could anyone recommend a trading platform for a first timer like myself??
I too suggest MT4. MT4 is the common and most widely used platform among the brokers. Almost 80% of brokers are offering this platform. Learning MT4 will be beneficial.
+1 for MT4 because if you are the beginner then it would be beneficial for you to read many tutorials/watch videos which are created based on MT4, there are no so many educational materials created based on other platforms.
For beginner like you MT4 is perfect, but you also can check the others platforms. It`s just to obatain a general information about the trading. Good Luck 
MT4 or NinjaTrader.
Metatrader 4 is a user friendly charting platform. You could also try MT5 but I can’t comment much about it since I have only used for a very limited time
Metatrader4 is quite simple and easy for those who do their first step in Forex. I personally passed from Metatrader to NetTradeX. This is an innovational trading-analytical platform with all sorts of orders or their combinations. Withdrawal request directly from the platform, various technical analysis tools available, regularly being added to the platform, a detailed trading account’s history, etc.