FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

*We suggest you do a Ctrl+F so you can then search based on a keyword in your question or you can read through the following table of contents. The questions are grouped by category.

Course Specific Questions

How do I access my courses?

Your courses are located in your course dashboard. Log in using the email address you used to purchase the course. If you do not know your password, click on the “Lost your password” link.

How do I contact my instructor?

If you are enrolled in one of our courses that include instructor support, log into your course and see the “Getting Help” lesson.

What order should Linux Training Academy courses be taken in?

Here is the recommended order:

Linux in the Real World
Learn Linux in 5 Days
Learn Linux Administration
Vim Masterclass
Linux Shell Scripting
Docker
Linux Security

Which course should I take?

A list of all of our available courses and their descriptions are here: Course Catalog

The “Linux in the Real World” class is for people who want to get actual Information Technology experience.
After going through “Linux in the Real World,” you’ll be able to design solutions to solve big problems that senior Linux admins encounter in the course of their work. This class includes instructor support.
Click to view the course

The “Master Linux Shell Scripting” class is for those who want to simplify or automate the work they already do on Linux systems. By the end of this class, you’ll be able to easily write your own shell scripts to automate your work. This class includes instructor support.
Click to view the course

The “Learn Linux in 5 Days” course is for those new to Linux. It covers things like getting access to a Linux server (how to log in), installing Linux, basic commands, listing files, editing files, getting help, etc.
Click to view the course

The “Learn Linux Administration” course is for people who need to or want to manage or administer Linux servers. You’ll learn things like managing disks, controlling logging, managing users, configuring networking, and other system administration topics.
Click to view the course

The “Linux Security” course is for people who need or want to make sure their Linux systems are secure. It covers security concepts and guidelines that will keep your Linux servers safe, as well as walk you through hardening measures step-by-step.
Click to view the course

The “Shell Scripting” course is for those who want to automate repetitive and/or complex tasks from the command line using shell scripts.
Click to view the course

It’s hard for me to know for sure which one is right for you. Hopefully, I’ve given you enough information so you can decide.

Do you have plans for a course on “x” or “y” topic?

Thank you for your inquiry on new course ideas. We are compiling a list of different types of course requests. Please join our email list for new course announcements.

Do you offer discounts, coupons, or scholarships for your paid courses?

Unfortunately, we do not offer scholarships or discounts for our paid courses. For a list of our online courses and registration fees visit: Course Catalog

We do offer a variety of free resources, however. You’ll find several cheat sheets and tutorials on our blog.

We also have a YouTube channel with additional videos.

Does your course prepare me for “x” or “y” Linux Certification? Will I pass the test?

Currently, we do not offer classes that are designed to help you pass any particular certification exam. Some of our courses cover many topics that you will be required to know in order to be certified. However, before taking the exam to be sure to look at the requirements and study appropriately.

Here is a list of our available courses: Course Catalog

I am launching a new course platform. Will you upload your courses to my new platform?

No. We only work with a select few established partners in the industry.

Am I too old for the course or too old to get a job in IT?

There’ve been people from all different age groups take and benefit from our courses. If you’re open to learning, you’ll surely get something out of them.

As for IT careers, what matters most are your skills. However, if you are concerned about ageism, you can simply not list old jobs that would reveal your age and also don’t include any dates in the education section of your resume. Typically you won’t have to fill out a formal application until they’re ready to hire you, at which point they already want you so it doesn’t matter.

FAQ About the Linux in the Real World Course (Instructor Led)

Can you 100% guarantee that I’ll get a job after I complete the course? Do you have a jobs placement program?

We have had people who were beginners take the class and get a job soon afterward.

However, we cannot promise that will happen in your particular case. There are too many variables including the availability of jobs at companies you want to work for, where you want to work, for the salary you want, and other factors. Also, we have no control over your actions including how many jobs you apply to, how many interviews you take, etc.

The class will definitely level-up your Linux skills which is a huge part of finding a job.

How long is Linux in the Real World course?

You have lifetime access to the recorded videos and project instructions. As a way to motivate students to actually complete the course content, we offer 8 weeks of instructor support where you can get help via email, a discussion forum, and on the 4 scheduled bi-weekly live calls.

After the 8 weeks is over you still have access to all the course materials, but instructor access goes away.

By the way, most people spend 4-6 hours a week for 4 weeks to go through the main “Linux in the Real World” course material. There is additional “bonus” content also. That will take additional time to go through.

When you enroll in Linux in the Real World you get:

* 203 lessons — That’s 19 hours and 25 minutes of video content.
* 21 MP3 files — That’s 4 hours and 23 minutes of audio-only content.
* 21 PDFs — That’s 429 pages of PDF content.

I’ve already taken one of the bonus courses. Can I get a discount or substitute a different course?

When you register for “Linux in the Real World” you are automatically enrolled into the other bonus courses. Because this is being offered as a bundle we cannot make any substitutions or offer any discounts. If we did we would have to offer each student a unique set of courses and that is not possible at this time.

What are the requirements or prerequisites for this course?

The course requires you have access to a computer that is connected to the Internet. The computer needs a 64-bit processor and at least 4GB of RAM. You can use Windows, Mac, or Linux as your main operating system. In the course, you will be taught how to create an entire network of virtual machines on your existing computer.

As far as educational prerequisites, this class doesn’t require any previous Linux experience. Everything you need to know will be explained along the way and you’ll be given every single command to type. Also, when you enroll you get access to other supporting material that can help those new to Linux. For example, you have instant access to the “Learn Linux in 5 Days” video class and the “Linux for Beginners” PDF book in addition to the “Linux in the Real World” course material.

What Linux Distro or Linux Distribution is used in the course?

The Linux in the Real World course focuses on CentOS/RedHat since that is what is required by most employers. The specific version used in the course is CentOS 7.

What times during the day are the classes held for the Linux in the Real World Course? (What’s the daily schedule? What’s the call schedule? What’s the meeting schedule?)

We hold 4 live calls during the course. Those calls are at 7:00 PM Eastern Time every other Wednesday. See this link to determine what time that is for you.

Those 4 calls are to answer any additional questions people may have if they want to ask it live. It’s an optional part of the course. The calls are recorded and posted in the class.

All the lessons are pre-recorded and you can watch them at any time. When you have a question or need help, you can post in the class discussion forum and I or the teaching assistant will help you. (You don’t have to wait or come to one of the calls.)

When is the next class? (What is the LRW Schedule?)

We send an email to our newsletter subscribers when registration is open for our classes. Please join our email newsletter here to be notified when the next class is starting.

FAQ About the Shell Scripting Class

When is the next class?

We send an email to our newsletter subscribers when registration is open for our classes. Please join our email newsletter here to be notified when the next class is starting.

How is this different than video-only courses?

This is a class and that means there are some differences, including:

1. There are 4 live webinars/calls. This gives you a chance to have a live discussion with the instructor. Even if you don’t have a question, many people find it helpful to hear the questions of others as well as the instructors responses to those questions.

2. You have weekly assignments. This means you’ll submit your shell scripts and the instructor will review them and provide feedback. If you have a question or get stuck, you don’t have to wait for the live calls. You can immediately post your question in the class discussion forum and the instructor will help you.

3. Your final assignment in the class is to write a shell script of your choosing, be it something to help you at home or at work. You can get personal guidance from the instructor with this too. (It’s like free consulting.) Because everyone comes to the class wanting to do something different, this ensures you will accomplish what’s most important to YOU.

4. The structure of the class greatly increases the chance that you will do the work and learn the material in a short period of time. Many people enroll in video-only courses and never get around to actually watching them and never end up with the skill they wanted when then enrolled. This class solves that big problem. There are specific start and end dates with an instructor to help you with any issues.

What are the requirements or prerequisites for this course?

Here are the course requirements and prerequisites:

1 – A basic understanding of the Linux command line. You should already know a few simple commands like “ls” and “cd”. You don’t need advanced skills when you enroll, but if you’ve never worked at Linux command line, this class is not for you.

2 – The ability to download large files of about 500 MB from the Internet.

3 – Access to a computer with a 64-bit processor running either Windows, Mac, or Linux. (You do not need Linux already installed to take this class.)

General Inquiries

How do I unsubscribe from your email list?

Every email we send has an “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the email. Please click that message and you will be automatically removed from the list and will not be emailed again. You can also submit this form, and we’ll remove you from the list manually.

How did you get my email address?

You either downloaded one of our free resources or purchased one of our paid courses. We offer free resources and paid courses through many partner websites and sometimes our courses are bundled with other products. If you don’t recognize Linux Training Academy you most likely accessed one of our courses or resources from a partner site. If you wish to be removed from our email list, simply unsubscribe. We never buy or sell email addresses.

Technical and Career Questions

Can you give me career advice?

While we can’t provide you with personalized career counseling, we have written this article to help you with your career.

In addition to that article, we recommend this book for general career advice. For resume advice, see this.

Can you help me with my specific Linux problem?

If you are enrolled in one of our courses that include instructor support contact your instructor for help. Refer to the course for specific instructions on contacting your instructor.

Can you come to my company and train my staff?

No. We specialize in online training courses. Holding in-person classes takes us away from this focus, so we decline all requests in this area.

Do you provide training on “x” or “y” topic?

Refer to our Course Catalog.

Which Linux Distribution (Distro) Should I Use?

Here is our recommendation as to which Linux distro is right for you.