Should you want a future in network support then the Microsoft MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) course is the ideal one for you. Whether you want to get into IT or are experienced already but need to formalise your skills, a range of courses exist to fit either requirement. Each option requires a specific course, so pay attention that you’re on the right training programme when making a start. Identify a training provider that’s happy to take the time to get to know you, and what you’d like to do, and can give you enough information to make your choice.
At the top of your shopping list for a training program should be 24×7 round-the-clock support with professional mentors and instructors. Too many companies only provide office hours (or extended office hours) support. Beware of institutions who use call-centres ‘out-of-hours’ – with your call-back scheduled for office hours. This is no use if you’re stuck and need an answer now.
It’s possible to find professional companies which recommend and use direct-access support at all times – at any time of day or night. If you opt for less than 24×7 support, you’ll very quickly realise that you’ve made a mistake. You might not want to use the service during late nights, but what about weekends, late evenings or early mornings.
How long has it been since you considered how safe your job is? For most people, this issue only becomes a talking point when something goes wrong. However, the reality is that true job security has gone the way of the dodo, for all but the most lucky of us. Whereas a sector experiencing fast growth, where staff are in constant demand (because of a massive shortfall of trained workers), enables the possibility of lasting job security.
Using the computer sector for instance, a key e-Skills survey demonstrated a national skills shortage across the United Kingdom of around 26 percent. Put simply, we’re only able to fill three out of 4 positions in IT. Achieving full commercial computing qualification is accordingly a quick route to succeed in a long-lasting as well as rewarding occupation. While the market is evolving at such a quick pace, could there honestly be a better area of industry worth taking into account as a retraining vehicle.
Talk to any practiced advisor and they’ll entertain you with many awful tales of students who’ve been sold completely the wrong course for them. Only deal with someone who digs deep to find out what’s appropriate to you – not for their pay-packet! You need to find an ideal starting-point that fits you. If you’ve got a strong background, or sometimes a little real-world experience (possibly even some previous certification?) then it could be that your starting level will be different from a student that is completely new to the industry. Working through a foundation module first can be the best way to get up and running on your computer programme, but depends on your skill level.
Many trainers provide a shelf full of reference manuals. This can be very boring and not really conducive to achieving retention. Research into the way we learn shows that we remember much more when we involve as many senses as possible, and we get physically involved with the study process.
Find a course where you’re provided with an array of CD or DVD ROM’s – you’ll be learning from instructor videos and demo’s, and then have the opportunity to practice your skills in interactive lab’s. It makes sense to see some examples of the kind of training materials you’ll be using before you purchase a course. The minimum you should expect would be instructor demonstrations, video tutorials and a variety of audio-visual and interactive sections.
Seek out actual CD or DVD ROM’s whenever you can. Thus avoiding all the issues associated with broadband ‘downtime’ or slow-speeds.
Students often end up having issues because of one aspect of their training usually not even thought about: The breakdown of the course materials before being packaged off through the post. Training companies will normally offer a 2 or 3 year study programme, and courier the materials in pieces as you pass each exam. On the surface this seems reasonable – until you consider the following: How would they react if you didn’t complete each element within the time limits imposed? And maybe you’ll find their order of completion won’t fit you as well as an alternative path could be.
An ideal situation would be to have all the learning modules sent to you immediately; the entire package! This way, nothing can happen down the line which could affect your ability to finish.
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