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There are a total of 4 specialist training sectors in the A+ syllabus, of which you’ll need certification in two subjects to be considered A+ qualified. We would advise however that only studying two of the four specialities is likely to leave your knowledge base somewhat light. Choose a course with all 4 subjects - employers will notice the difference.

As well as being taught how to build PC’s and fix them, trainees involved in this training will have instruction on how to work in antistatic conditions, along with remote access, fault finding and diagnostics. If your ambition is taking care of computer networks, add the very comprehensive Network+ to the CompTIA A+ training you’re doing. Taking this course as well will prepare you to apply for more interesting jobs. Other ones that might be interesting to you are the Microsoft networking qualifications (MCP, MCSA and MCSE).

As the UK computing industry offers some superb job possibilities for everyone - what are the questions we should be asking and which aspects carry the most importance?

A so-called advisor who doesn’t ask many questions - the likelihood is they’re really a salesperson. If they’re pushing towards a particular product before understanding your background and current experience level, then it’s very likely to be the case. Where you have a strong background, or sometimes a little work-based experience (possibly even some previous certification?) then it’s likely your starting level will be different from someone who is just starting out. If you’re a student commencing IT study anew, it can be helpful to ease in gradually, beginning with user-skills and software training first. This is often offered with most training programs.

Any program that you’re going to undertake must provide a widely recognised accreditation as an end-result - not some little ‘in-house’ piece of paper. The main industry leaders like Microsoft, CompTIA, Cisco or Adobe all have internationally approved proficiency programmes. Major-league companies like these will make sure you’re employable.

If you forget everything else - then just remember this: You have to get round-the-clock 24×7 instructor support. We can tell you that you’ll strongly regret it if you don’t follow this rule rigidly. Find a good quality service where you can access help at any time of the day or night (no matter if it’s in the middle of the night on a weekend!) You want access directly to professional tutors, and not access to a call-in service which takes messages - so you’re parked in a queue of others waiting to be called back when it’s convenient for them.

If you look properly, you’ll find professional training packages who offer direct-access online support at all times - including evenings, nights and weekends. If you opt for less than online 24×7 support, you’ll regret it very quickly. You may avoid using the support late in the night, but consider weekends, early mornings or even late evenings at some point.

Those that are drawn to this type of work are usually quite practically-minded, and aren’t really suited to the classroom environment, and endless reading of dry academic textbooks. If you’re thinking this sounds like you, use multimedia, interactive learning, with on-screen demonstrations and labs. Where possible, if we can get all of our senses involved in our learning, then we normally see dramatically better results.

Courses are now available in the form of CD and DVD ROM’s, where your computer becomes the centre of your learning. Using video-streaming, you will be able to see the instructor presenting exactly how to do something, and then practice yourself - in an interactive lab. All companies must be pushed to demo some simple examples of the type of training materials they provide. Expect video tutorials, instructor led classes and interactive areas to practice in.

Plump for physical media such as CD or DVD ROM’s if possible. You can then avoid all the difficulties of the variability of broadband quality and service.

Exam ‘guarantees’ are sometimes offered as part of a training package - this always means exams have to be paid for upfront, when you pay for the rest of your course. Before you jump at guaranteed exams, be aware of the facts:

Clearly it isn’t free - you’re still being charged for it - the price has simply been included in the whole thing. For those who want to get a first time pass, then you should pay for each exam as you go, prioritise it appropriately and give the task sufficient application.

Find the best exam deal or offer available when you take the exam, and keep hold of your own money. You’ll then be able to select where you sit the exam - meaning you can choose a local testing centre. Considerable numbers of unscrupulous training colleges secure a great deal of profit by getting in the money for all the exam fees up-front and hoping either that you won’t take them, or it will be a long time before you do. Remember, with most ‘Exam Guarantees’ - they control when and how often you are allowed to have another go. You will have to demonstrate an excellent pass-rate before they’ll approve a re-take.

Average exam fees were about 112 pounds last year via local VUE or Pro-metric centres throughout the country. So what’s the point of paying maybe a thousand pounds extra for ‘Exam Guarantees’, when it’s obvious that the best guarantee is a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools.

Now, why is it better to gain commercial certification as opposed to the usual academic qualifications taught at the state educational establishments? Key company training (to use industry-speak) is far more specialised and product-specific. Industry has become aware that this level of specialised understanding is what’s needed to cope with a technically advancing commercial environment. Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA are the big boys in this field. Essentially, the learning just focuses on what’s actually required. It’s not quite as straightforward as that, but principally the objective has to be to concentrate on the fundamentally important skill-sets (with some necessary background) - without going into too much detail in everything else (as academia often does).

The crux of the matter is this: Authorised IT qualifications give employers exactly what they’re looking for - the title says it all: as an example - I am a ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ in ‘Planning and Maintaining a Windows 2003 Infrastructure’. Therefore companies can identify just what their needs are and what certifications are required to fulfil that.

We’d all like to believe that our careers will remain safe and our work prospects are protected, but the growing reality for most sectors around England today is that security just isn’t there anymore. In times of rising skills shortfalls mixed with high demand areas however, we can reveal a newer brand of market-security; driven forward by conditions of continuous growth, companies struggle to find the staff required.

The most recent United Kingdom e-Skills investigation brought to light that 26 percent of computing and IT jobs remain unfilled as an upshot of a lack of trained staff. This shows that for every 4 jobs that are available across IT, we’ve only got three properly trained pro’s to fill that need. This fundamental notion clearly demonstrates an urgent requirement for more appropriately certified computing professionals throughout the country. Because the IT sector is expanding at the speed it is, could there honestly be a better area of industry worth investigating for retraining.

For those interested in joining a web design team, Adobe Dreamweaver training is a fundamental criteria for attaining relevant qualifications that are globally recognised. The entire Adobe Web Creative Suite ought also to be understood in its entirety. This will mean you have knowledge of Action Script and Flash, amongst others, and could lead on to the Adobe Certified Expert or Adobe Certified Professional (ACE or ACP) accreditation.

The construction of a website is only the beginning of what’s needed - in order to maintain content, create traffic, and work with dynamic database-driven sites, you’ll be required to have other programming skills, for example PHP, HTML, and MySQL. In addition, you should gain a practical knowledge of E-Commerce and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

Huge changes are washing over technology over the next few decades - and it only gets more exciting every day. There are people who believe that the technological advancement we’ve had over recent years is cooling down. All indicators point in the opposite direction. We have yet to experience incredible advances, and the internet in particular is going to dominate how we conduct our lives.

Wages in the IT sector aren’t to be ignored also - the income on average in Great Britain for an average IT worker is noticeably more than remuneration packages in other sectors. Odds are you’ll make a whole lot more than you would in most other jobs. The need for appropriately qualified IT professionals is assured for many years to come, due to the ongoing expansion in the technology industry and the massive skills gap that we still have.

It’s indisputable, the UK computer sector shows outstanding potential. However, to arm ourselves with the correct information, what sort of questions should we ask, and what are the most important factors?

Remember: a training itself or a certification is not what you’re looking for; the career you’re training for is. Far too many training organisations place too much importance on just the training course. Avoid becoming part of the group that choose a course that seems ‘fun’ or ‘interesting’ - and end up with a plaque on the wall for a job they hate.

Stay tuned-in to where you want to go, and build your study action-plan from that - not the other way round. Stay on target and study for a career you’ll enjoy for years to come. You’d also need help from an experienced person who can explain the sector you’re considering, and who can offer ‘A day in the life of’ outline for that career-path. This really is essential because you need to know if this change is right for you.

At the top of your shopping list for a training program should be full 24×7 support via trained professional instructors and mentors. It’s an all too common story to find providers that only seem to want to help while they’re in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends. Try and find training with proper support available at any time of the day or night (even if it’s early hours on Sunday morning!) Make sure it’s always 24×7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not a message system as this will slow you down - constantly waiting for a call-back when it’s convenient for them.

The best trainers use multiple support centres active in different time-zones. Online access provides the interactive interface to join them all seamlessly, any time of the day or night, there is always help at hand, avoiding all the delays and problems. If you accept anything less than support round-the-clock, you’ll end up kicking yourself. You may not need it in the middle of the night, but you’re bound to use weekends, evenings and early mornings at some point.

Most trainers typically provide piles of reference manuals and workbooks. Learning like this is dull and repetitive and isn’t the best way to go about taking things in. Recent studies into the way we learn shows that memory is aided when all our senses are involved, and we get physically involved with the study process.

The latest audio-visual interactive programs with demonstrations and practice sessions beat books hands-down. And they’re a lot more fun to do. Each company you’re contemplating should be able to show you a few examples of their training materials. Make sure you encounter videos of instructor-led classes and many interactive sections.

You should avoid purely online training. You want physical CD/DVD ROM course materials where possible, as you need to be able to use them whenever it’s convenient for you - ISP quality varies, so you don’t want to be totally reliant on your broadband being ‘up’ 100 percent of the time.

The way a programme is physically sent to you is often missed by many students. How many stages do they break the program into? And in what order and what control do you have at what pace it arrives? Normally, you’ll join a programme taking 1-3 years and receive one element at a time until graduation. While this may sound logical on one level, consider this: Students often discover that the company’s standard order of study is not what they would prefer. Sometimes, it’s more expedient to use an alternative order of study. Perhaps you don’t make it in the allotted time?

For future safety and flexibility, many trainees now want to request that all their modules (now paid for) are posted to them in one go, with nothing held back. You can then decide how fast or slow and in what order you want to finish things.

Consider the facts below very carefully if you’ve been persuaded that that over-used sales technique about a guarantee for your exam looks like a reason to buy:

They’ve allowed costings for it by some means. You can be assured it’s not a freebie - they’ve just worked it into the package price. People who take each progressive exam, funding them as they go are much more likely to pass. They are thoughtful of their investment and prepare more appropriately to be up to the task.

Doesn’t it make more sense to find the best exam deal or offer when you’re ready, instead of paying a premium to a college, and to do it locally - rather than in some remote centre? Huge profits are secured by many training colleges that incorporate exam fees into the cost of the course. Many students don’t take them for one reason or another and so the company is quids-in. Believe it or not, providers exist that rely on that fact - as that’s where a lot of their profit comes from. Pay heed to the fact that, with ‘Exam Guarantees’ from most places - the company decides when you can do your re-takes. They’ll only allow a re-take once completely satisfied.

VUE and Prometric examinations are currently clocking in at an average of 112 pounds in this country. What’s the point of paying huge ‘Exam Guarantee’ costs (often hidden in the cost) - when the best course materials, the right level of support and exam preparation systems and a dose of commitment and effort are what’s required.

A service provided by many trainers is a Job Placement Assistance program. This is designed to help you get your first commercial position. Ultimately it isn’t so complicated as you might think to get your first job - assuming you’re well trained and qualified; the growing UK skills shortage sees to that.

Whatever you do, don’t procrastinate and wait until you’ve finished your training before getting your CV updated. The day you start training, mark down what you’re doing and get promoting! Quite often, you will be offered your first job while you’re still a student (sometimes when you’ve only just got going). If you haven’t updated your CV to say what you’re studying - or it’s not getting in front of interviewers, then you’re not even going to be known about! If you’d like to keep travelling time and costs to a minimum, then you may well find that a local (but specialised) recruitment consultancy can generally be of more use than some national concern, for they’re going to be familiar with local employment needs.

In a nutshell, if you put as much hard work into landing a job as into studying, you’re not likely to experience problems. Some people curiously invest a great deal of time on their learning program and just give up once they’ve passed their exams and would appear to think that businesses will just discover them.

Nice One! By landing here you’ve doubtless been pondering on re-training to work in a different industry - that means you’ve already taken one more step than the majority. Very few of us are satisfied with our careers, but it’s rare anyone does more than moan. Why not be one of a small number who decide to make the change.

Prior to considering individual courses, discuss your thoughts with an industry expert who can talk you through the right type of training for you. Someone who has the ability to ask questions about your likes and dislikes, and discover what type of job will be right for you:

* Do you operate better working alone or is being in a team environment an important option?

* Which criteria’s are important to you with regard to the sector of industry you’re looking to get into?

* And how many years do you want to get out of your retraining, and will the industry provide you with that possibility?

* Will this new qualification make it easier to find the work you’re looking for, and be gainfully employed until sixty five?

Look at the IT sector, that’s our best advice - unusually, it’s one of the growing market sectors in this country and overseas. In addition, salaries and benefits exceed most other industries.

When did you last consider the security of your job? Typically, this isn’t an issue until something goes wrong. But really, the lesson often learned too late is that true job security has gone the way of the dodo, for most of us. When we come across increasing skills deficits mixed with increasing demand of course, we often discover a newer brand of security in the marketplace; as fuelled by the conditions of constant growth, employers struggle to find the number of people required.

The computing Industry skills-gap around the country is standing at over twenty six percent, as shown by the 2006 e-Skills analysis. Alternatively, you could say, this shows that the UK can only find three qualified staff for every four jobs that exist now. This alarming notion underpins the urgent need for more technically accredited computer professionals in the UK. With the market expanding at such a rate, is there any other area of industry worth considering as a retraining vehicle.

Making the most suitable career option is fraught with stress - so which sectors are important to investigate and what are the questions we need to ask?

Potential trainees eager to kick off a career in computers and technology usually have no idea of what direction to follow, or even which sector to get qualified in. Since with no commercial skills in Information Technology, in what way could we be expected to understand what someone in a particular job does? To attack this, there should be a discussion of several definitive areas:

* The type of personality you have and interests - which work-centred jobs you enjoy or dislike.

* For what reasons you’re getting involved with IT - is it to achieve a long-held goal such as firing your boss and working for yourself maybe.

* What are your thoughts on job satisfaction vs salary?

* Often, trainees don’t consider the level of commitment demanded to gain all the necessary accreditation.

* How much time you will commit getting qualified.

The best way to avoid all the jargon and confusion, and uncover the best route for you, have an informal chat with an industry expert and advisor; an individual who understands the commercial reality while explaining the accreditations.

Many trainers provide piles of reference manuals and workbooks. Learning like this is dull and repetitive and not really conducive to achieving retention. Long-term memory is enhanced when multiple senses are involved - educational experts have expounded on this for decades now.

Start a study-program in which you’ll receive a selection of CD or DVD ROM’s - you’ll learn by watching video tutorials and demonstrations, and be able to use virtual lab’s to practice your new skills. Don’t take any chances and look at 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 audio-visual elements backed up by interactive lab’s.

You should avoid purely online training. Physical CD or DVD ROM materials are preferable where obtainable, as you need to be able to use them whenever it’s convenient for you - it’s not wise to be held hostage to a good broadband connection all the time.

Many students come unstuck over a single courseware aspect very rarely considered: The way the training is divided into chunks and sent out to you. Many companies enrol you into some sort of program spread over 1-3 years, and deliver each piece one-by-one as you complete each section or exam. If you think this sound logical, then consider this: Often, the staged breakdown insisted on by the company won’t suit you. What if you find it hard to complete all the elements inside their defined time-scales?

To be honest, the perfect answer is to have a copy of their prescribed order of study, but to receive all the materials up-front. It’s then all yours should you not complete it at their required pace.

Proper support should never be taken lightly - find a program offering 24×7 direct access to instructors, as anything less will frustrate you and could put a damper on the speed you move through things. Locate training schools where you can access help at all hours of the day and night (even 1am on Sunday morning!) Make sure it’s always access directly to professional tutors, and not a call-centre that will take messages so you’re waiting for tutors to call you back - probably during office hours.

Top training companies utilise several support facilities across multiple time-zones. Online access provides the interactive interface to seamlessly link them all together, any time of the day or night, help is at hand, without any contact issues or hassle. Never make do with anything less. 24×7 support is the only kind to make the grade when it comes to computer-based learning. Perhaps you don’t intend to study during the evenings; but for the majority of us however, we’re working when traditional support if offered.

You’ll come across courses which guarantee examination passes - this always means exams have to be paid for upfront, at the start of your training. Before you get carried away with this so-called guarantee, think about this:

In this day and age, we tend to be a little bit more aware of sales ploys - and the majority of us ought to realise that of course it is something we’re paying for - they’re not just being charitable and doling out freebies! If it’s important to you to pass in one, then you should pay for each exam as you go, prioritise it appropriately and apply yourself as required.

Doesn’t it make more sense to find the best exam deal or offer at the appropriate time, instead of paying a premium to the training college, and also to sit exams more locally - rather than possibly hours away from your area? Why borrow the money or pay in advance (plus interest of course) on exams when you didn’t need to? Big margins are netted by organisations getting money in early for exam fees - and then hoping that you won’t take them all. The majority of organisations will insist on pre-tests and hold you back from re-takes until you’ve demonstrated an excellent ability to pass - so an ‘Exam Guarantee’ comes with many clauses in reality.

Due to typical VUE and Prometric exams costing in the region of 112 pounds in this country, it’s common sense to fund them one by one. It’s not in the student’s interests to fork out hundreds or thousands of pounds for exams when enrolling on a course. Consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.

Every program under consideration really needs to work up to a properly recognised qualification at the end - and not a worthless ‘in-house’ diploma - fit only for filing away and forgetting. All the major commercial players such as Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco all have internationally acknowledged proficiency programs. Huge conglomerates such as these will make sure you’re employable.

If you’re thinking about a future in network support then the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator course is an ideal qualification for you. Whether you’re about to join the IT industry or have previous knowledge but no certificate, there’s a variety of options to suit your requirements. Each category should have a different training track, so pay attention to check you’re being offered the best one prior to getting going. Look for a training provider that talks with you so they get to know what you’d like to do, and will work with you to sort out what you’ll be doing, before they start talking about courses.

Wouldn’t it be great to know for sure that our careers are secure and our future is protected, however, the truth for the majority of jobs throughout England currently seems to be that there is no security anymore. It’s possible though to hit upon security at the market sector level, by digging for areas of high demand, together with shortages of trained staff.

The computer industry skills-gap throughout Great Britain falls in at approx 26 percent, according to the latest e-Skills survey. To explain it in a different way, this shows that Great Britain can only locate 3 certified professionals for every 4 jobs available currently. This distressing concept underpins the requirement for more technically certified Information Technology professionals in the UK. Unquestionably, now really is such a perfect time to train for the computing industry.

If the IT industry provides such an array of tremendous job opportunities for us - what sort of questions should we be raising and which aspects carry the most importance?

An advisor that doesn’t ask you a lot of questions - the likelihood is they’re just trying to sell you something. If they wade straight in with a specific product before getting to know your background and whether you have any commercial experience, then it’s very likely to be the case. Where you have a strong background, or sometimes a little work-based experience (some industry qualifications maybe?) then obviously the level you’ll need to start at will be different from a student that is completely new to the industry. It’s wise to consider user-skills and software training first. This can often make the transition to higher-level learning a much more gentle.

Full support is of the utmost importance - look for a package that includes 24×7 access, as anything less will frustrate you and could impede your ability to learn. Look for training where you can access help at any time of day or night (even 1am on Sunday morning!) You want access directly to professional tutors, and not simply some messaging service that means you’re parked in a queue of others waiting to be called back during office hours.

Keep looking and you’ll come across the top providers who give students direct-access support 24×7 - even in the middle of the night. You can’t afford to accept a lower level of service. Direct-access 24×7 support is the only viable option with computer-based study. Maybe late-evening study is not your thing; often though, we’re working while the support is live.

We’d hazard a guess that you’ve always enjoyed practical work - a ‘hands-on’ person. Usually, the unfortunate chore of reading reference guides is something you’ll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but it doesn’t suit your way of doing things. You should use video and multimedia based materials if learning from books is not your thing. If we can involve all our senses in the learning process, our results will often be quite spectacular.

Interactive audio-visual materials involving demonstration and virtual lab’s will beat books every time. And you’ll find them fun and interesting. It’s wise to view a small selection of training examples before you sign on the dotted line. Always insist on video tutorials, instructor demo’s and interactive modules with audio-visual elements.

Some companies only have access to purely on-line training; and although this is okay the majority of the time, think what will happen if you lose your internet access or you get intermittent problems and speed issues. It’s much safer to rely on DVD or CD discs that will solve that problem.

What is the reason why qualifications from colleges and universities are being replaced by more qualifications from the commercial sector? Corporate based study (as it’s known in the industry) is far more effective and specialised. Industry has become aware that this level of specialised understanding is what’s needed to service the demands of an acceleratingly technical commercial environment. Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA are the key players in this arena. Essentially, the learning just focuses on what’s actually required. It’s not quite as straightforward as that, but principally the objective has to be to master the precisely demanded skill-sets (with some necessary background) - without overdoing the detail in everything else (as degree courses are known to do).

Just like the advert used to say: ‘It does what it says on the tin’. Companies need only to know what they need doing, and then match up the appropriate exam numbers as a requirement. That way they can be sure they’re interviewing applicants who can do the job.

A successful training package will also offer accredited exam preparation systems. Sometimes people can get thrown by going through practice questions that aren’t recognised by authorised sources. Sometimes, the terminology in the real exams is unfamiliar and it’s vital that you know this. As you can imagine, it’s very important to be confident that you’re absolutely ready for your commercial exam before embarking on it. Revising ‘mock’ tests helps build your confidence and saves you time and money on wasted exam attempts.

Getting your first commercial position can be a little easier with the help of a Job Placement Assistance program. Often, there is more emphasis than is necessary on this service, as it’s really not that difficult for a well trained and motivated person to get work in this industry - because there’s a great need for qualified personnel.

Ideally you should have CV and Interview advice and support though; also we would encourage any student to update their CV right at the beginning of their training - don’t procrastinate and leave it for when you’re ready to start work. Having the possibility of an interview is more than not being known. Many junior jobs are bagged by people (who’ve only just left first base.) The most efficient companies to help you land that job are most often local IT focused employment agencies. Because they make their money when they’ve found you a job, they have the necessary incentive to try that bit harder.

A good number of students, apparently, are prepared to study their hearts out (for years sometimes), only to give up at the first hurdle when attempting to secure their first job. Market yourself… Make an effort to get in front of employers. Don’t expect a job to just fall into your lap.

If you want Cisco training, a CCNA is in all probability what you’ll need. The Cisco training is designed for people who need to know all about routers. Routers are what connect networks of computers to other computer networks via the internet or dedicated lines.

To take this course, you should be clear on the operating and functioning of computer networks, as networks are connected to routers. Without this you may encounter problems. You might first take a course in basic networking skills (for example Network+, perhaps with A+) before you start a CCNA course. Some companies will design a bespoke package for you.

The CCNA qualification is where you should be aiming; don’t let some salesperson talk you into starting with the CCNP. Once you’ve got a few years experience behind you, you’ll find out if this level is required. If so, your experience will serve as the background you need for the CCNP - because it’s far from a walk in the park - and ought not to be underestimated.

How can we arrive at an informed choice then? With all this potential, it’s important to know where to dig - and what we should be looking for.

Trainees hopeful to kick off an IT career often don’t know what direction they should take, let alone what area to get certified in. After all, if you have no experience in the IT market, how are you equipped to know what some particular IT person spends their day doing? Let alone arrive at which certification program provides the best chances for your success. Reflection on several factors is imperative when you need to dig down a solution that suits you:

* Your personality type and interests - which work-related things you like and dislike.

* Are you aiming to reach a key objective - for example, becoming self-employed someday?

* How highly do you rate salary - is an increase your main motivator, or is enjoying your job a lot higher on the scale of your priorities?

* Understanding what typical career types and markets are - and what makes them different.

* Our advice is to think deeply about what kind of effort and commitment you’ll put into your education.

At the end of the day, the best way of investigating all this is via a meeting with a professional that through years of experience will provide solid advice.

Of all the important things to consider, one of the most essential is always 24×7 round-the-clock support via trained professional instructors and mentors. It’s an all too common story to find providers that will only offer a basic 9am till 6pm support period (maybe later on certain days) with very little availability over the weekend. Don’t accept training courses that only support trainees via a call-centre messaging system after 6-9pm in the evening and during weekends. Training companies will try to talk you round from this line of reasoning. But, no matter how they put it - you want support at the appropriate time - not at times when they find it cheaper to provide it.

We recommend looking for providers that have multiple support offices active in different time-zones. These should be integrated to offer a simple interface and also 24 hours-a-day access, when you want it, with no hassle. Never settle for less than you need and deserve. Direct-access 24×7 support is the only way to go for IT learning. Maybe late-evening study is not your thing; but for most of us, we’re out at work at the time when most support is available.

Traditional teaching in classrooms, involving piles of reference textbooks, can be pretty hard going sometimes. If all this is ringing some familiar bells, look for learning programmes which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. Long-term memory is enhanced with an involvement of all our senses - experts have been clear on this for decades now.

Find a course where you’re provided with an array of CD and DVD based materials - you’ll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, with the facility to fine-tune your skills in fully interactive practice sessions. Any company that you’re considering should be able to show you some samples of their courseware. You should hope for instructor-led videos and interactive areas to practice in.

It’s unwise to select online only courseware. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from the ISP (internet service provider) market, ensure that you have access to actual CD or DVD ROM’s.

An important area that is sometimes not even considered by those thinking about a course is the concept of ‘training segmentation’. This basically means the way the course is divided up to be delivered to you, which can make a dramatic difference to how you end up. Normally, you will purchase a course taking 1-3 years and get posted one section at a time - from one exam to the next. While this may sound logical on one level, consider this: Many students find that their providers typical path to completion isn’t the easiest way for them. They might find a different order of study is more expedient. And what happens if they don’t finish within their exact timetable?

For maximum flexibility and safety, it’s normal for most trainees to request that all their modules (now paid for) are sent immediately, and not in a piecemeal fashion. That means it’s down to you how fast or slow and in what order you’d like to take your exams.

A sneaky way that training companies make more money is by charging for exams up-front and then including an ‘Exam Guarantee’. It looks impressive, until you think it through:

These days, we’re a bit more aware of hype - and the majority of us ought to know that for sure it is actually an additional cost to us (it’s not a freebie because they like us so much!) Evidence shows that if a student pays for their own exams, when they’re ready to take them and not before, they will be much more likely to qualify each time - since they’re aware of their investment in themselves and their application will be greater.

Why pay a training course provider in advance for exam fees? Find the best exam deal or offer at the appropriate time, rather than pay marked up fees - and do it in a local testing centre - not at somewhere of their bidding. A lot of so-called credible training colleges net a great deal of profit by charging for examinations upfront and cashing in if they’re not all taken. The majority of organisations will require you to sit pre-tests and with-hold subsequent exam entries from you until you’ve completely proven that you’re likely to pass - which actually leaves you with no guarantee at all.

Due to typical VUE and Prometric examinations coming in at around 112 pounds in the UK, it’s common sense to fund them one by one. Not to fork out thousands extra in up-front costs. Commitment, effort and practice with quality exam preparation systems are the factors that really get you through.

One useful service that many training companies provide is a Job Placement Assistance program. This is to assist your search for your first position. Don’t get overly impressed with this service - it’s easy for companies marketing departments to overstate it’s need. Ultimately, the massive skills shortage in the UK is what will enable you to get a job.

Advice and support about getting interviews and your CV is sometimes offered (if not, see one of our sites for help). Be sure to you update that dusty old CV straight away - don’t leave it till you pass the exams! A good number of junior support jobs have been offered to trainees who are still learning and have still to get qualified. This will at least get your CV into the ‘possible’ pile and not the ‘no’ pile. Generally, you’ll receive quicker results from a local IT focused recruitment consultant or service than any course provider’s centralised service, because they will be more familiar with the area and local employers.

Certainly ensure you don’t put hundreds of hours of effort into your studies, then call a halt and expect somebody else to land you a job. Get off your backside and get on with the job. Put as much focus into securing the right position as it took to get qualified.

Being a part of the cutting-edge of new technology is about as exciting as it can get. You become one of a team of people creating a future for us all. Technological changes and communication on the web is going to dramatically alter the way we live our lives in the future; incredibly so.

Wages in the IT sector aren’t to be ignored either - the typical remuneration in Great Britain for a typical IT worker is noticeably higher than average salaries nationally. It’s likely that you’ll earn a whole lot more than you’d typically expect to bring in elsewhere. With the IT marketplace developing nationally and internationally, it’s predictable that demand for well trained and qualified IT technicians will continue to boom for decades to come.

If you’re seeking certified training from Microsoft, it stands to reason you’ll want training organisations to provide a wide range of the most superior courses on the market today. You might also hope to be given advice on the types of jobs that are available once you’ve qualified, and which personalities such positions might be right for. The majority of students like to get advice on what the best route is for them. After settling on the area you want to get into, you must find a relevant course tailored to be right for your current level of knowledge and ability. The quality of training should more than match your expectations.

Seeing as the IT market provides such an array of great career development opportunities for us all - then which questions should we raise and what aspects are most important?

We can see an excess of jobs and positions available in the IT industry. Finding the particular one in this uncertainty can be very difficult. Scanning a list of IT job-titles is just a waste of time. Most of us have no concept what our good friends do at work - so we’re in the dark as to the ins and outs of a particular IT career. Ultimately, any kind of right resolution only comes through a systematic study of many shifting key points:

* The kind of person you reckon you are - what kind of jobs you really enjoy, and on the other side of the coin - what you hate to do.

* What time-frame are you looking at for the training process?

* Is salary further up on your wish list than other requirements.

* Getting to grips with what typical career areas and sectors are - including what sets them apart.

* The level of commitment and effort you’ll set aside for the training program.

In these situations, you’ll find the only real way to research these areas will be via a meeting with a professional that has a background in Information Technology (and specifically it’s commercial needs.)

Proper support should never be taken lightly - find a program that includes 24×7 access, as anything else will annoy you and definitely put a damper on the speed you move through things. Be wary of any training providers who use ‘out-of-hours’ messaging systems - with your call-back scheduled for typical office hours. This is no use if you’re stuck and could do with an answer during your scheduled study period.

World-class organisations opt for an online 24 hours-a-day facility pulling in several support offices over many time-zones. You’ll have an easy to use interface that accesses the most appropriate office at any time of day or night: Support when you need it. Unless you insist on 24×7 support, you’ll regret it. It may be that you don’t use it late at night, but consider weekends, early mornings or late evenings.

Trainees looking at this market can be very practical by nature, and don’t really enjoy classrooms, and struggling through thick study-volumes. If this could be you, try the newer style of interactive study, where everything is presented via full motion video. Learning psychology studies show that much more of what we learn in remembered when we use all our senses, and we get practically involved in what we’re studying.

Study programs now come in the form of CD and DVD ROM’s, where everything is taught on your PC. Video streaming means you can watch instructors demonstrating how to do something, and then practice yourself - with interactive lab sessions. Any company that you’re considering must be able to demonstrate samples of their training materials. You’re looking for evidence of tutorial videos and demonstrations and a wide selection of interactive elements.

It doesn’t make sense to choose training that is only available online. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from the ISP (internet service provider) market, you should always obtain actual CD or DVD ROM’s.

The way in which your courseware is broken down for you can often be overlooked. How many parts is the training broken down into? What is the order and do you have a say in when you’ll get each part? Delivery by courier of each element piece by piece, as you complete each module is the usual method of releasing your program. While sounding logical, you should consider these factors: Many students find that their training company’s typical path to completion isn’t as suitable as another. Sometimes, a different order of study is more expedient. And what if you don’t get to the end within their exact timetable?

In a perfect world, you want ALL the study materials up-front - giving you them all to come back to in the future - irrespective of any schedule. You can also vary the order in which you move through the program if you find another route more intuitive.

Review the facts below and pay great regard to them if you’re inclined to think that over-used sales technique about examination guarantees seems like a good idea:

You’ll be charged for it one way or another. It certainly isn’t free - they’ve just worked it into the package price. The fact is that if students pay for each examination, when they’re ready to take them and not before, the chances are they’re going to get through on the first attempt - since they’ll think of their payment and therefore will put more effort into their preparation.

Take your exams as locally as possible and look for the very best offer you can at the time. Considerable numbers of questionable training companies net huge profits through asking for exams at the start of the course and hoping either that you won’t take them, or it will be a long time before you do. It’s also worth noting that exam guarantees often have very little value. The majority of companies won’t pay for you to re-take until you have demonstrated conclusively that you won’t fail again.

With the average price of Pro-metric and VUE exams coming in at approximately 112 pounds in Great Britain, by far the best option is to pay for them as you take them. Not to fork out thousands extra in up-front costs. Study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.

Many trainers have a handy Job Placement Assistance program, to assist your search for your first position. Don’t get overly impressed with this service - it’s easy for training companies to overplay it. At the end of the day, the huge shortage of staff in the United Kingdom is why employers will be interested in you.

Bring your CV up to date as soon as possible however (advice and support for this should come from your course provider). Don’t put it off for when you’re ready to start work. You may not have got to the stage where you’ve passed your first exam when you land your first junior support role; yet this can’t and won’t happen if your CV isn’t in front of employers. The best services to help get you placed are usually specialist independent regional recruitment consultancies. As they will get paid by the employer when they’ve placed you, they have the necessary incentive to try that bit harder.

To bottom line it, if you put the same amount of effort into finding your first job as into training, you won’t have any problems. A number of people bizarrely conscientiously work through their course materials and then just stop once they’ve got certified and seem to expect employers to find them.

Being at the forefront of the cutting-edge of new technology is as thrilling as it comes. You’re involved with defining the world to come. We’ve barely started to scrape the surface of how technology will define our world. The internet will massively alter the way we regard and interact with the world as a whole over the next few years.

The typical IT employee across the UK has been shown to earn a lot more than his or her counterpart in other market sectors. Standard IT incomes are amongst the highest in the country. It seems there is no end in sight for IT increases throughout this country. The sector continues to grow quickly, and with the skills shortage of over 26 percent that we’re experiencing, it’s highly unlikely that this will change significantly for decades to come.

To become a proficient web designer with relevant qualifications for today’s employment market, your must-have certification is Adobe Dreamweaver. For applications in the commercial world it’s important to have a full understanding of the full Adobe Web Creative Suite. This means also (but is by no means restricted to) Flash and Action Script. Should you desire to become an Adobe Certified Professional or an Adobe Certified Expert you’ll find these skills are vital.

Understanding how to design a website just gets you started. Traffic creation, maintaining content and some programming skills are also required. Look for training with bolt-ons to cover these skills maybe PHP, HTML, and MySQL, in addition to SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and E-Commerce skills.

There is a tidal wave of change flooding technology over the next few decades - and it becomes more and more thrilling each day. We’re only just starting to see just how technology is going to shape our lives. Technology and the web will massively alter the way we view and interact with the entire world over the years to come.

Should receiving a good salary be around the top on your wish list, you will be pleasantly surprised to hear that the income on average for IT employees in general is considerably higher than salaries in much of the rest of industry. Excitingly, there is a lot more room for IT sector development throughout this country. The industry continues to develop hugely, and we don’t have anywhere near enough qualified skilled IT professionals to fill current job vacancies, so it’s highly unlikely that things will be any different for decades to come.

How can we make an educated choice then? With all these possibilities, it’s essential to be guided as to where to dig - and of course, what to actually be digging for.

You should remember: the training course or the accreditation is not the ultimate goal; the career that you want is. Too many training companies over-emphasise the certificate itself. Students often train for a single year but end up doing a job for a lifetime. Ensure you avoid the fatal error of finding what seems like a very ‘interesting’ program and then spend decades in a job you don’t like!

Stay focused on where you want to get to, and formulate your training based on that - don’t do it the other way round. Stay on target - making sure you’re training for a job that will keep you happy for many years. Seek guidance and advice from a skilled professional, even if you have to pay - it’s considerably cheaper and safer to investigate at the start whether something is going to suit and interest you, rather than realise following two years of study that the job you’ve chosen is not for you and have wasted years of effort.

We can guess that you probably enjoy fairly practical work - a ‘hands-on’ type. If you’re anything like us, the painful task of reading endless manuals is something you’ll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but it’s not really your thing. Consider interactive, multimedia study if you’d really rather not use books. Many years of research has consistently demonstrated that becoming involved with our studies, to utilise all our senses, will more likely produce memories that are deeper and longer-lasting.

Programs are now found in disc format, where your computer becomes the centre of your learning. Utilising the latest video technology, you can sit back and watch the teachers showing you precisely how to perform the required skill, and then have a go at it yourself - in an interactive lab. It’s very important to see some example materials from your chosen company. Be sure that they contain full motion videos of instructors demonstrating the topic with lab’s to practice the skills in.

Seek out CD and DVD ROM based physical training media wherever available. You’re then protected from broadband ‘downtime’ or slow-speeds.

If you forget everything else - then just remember this: You absolutely must have proper 24×7 instructor support. Later, you’ll kick yourself if you don’t follow this rule rigidly. Be wary of any training providers which use call-centres ‘out-of-hours’ - where you’ll get called back during standard office hours. This is useless when you’re stuck and need an answer now.

The very best training providers incorporate three or four individual support centres across multiple time-zones. They use an online interactive interface to join them all seamlessly, irrespective of the time you login, help is just a click away, with no hassle or contact issues. Never make do with a lower level of service. Direct-access 24×7 support is really your only option with IT courses. Maybe late-evening study is not your thing; but for the majority of us however, we’re at work while the support is live.

Commercial qualifications are now, very visibly, already replacing the traditional routes into the IT sector - why then is this the case? With 3 and 4 year academic degree costs climbing ever higher, and the IT sector’s general opinion that vendor-based training often has more relevance in the commercial field, there has been a great increase in Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA authorised training routes that provide key skills to an employee at a fraction of the cost and time involved. University courses, for instance, can often get caught up in a great deal of background study - and a syllabus that’s too generalised. Students are then prevented from getting enough core and in-depth understanding on a specific area.

Put yourself in the employer’s position - and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. What’s the simplest way to find the right person: Go through loads of academic qualifications from several applicants, trying to establish what they know and what trade skills they’ve mastered, or pick out specific commercial accreditations that precisely match your needs, and then select who you want to interview from that. The interview is then more about the person and how they’ll fit in - rather than on the depth of their technical knowledge.

A subtle way that training providers make extra profits is via an ‘exam inclusive’ package and presenting it as a guarantee for your exams. It looks like a good deal, until you think it through:

In this day and age, we tend to be a little more ‘marketing-savvy’ - and most of us realise that of course we’re actually paying for it - they’re not just being charitable and doling out freebies! Those who go in for their examinations when it’s appropriate, paying for them just before taking them are much more likely to pass. They’re mindful of what they’ve paid and so are more inclined to ensure they are ready.

Don’t you think it’s more sensible to hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you’re ready, rather than coughing up months or even a year or two in advance to the college, and to do it in a local testing office - rather than in some remote centre? Why tie up your cash (or borrow more than you need) for exams when there’s absolutely nothing that says you have to? A great deal of money is netted by organisations charging upfront for all their exams - and banking on the fact that many won’t be taken. In addition to this, many exam guarantees are worthless. The majority of organisations won’t be prepared to pay for re-takes until you’re able to demonstrate an excellent mock pass rate.

With the average price of Pro-metric and VUE tests in the United Kingdom costing around 112 pounds, it’s common sense to fund them one by one. Why splash out often many hundreds of pounds extra at the beginning of your training? Study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.

One feature that many training companies provide is a programme of Job Placement assistance. The service is put in place to steer you into your first IT role. The need for this feature can be bigged up out of proportion though - it isn’t unusual for training companies to overplay it. The fact of the matter is, the massive skills shortage in Britain is what will enable you to get a job.

Get your CV updated straight-away though (advice can be sought on this via your provider). Don’t wait until you’ve qualified. Quite often, you’ll secure your initial job while still studying (sometimes when you’ve only just got going). If your CV doesn’t show your latest training profile (and it isn’t in the hands of someone with jobs to offer) then you won’t even be considered! Actually, a local IT focused employment agency (who will, of course, be keen to place you to receive their commission) is going to give you a better service than a recruitment division from a training organisation. Also of course they should know the local industry and employment needs.

A big grievance of various training course providers is how much men and women are prepared to work to become certified, but how un-prepared they are to work on getting the job they have acquired skills for. Get out there and hustle - you might find it’s fun.

If you’re thinking about studying for the MCSE certificate, you’ll fall into one of two camps. You could be about to come into the computer world, and you’ve discovered that this commercial sector has lots of demand for qualified people. Or you may be someone with a certain amount of knowledge looking to polish up your CV with the Microsoft qualification.

As you discover more about training providers, don’t use those that compromise their offerings by failing to provide the latest version from Microsoft. Ultimately, this will frustrate and cost the student a great deal more due to the fact that they’ve been educated in an outdated MCSE program which inevitably will have to be up-dated almost immediately. Computer training companies must be completely focused on establishing the best direction for their clients. Directing study is as much about guiding people on establishing where to go, as it is giving them help to reach their destination.

It’s abundantly clear: There’s no such thing as individual job security now; there can only be industry and business security - companies can just remove anyone whenever it fits the company’s business needs. Where there are growing skills shortages and increasing demand though, we often discover a newly emerging type of security in the marketplace; as fuelled by conditions of continuous growth, organisations find it hard to locate the staff required.

The computing Industry skills-gap in the UK currently stands at just over 26 percent, as shown by the most recent e-Skills study. Put directly, we can’t properly place more than 3 out of every 4 jobs in the computing industry. This alarming certainty shows the requirement for more properly trained Information Technology professionals around the UK. In actuality, acquiring professional IT skills during the years to come is likely the finest choice of careers you could make.

Picking up on all the discussion on the area of IT these days, how is it possible to know what precisely to look for?

Of course: the training course or a certification is not the ultimate goal; the particular job that you’re getting the training for is. Far too many training organisations put too much weight in the actual accreditation. It’s an awful thing, but thousands of new students commence training that sounds fabulous in the sales literature, but which delivers a career that is of no interest. Try talking to typical college leavers for examples.

Stay focused on what it is you’re trying to achieve, and create a learning-plan from that - don’t do it back-to-front. Stay on target and study for a career that will keep you happy for many years. We recommend that students always seek guidance and advice from a skilled professional before settling on some particular training path, so there’s little doubt that the specific package will give the skill-set required for your career choice.

Traditional teaching in classrooms, utilising reference manuals and books, is often a huge slog for most of us. If you’re nodding as you read this, find training programs which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. Where we can get all of our senses involved in our learning, our results will often be quite spectacular.

Modern training can now be done at home via easy-to-use DVD or CD ROM’s. By watching and listening to instructors on video tutorials you’ll absorb the modules, one by one, through the expert demonstrations. Then you test your knowledge by using practice-lab’s. You must ensure that you see the type of training provided by each company you’re contemplating. You’ll want to see that they include full motion videos of instructors demonstrating the topic with lab’s to practice the skills in.

Avoid training that is purely online. You want physical CD/DVD ROM course materials where possible, so you can use them wherever and whenever you want - and not be totally reliant on your broadband being ‘up’ 100 percent of the time.

Considering how a program is ‘delivered’ to you is often missed by many students. How is the courseware broken down? And in what sequence and at what speed is it delivered? Training companies will normally offer a 2 or 3 year study programme, and send out each piece as you pass each exam. This sounds reasonable until you consider the following: Often, the staged breakdown insisted on by the company won’t suit you. And what if you don’t finish all the sections inside their defined time-scales?

To be honest, the best solution is to get an idea of what they recommend as an ideal study order, but get everything up-front. Meaning you’ve got it all should you not complete it at their required pace.

A lot of training providers only give support available from 9-6 (office hours) and sometimes later on specific days; most won’t answer after 8-9pm at the latest and frequently never at the weekends. You’ll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and phone support is usually just a call-centre who will chat nicely with you for 5 minutes to ask what the issue is and then simply send an email to an instructor - who’ll call back sometime over the next 1-3 days, at a time suitable for them. This is no good if you’re sitting there confused over an issue and have a one hour time-slot in which to study.

The most successful trainers utilise several support facilities from around the world. By utilising an interactive interface to seamlessly link them all together, at any time you choose, help is at hand, avoiding all the delays and problems. Find an educator that gives this level of learning support. Only true 24×7 round-the-clock live support provides the necessary backup.

Accredited exam preparation and simulation materials are a must - and should definitely be obtained from your training supplier. Students regularly can get thrown by going through practice questions that aren’t recognised by authorised sources. It’s not uncommon that the way questions are phrased can be completely unlike un-authorised versions and you should be prepared for this. ‘Mock’ or practice exams will prove invaluable for confidence building - so much so, that at the real thing, you will be much more relaxed.

Several companies have a handy Job Placement Assistance program, to assist your search for your first position. The need for this feature can be bigged up out of proportion though - it’s quite easy for training companies to make too much of it. At the end of the day, the need for well trained IT people in the UK is what will enable you to get a job.

CV and Interview advice and support is sometimes offered (if it isn’t, consult one of our sites). Ensure you polish up your CV today - not after you’ve qualified! It’s not uncommon to find that junior support roles are offered to people who are still learning and haven’t even passed a single exam yet. At the very least this will get you on your way. The most efficient companies to get you a new position are generally specialist independent regional recruitment consultancies. Because they only get paid when they place you, they have the necessary incentive to try that bit harder.

A big aggravation of various training providers is how hard people are prepared to study to pass exams, but how un-prepared that student is to get the role they have qualified for. Don’t give up when the best is yet to come.

Without a constant influx of trained network and computer support workers, industry in the United Kingdom (as elsewhere) would surely run into problems. We have an on-going demand for technicians to support both the systems and the users themselves. Due to the progressively multifaceted levels of technology, more and more IT professionals are needed to look after the smooth operation of functions we’ve come to rely on.

There is a tidal wave of change washing over technology over the next generation - and this means greater innovations all the time. Technology, computers and dialogue via the internet will dramatically affect the way we live our lives over the coming years; overwhelmingly so.

Always remember that typical remuneration in the IT market over Britain as a whole is significantly better than in the rest of the economy, therefore you will probably earn considerably more as a trained IT professional, than you would in most typical jobs. It seems there’s a lot more room for IT jobs development throughout this country. The market continues to grow quickly, and with the skills shortage of over 26 percent that we’re experiencing, it’s highly unlikely that things will be any different for the significant future.

So, which sort of questions should we be asking if we want to arrive at the understanding we need? Since there seems to be some fairly outstanding possibilities for everyone to investigate.

An all too common mistake that potential students often succumb to is to concentrate on the course itself, and take their eye off the end result they want to achieve. Universities are full of direction-less students who took a course because it seemed fun - rather than what would get them an enjoyable career or job. Don’t be one of those unfortunate people who select a program that seems ‘fun’ or ‘interesting’ - and get to the final hurdle of an accreditation for an unrewarding career path.

Be honest with yourself about how much you want to earn and what level of ambition fits you. Sometimes, this affects what qualifications you will need and what industry will expect from you in return. Seek out help from a skilled professional that ‘gets’ the commercial realities of the area you’re interested in, and who can offer ‘A typical day in the life of’ understanding of of what you’ll be doing on a day-to-day basis. It makes good sense to ensure you’re on the right track before you embark on your training program. What’s the point in kicking off your training only to realise you’ve made a huge mistake.

If you’re like many of the students we talk to then you probably enjoy fairly practical work - the ‘hands-on’ individual. If you’re anything like us, the world of book-reading and classrooms would be considered as a last resort, but you’d hate it. So look for on-screen interactive learning packages if learning from books is not your thing. Research has consistently shown that connecting physically with our study, is proven to produce longer-lasting and deeper memory retention.

Modern training can now be done at home via easy-to-use DVD or CD ROM’s. Real-world classes from the instructors will mean you’ll learn your subject via their teaching and demonstrations. Then it’s time to test your knowledge by practicing and interacting with the software. It’s imperative to see examples of the study materials provided by any company that you may want to train through. You’ll want to see that they include video, demonstrations and various interactive elements.

Avoiding training that is delivered purely online is generally a good idea. You want physical CD/DVD ROM course materials where available, so that you have access at all times - and not be totally reliant on a good broadband connection all the time.

There is no way of over emphasising this: Always get full 24×7 instructor support. We can tell you that you’ll strongly regret it if you don’t. Try and find training where you can access help at any time you choose (irrespective of whether it’s the wee hours on Sunday morning!) You’ll need direct-access to qualified mentors and tutors, and not a call-centre that will take messages so you’re constantly waiting for a call-back - probably during office hours.

Top training providers offer an online round-the-clock service combining multiple support operations across the globe. You will be provided with a simple interface which switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres no matter what time of day it is: Support on demand. Don’t ever make the mistake of taking second best with the quality of your support. Many students who throw in the towel, would have had a different experience if they’d got the right support package in the first place.

Many people question why academic qualifications are being overtaken by more commercial certifications? Industry now recognises that to cover the necessary commercial skill-sets, the right accreditation from companies such as Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA is closer to the mark commercially - at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. Patently, a certain quantity of associated information must be taught, but core specifics in the particular job function gives a commercially educated person a distinct advantage.

Just as the old advertisement said: ‘It does what it says on the tin’. Companies need only to know what areas need to be serviced, and then request applicants with the correct exam numbers. Then they know that anyone who applies can do the necessary work.

Exam ‘guarantees’ are sometimes offered as part of a training package - inevitably that means paying for the exams before you’ve even made a start on the course. Before you get carried away with this so-called guarantee, be aware of the facts:

We all know that we’re ultimately paying for it - it’s not so hard to see that it’s been added into the overall figure from the training company. It’s certainly not free - and it’s insulting that we’re supposed to think it is! The fact is that when trainees fund their relevant examinations, one at a time, they will be much more likely to get through on the first attempt - since they’ll think of their payment and their application will be greater.

Isn’t it outrageous to have to pay a college at the start of the course for examinations? Go for the best offer at the appropriate time, instead of paying a premium - and sit exams more locally - rather than possibly hours away from your area. Paying upfront for examination fees (which also includes interest if you’ve taken out a loan) is a false economy. Resist being talked into filling the training company’s account with your money simply to help their cash-flow! There are those who hope that you won’t get to do them all - but they won’t refund the cash. It’s worth noting, with ‘Exam Guarantees’ from most places - you are not in control of when you are allowed to have another go. You’ll have to prove conclusively that you can pass before they’ll pay for another exam.

Shelling out hundreds or thousands of pounds on an ‘Exam Guarantee’ is remiss - when hard work, commitment and the right preparation via exam simulations is actually the key to your success.

Many training companies offer a Job Placement Assistance service, to help you get your first job. Because of the massive skills shortage in the United Kingdom at the moment, there isn’t a great need to make too much of this option though. It isn’t such a complex operation to find the right work once you’re properly qualified.

Help with your CV and interview techniques might be provided (if not, see one of our sites for help). Make sure you polish up your CV straight away - not after you’ve qualified! Quite frequently, you will get your first role whilst you’re still studying (sometimes when you’ve only just got going). If you haven’t updated your CV to say what you’re studying (and it’s not being looked at by employers) then you won’t even be considered! The most reliable organisations to get you a new position are most often specialist independent regional recruitment consultancies. Because they only get paid when they place you, they have more incentive to get on with it.

Many students, apparently, put a great deal of effort into their studies (sometimes for years), only to give up at the first hurdle when looking for a good job. Market yourself… Work hard to put yourself out there. A job isn’t just going to bump into you.

There are a total of 4 specialist training sectors in the overall A+ programme, but you’re just required to achieve pass marks in 2 for competency in A+. Be aware though that limiting yourself to 2 of the study sections might well not equip you for a job. Try to cover all four - employers will notice the difference.

Once you start your A+ training program you’ll become familiar with how to work in antistatic conditions and build and fix computers. You’ll also cover fault finding and diagnostics, through both hands-on and remote access. If your ambition is maintaining networks, add the excellent Network+ to the CompTIA A+ training you’re doing. Including Network+ will put you in a position to apply for more interesting jobs. Alternatively, you may prefer the Microsoft networking qualifications (MCP, MCSA and MCSE).

It’s irrefutable, the computing sector shows marvellous possibilities. Yet, to fully investigate, what are the questions we need to pose, and which are the areas we need to look at?

Students looking to get a career in IT generally haven’t a clue which direction they should take, or what market to obtain accreditation for. What chances do most of us have of understanding the tasks faced daily in an IT career when we haven’t done that before? Often we don’t know someone who is in that area at all. Reflection on many areas is essential when you need to dig down a solution that suits you:

* Personality factors plus what interests you - which work-centred jobs you like and dislike.

* What is the time-frame for retraining?

* How highly do you rate salary - is it the most important thing, or is enjoying your job a lot higher on your list of priorities?

* Some students don’t fully understand the energy expected to get fully certified.

* What effort, commitment and time you will commit the training program.

At the end of the day, the best way of understanding everything necessary is through a good talk with an experienced advisor that understands the market well enough to be able to guide you.

One thing you must always insist on is full 24×7 support with expert mentors and instructors. Far too often we see trainers who only seem to want to help while they’re in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends. Look for training where you can access help at any time of the day or night (irrespective of whether it’s the wee hours on Sunday morning!) Make sure it’s always 24×7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not a call-centre that will take messages so you’re parked in a queue of others waiting to be called back during office hours.

The most successful trainers utilise several support facilities around the globe in several time-zones. An online system provides an interactive interface to seamlessly link them all together, no matter what time you login, help is just seconds away, with no hassle or contact issues. Always choose a training company that is worth purchasing from. Because only 24×7 round-the-clock live support truly delivers for technical programs.

If you’re like many of the students we talk to then you’re a practical sort of person - a ‘hands-on’ type. Usually, the world of book-reading and classrooms is something you’ll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but it doesn’t suit your way of doing things. Check out video-based multimedia instruction if books just don’t do it for you. Recent studies into the way we learn shows that we remember much more when we use all our senses, and we get practically involved in what we’re studying.

Interactive audio-visual materials with demonstrations and practice sessions will beat books every time. And you’ll find them fun and interesting. It’s wise to view examples of the courseware provided before you make your decision. Always insist on instructor-led video demonstrations and interactive audio-visual sections with practice modules.

Seek out CD and DVD ROM based physical training media whenever you can. You’re then protected from internet connection failure and issues with signal quality.

In first place for the biggest single let-down for IT students is a requirement to attend multiple workshop days. Many trainers extol the virtues of the positive points of taking part in these events, it’s almost certain though that you’ll find them a growing difficulty due to:

* Masses of visits to the workshops - usually very long trips.

* Accessibility to workshops; usually Mon-Fri and two or three days in a row. This can be difficult to get the days away from work.

* Most of us end up feeling 4 weeks annual leave is barely enough. Knock off a big chunk of this for study days and see how much more difficult it makes things.

* ‘In-Centre’ workshop days fill up quickly and often end up larger than is ideal.

* Often trainees want to work as quickly as possible, but some need a more gentle learning curve and be allowed to set their own speed. This breeds tension and unrest in most workshops.

* Tot up the cost of all the petrol, fares, accommodation, parking and food and you’ll be in for a big surprise. Attendees mention extra costs mounting to several hundred and sometimes thousands of pounds. Do the maths - and you’ll see how.

* Don’t risk any chance of getting side-stepped for a possible promotion or salary hikes because you’re getting trained in a different area.

* Who amongst us hasn’t avoided posing that question we were dying to ask, just because we wanted to maintain the illusion that we did, in fact, understand?

* Typically, workshops become virtually undoable, in cases where you live away for part of the week.

It would be better to simply watch and be trained by instructors one-to-one through videoed lessons, working on them at a time that’s convenient for you and you alone. You could study at home on your desktop computer or use your laptop to enjoy the sun. Any questions that pop up, just utilise the 24×7 Support (that should’ve been packaged with any technical type of training.) No matter how regularly you have to re-cover a topic, on-screen teachers won’t ever lose patience! And don’t forget, because of this, note-taking becomes a thing of the past. It’s all there for immediate use. Could it get any simpler: A lot of money is saved and you avoid all the travelling; and you get a more comfortable study atmosphere.

Huge changes are about to hit technology as we approach the second decade of the 21st century - and the industry becomes more ground-breaking every year. There are people who believe that the technological revolution that’s been a familiar part of our recent lives is slowing down. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have yet to experience incredible advances, and most especially the internet is going to dominate how we conduct our lives.

If making decent money is high on your wish list, you’ll be happy to know that the income on average of a typical IT worker is significantly greater than with most other jobs or industries. There is a great national need for trained and qualified IT technicians. It follows that as growth in the industry shows little sign of contracting, it seems this pattern will continue for the significant future.