming course is unique in the adult learning sector as it gives 19+ learners the opportunity to develop industry standard high-level skills.
“This course has amazing opportunities as learners can immediately apply what they have learnt to their own projects, including developing employment and freelance website designs.
“Once you have web programming under your belt, there are so many avenues open to you.”
The College’s first web programming course was over-subscribed so early enrolment is advised to avid disappointment. Learners don’t need to have any prior experience, just a good knowledge of computer file management and a desire to produce a website.
For further information on web programming, please contact City of Bath College’s Student Advice Centre on 01225 312191 ext. 715/716 or email [email protected].