Computer & office
Files, Folders, Backups and Cloud Storage
Keep your work organised, find it fast and never lose it
Learning path
Python and data
From a first program to cleaning, summarising and querying data.
Overview
About this path
Working with data often uses three tools together: a programming language to automate, a spreadsheet to explore and present, and a database to store and query. Python, Excel and SQL are the common choices, and this path teaches them in that order.
The free Python science quiz project on this site is a good first build after the Python stage. Your centre gives the schedule for each course.
Your centre gives the schedule for each stage. This page does not quote durations or fees.
Stages
The stages, in order
Stage 1: Basic computer and the internet
Organising files, using the browser well and typing comfortably come before programming.
After this stage you can
- Organise files and folders and find them again
- Search the web and judge what you find
- Type quickly enough that the keyboard is not in the way
Course pageStudy book and practice test (student login)
Free ebooks for this stage
Computer & office
Keyboard Shortcuts Handbook
Work faster in Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and the web browser
Computer & office
Computer Fundamentals Study Book
The complete study notes, practice questions and glossary for Computer Fundamentals
Stage 2: Python programming
A first language with plain, readable code: input, decisions, loops, lists, dictionaries, functions and files.
After this stage you can
- Write programs that take input, calculate and print results
- Store data in lists, tuples, dictionaries and strings and break a problem into functions
- Read and write files, handle errors and debug a program step by step
Course pageStudy book and practice test (student login)Free project: Python science quiz game
Free ebooks for this stage
Programming
Flowcharts, Algorithms and Logic Building
Think like a programmer before you write any code
Programming
Data Structures Made Simple
Arrays, stacks, queues, linked lists, trees and graphs with everyday examples
Stage 3: Advanced Excel and data analysis
Exploring and presenting data: cleaning, lookups, pivot tables and charts that answer a question.
After this stage you can
- Clean a messy sheet and look values up across sheets
- Build a pivot table and a pivot chart from thousands of rows
- Choose and format a chart that answers a question, and build a simple dashboard
Course pageStudy book and practice test (student login)Percentage and marks calculator
Free ebooks for this stage
Computer & office
Excel Formulas Workbook
Sixty formulas and functions, each with a worked example from school, shop or office
Accounting
Excel for Accounts and Office Records
Cash book, stock register, invoices and reports in Excel
Stage 4: Web development, networking, databases and IT security (class 10 pass)
Storing and querying data properly: MySQL tables, SELECT, GROUP BY and JOIN, with the networking and security around a database.
After this stage you can
- Create MySQL tables and write SELECT, UPDATE, GROUP BY and JOIN queries
- Build responsive web pages with HTML5 and CSS3
- Keep accounts and data safe with strong passwords, two-factor authentication and backups
Course pageStudy book and practice test (student login)Career guide: software developer
Free ebooks for this stage
Programming
Databases and SQL Study Book
The complete study notes, practice questions and glossary for Databases and SQL
Programming
HTML and CSS Study Book
The complete study notes, practice questions and glossary for HTML and CSS
Next step
Ready to start?
Tell the head office where you are now and they will suggest the first stage and the nearest centre.