Our training facilities and approach
We have brought together some key details about how we do what we do.
How the training is delivered
Our courses typically run for three to five days. There’s a lot to cover, so training days are full days, usually starting at 9am and finishing at 5pm, with at least two breaks throughout the day. During the day we have at least two breaks. Courses need a minimum of 6 students and will never have more than 16.
Some courses include an optional assessment, while others are focused entirely on practical learning. You’ll see each course clearly marked as Assessed or Not assessed on its course page. Everyone who attends a full course receives an attendance certificate.
The classroom is well appointed, has good WiFi and hot and cold drinks, its spacious, comfortable, has plenty of power sockets, lots of natural light, and is wheelchair friendly. Courses are delivered in English and digital versions of slides and handouts will be provided where appropriate.
Lunch and morning and afternoon snacks are provided so please make sure you let us know about any dietary needs at least a week before we get started. With the exception of the social night, all other meals are for you to organise. We suggest getting a hotel that provides breakfast, and there are many good restaurants in Manchester for your evening meals. We will try and facilitate additional social arrangements, but, this is down to the individuals present.
If you are still left with questions, you should get in touch and say hello.
Hands-on by design
Our training is built around practical, hands-on learning. You’ll work with realistic targets, tools, captures and scenarios designed to reflect the problems you’ll encounter outside the classroom. We teach the underlying concepts, but the emphasis is on applying them: investigating, experimenting, troubleshooting and understanding why something works rather than simply following a set of instructions.
Venue, Travel, and Accommodation
There are a number of good and affordable hotels in the Manchester area. We are based in an area called Media City and we are in the same complex as the northern head quarters of the BBC. This means that there are lots of facilities locally and you could choose to not venture into the city centre. If you do choose to look further around there are good tram links that can take you into the city as well as to key travel hubs such as Piccadilly, the national railway station, and Manchester International Airport.
Please check the weather before you travel and bring suitable clothes for the season. If in doubt, assume you will need a waterproof coat and an umbrella. The locals will tell you that Manchester is one of the rainiest places in the world, its not actually true but it does drizzle more than you might expect, even in summer.
Community, Support, and Accessibility
To help everyone keep in touch during the courses we provide a Slack workspace. This is good for coordinating social time as well as sharing notes and ideas about the course topics. We try to also arrange a social night during the course. Don’t worry about either the social night or the social media: first of all you don’t have to join in if this isn’t your thing, but also, this isn’t about any form of “professional networking” its just a bunch of people hanging out after learning some awesome stuff.
Finally, we are a neurodiversity affirming organisation. If you have any needs to help you learn and get the most out of the course, please get in touch. We may not be able to cope with all requests, but, we will do what we can.