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With an abundance of computer training courses available, it’s not always easy to know which ones best. Select one that’s in line with your character and abilities, and that’s in demand in the workforce. The range of courses is vast. Some re-trainers simply want Microsoft user skills, some want training for careers in Programming, Web Design, Networking or Databases – and these are all possible. But with this much choice, don’t pluck a course out of the air. We’d advise you to get help from an expert who knows the computer industry, and can help you arrive at the right destination.

By taking advantage of the latest training methods and getting rid of wasteful procedures, you will start to see a new kind of course provider offering a better quality of training and mentoring for very competitive prices.

Consider the following points and pay great regard to them if you’re inclined to think the sales ploy of ‘guaranteeing’ exams sounds like a benefit to the student:

We all know that we’re still paying for it – it’s obviously been inserted into the overall price charged by the college. It’s absolutely not free – don’t think these companies are so generous with their money! The honest truth is that when students fund their own exams, one by one, there’s a much better chance they’ll pass every time – as they’ll think of their payment and will therefore apply themselves appropriately.

Hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you’re ready, and keep hold of your own money. You also get more choice of where you do your exams – meaning you can choose a local testing centre. Many so-called credible training providers net big margins because they’re charging for exams at the start of the course and hoping you won’t see them all through. Remember, with most ‘Exam Guarantees’ – the company decides when you are allowed to do a re-take. You’ll have to prove conclusively that you can pass before they’ll pay for another exam.

With average Prometric and VUE examinations coming in at around 112 pounds in the UK, it’s common sense to fund them one by one. There’s no sense in throwing away maybe a thousand pounds extra at the start of your studies. Commitment, effort and practice with quality exam preparation systems are the factors that really get you through.

Consider only training courses which will lead to commercially acknowledged qualifications. There are loads of small companies offering minor ‘in-house’ certificates that are essentially useless in today’s commercial market. Unless your qualification is issued by a major player like Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA or Adobe, then chances are it will have been a waste of time – because it won’t give an employer any directly-useable skills.

OK, why is it better to gain qualifications from the commercial sector instead of more traditional academic qualifications gained through tech’ colleges and universities? As we require increasingly more effective technological know-how, the IT sector has of necessity moved to the specialised training that can only come from the vendors – in other words companies like Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA. Often this saves time and money for the student. University courses, as a example, clog up the training with vast amounts of loosely associated study – with a syllabus that’s far too wide. Students are then held back from learning the core essentials in sufficient depth.

It’s a bit like the TV advert: ‘It does what it says on the label’. The company just needs to know where they have gaps, 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.

Have you recently questioned how safe your job is? For the majority of us, this issue only becomes a talking point when we get some bad news. However, the lesson often learned too late is that our job security is a thing of the past, for the vast majority of people. Security can now only exist through a rapidly escalating market, pushed forward by work-skills shortages. It’s this shortage that creates the right background for market-security – definitely a more pleasing situation.

The IT skills shortfall throughout the country clocks in at just over twenty six percent, as noted by the 2006 e-Skills survey. Put simply, we can’t properly place more than just three out of every 4 jobs in Information Technology (IT). Attaining in-depth commercial Information Technology accreditation is accordingly a ‘Fast Track’ to a life-long as well as worthwhile line of work. In actuality, seeking in-depth commercial IT training over the next few years is likely the greatest career choice you could ever make.

One useful service that several companies offer is a Job Placement Assistance program. This is designed to steer you into your first IT role. Sometimes, people are too impressed with this facility, as it is actually not that hard for any motivated and trained individual to get a job in this industry – as there is such a shortage of skilled employees.

Help with your CV and interview techniques might be provided (alternatively, check out one of our sites for help). Make sure you bring your CV right up to date right away – don’t wait until you’ve finished your exams! You’ll often find that you will get your initial job whilst you’re still studying (even when you’ve just left first base). If your CV doesn’t say what you’re learning – or it’s not getting in front of interviewers, then you won’t even be considered! You’ll normally experience better results from a specialised and independent local recruitment service than you’ll get from a training provider’s employment division, as they will be more familiar with the area and local employers.

Essentially, as long as you focus the same level of energy into finding a job as into training, you won’t have any problems. A number of men and women curiously spend hundreds of hours on their training and studies and just give up once certified and seem to suppose that interviewers know they’re there.

Considering an MCSE? Then it’s likely that you’ll fall into one of two camps: You’re someone with a certain amount of knowledge and you’d like to gain accreditation with an MCSE certification. Or you might be just about to enter the computer workplace, and you’ve found there is a great need for people with the right qualifications.

During your research, you’ll hit upon training providers that short-change you by not upgrading their courses to the latest Microsoft version. Stay away from these companies as you will face problems with the present exams. If your knowledge is of the wrong version, it could be impossible to pass. Training colleges should be devoted to finding the right path for their clients. Directing learning is equally about helping people to work out where to go, as much as giving them help to get there.

What is the reason why traditional academic studies are less in demand than the more qualifications from the commercial sector? With an ever-increasing technical demand on resources, the IT sector has of necessity moved to the specialised core-skills learning that can only be obtained from the actual vendors – in other words companies like CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA. This frequently provides reductions in both cost and time. Higher education courses, for example, often get bogged down in vast amounts of background study – and a syllabus that’s too generalised. This holds a student back from learning the core essentials in sufficient depth.

What if you were an employer – and you required somebody who had very specific skills. What should you do: Pore through a mass of different academic qualifications from hopeful applicants, having to ask what each has covered and which trade skills they have, or choose particular accreditations that exactly fulfil your criteria, and make your short-list 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.

The perhaps intimidating chore of landing your first computer related job can be relieved by some training providers because they offer a Job Placement Assistance facility. The honest truth is that it’s not as hard as some people make out to secure employment – as long as you’ve got the necessary skills and qualifications; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.

Having said that, it’s important to have advice and support about your CV and interviews though; also we would encourage everyone to update their CV as soon as training commences – don’t delay until you’ve qualified. You’ll often find that you will get your initial role while still studying (even in the early stages). If your course details aren’t on your CV – or it’s not getting in front of interviewers, then you won’t even be considered! Most often, a specialist locally based recruitment consultant or service (who will get paid by the employer when they’ve placed you) will perform better than any centralised training company’s service. In addition, they will no doubt be familiar with the local industry and employment needs.

In a nutshell, as long as you put the same commitment into landing your first IT position as into training, you won’t have any problems. A number of trainees bizarrely spend hundreds of hours on their learning program and then call a halt once they’ve got certified and seem to expect employers to find them.

It’s important to understand: the training itself or a qualification isn’t what this is about; the job or career that you’re getting the training for is. Too many training companies place too much importance on just the training course. It’s a sad fact, but thousands of new students commence training that sounds fabulous from the sales literature, but which provides a job that doesn’t satisfy. Talk to many university students for a real eye-opener.

You must also consider your leanings around career progression and earning potential, and whether you intend to be quite ambitious. You need to know what (if any) sacrifices you’ll need to make for a particular role, which particular exams are required and in what way you can develop commercial experience. Speak to an experienced industry professional who has a background in the industry you’re considering, and could provide an in-depth explanation of what you actually do in that role. Getting all these things right long before starting out on a training course will save you both time and money.

The area most overlooked by people mulling over a new direction is the issue of ‘training segmentation’. Essentially, this is the method used to break up the program for drop-shipping to you, which completely controls the point you end up at. Typically, you will join a program staged over 2 or 3 years and get posted one section at a time – from one exam to the next. It seems to make sense on one level, but consider these issues: What would their reaction be if you find it difficult to do each element within the time limits imposed? Often the staged order won’t fit you as well as some other structure would for you.

To provide the maximum security and flexibility, many trainees now want to insist that all study materials are sent immediately, and not in a piecemeal fashion. It’s then up to you in which order and at what speed you want to work.

There are colossal changes coming via technology over the next few decades – and the industry becomes more ground-breaking every year. Many people are of the opinion that the revolution in technology we’ve been going through is easing off. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have yet to experience incredible advances, and the internet significantly will be the most effective tool in our lives.

The typical IT technician throughout Britain has been shown to earn significantly more than fellow workers in other market sectors. Average remuneration packages are some of the best to be had nationwide. Demand for properly certified IT professionals is assured for a good while yet, thanks to the continuous development in the technology industry and the very large shortage still present.

CompTIA A+ computer training comprises of 4 specialised sectors – you’ll need exam certification in just two sectors to reach the level of competent in A+. You’ll find that most colleges limit their course to 2 of the four in the syllabus. We consider that this is too much of a compromise – of course you can gain accreditation, but training on all 4 will give you greater confidence in industry, where you’ll need to know about all of them. That’s the reason why you deserve training in all four areas.

Once on the A+ training program you’ll be taught 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. In addition, you could look to think about adding Network+ training to your A+ as you’ll then be in a position to work with networks, which means greater employment benefits.

Have a conversation with almost any specialised advisor and they can normally tell you many terrible tales of how students have been duped by salespeople. Make sure you deal with a skilled professional who quizzes you to uncover the best thing for you – not for their paycheque! You must establish an ideal starting-point that fits you. Where you have a strong background, or maybe some live experience (maybe some existing accreditation?) then it could be that the level you’ll need to start at will be quite dissimilar from someone who is just starting out. Starting with a basic PC skills course first is often the best way to commence your computer studies, but depends on your skill level.

A lot of training companies only provide office hours or extended office hours support; very few go late in the evening or at weekends. Always avoid study programmes that only provide support to you via a call-centre messaging service when it’s outside of usual working hours. Training organisations will give you every excuse in the book why you don’t need this. The bottom line is – support is required when it’s required – not at times when they find it cheaper to provide it.

If you look properly, you’ll find the top providers that recommend and use direct-access online support all the time – even in the middle of the night. Seek out an educator that offers this level of study support. Because only live 24×7 round-the-clock support truly delivers for technical programs.

So many training providers only look at the plaque to hang on your wall, and completely miss what it’s all actually about – which will always be getting the job or career you want. Always begin with the end in mind – don’t get hung-up on the training vehicle. Students often train for a single year but end up doing the job for 20 years. Don’t make the error of opting for what may seem to be a very ‘interesting’ program and then put 10-20 years into something you don’t even enjoy!

It’s a good idea to understand the exact expectations industry will have. What precise certifications you’ll be required to have and how you’ll go about getting some commercial experience. It’s definitely worth spending time thinking about how far you’d like to go as it will often present a very specific set of accreditations. Long before starting a training program, trainees are advised to chat over the exact job requirements with an industry professional, to make sure the study course covers everything needed.

We can see a glut of work available in the IT industry. Arriving at the correct choice for you is generally problematic. Flicking through lists of IT career possibilities is a complete waste of time. Surely, most of us don’t really appreciate what our own family members do for a living – so we have no hope of understanding the intricacies of any specific IT role. Ultimately, any kind of right decision only comes via a systematic analysis of several unique areas:

* Personalities play an important part – what gives you a ‘kick’, and what tasks ruin your day.

* For what reasons you’re moving into computing – maybe you’d like to triumph over a particular goal like firing your boss and working for yourself maybe.

* Any personal or home needs that are important to you?

* Learning what typical job types and markets are – including what sets them apart.

* The time and energy you’ll have available to spend on the training program.

The best way to avoid all the jargon and confusion, and discover what’ll really work for you, have an in-depth discussion with an industry-experienced advisor; someone that can impart the commercial reality while explaining each accreditation.

‘Exam Guarantees’ are often bundled with training offers – this always means you have to pay for the exams at the start of your training. Before you jump at a course with such a promise, why not be aware of the facts:

Obviously it’s not free – you are paying for it – the cost has just been rolled into the whole training package. We all want to pass first time. Progressively working through your exams one at a time and paying as you go makes it far more likely you’ll pass first time – you revise thoroughly and think carefully about the costs.

Why pay a training college up-front for exam fees? Find the best exam deal or offer when you’re ready, rather than pay marked up fees – and take it closer to home – instead of miles away at the college’s beck and call. Including money in your training package for examination fees (plus interest – if you’re financing your study) is madness. It’s not your job to boost the training company’s account with your hard-earned cash simply to help their cash-flow! A lot bank on the fact that you don’t even take them all – so they don’t need to pay for them. Pay heed to the fact that, in the majority of cases of ‘exam guarantees’ – the company decides when you are allowed to do a re-take. You’ll have to prove conclusively that you can pass before they’ll pay for another exam.

Paying maybe a thousand pounds extra on an ‘Exam Guarantee’ is foolish – when a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools is what will really see you through.

If it weren’t for a steady stream of well educated PC and network support staff, commercial enterprise in the United Kingdom (and around the world) would surely be drawn to a standstill. We have an ever growing requirement for technically able people to support both users and the systems they work with. The nation’s requirement for increasing numbers of skilled and qualified individuals grows, as we become consistently more dependent upon computers in the modern world.

Every program under consideration should always lead to a commercially valid accreditation at the finale – not some little ‘in-house’ diploma – fit only for filing away and forgetting. Only nationally recognised examinations from the top companies like Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA and Adobe will have any meaning to employers.

A so-called advisor who doesn’t dig around with lots of question – chances are they’re really a salesperson. If they wade straight in with a specific product before looking at your personality and current experience level, then it’s definitely the case. In some circumstances, the starting point of study for a trainee with some experience is hugely different to the student with no experience. If you’re a new trainee starting IT studies and exams anew, it’s often a good idea to ease in gradually, starting with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first. Usually this is packaged with any educational course.

Locating job security in this economic down-turn is very rare. Businesses often remove us from the workforce with very little notice – as long as it fits their needs. But a sector experiencing fast growth, where there just aren’t enough staff to go round (as there is a massive shortage of properly qualified staff), provides a market for true job security.

Looking at the computing sector, a key e-Skills investigation brought to light an over 26 percent skills deficit. Meaning that for each 4 job positions available in IT, we have only 3 certified professionals to perform that task. Appropriately skilled and commercially accredited new staff are therefore at a resounding premium, and it looks like they will be for a long time. It would be hard to imagine if a better time or market state of affairs could exist for obtaining certification in this rapidly expanding and budding sector.

It’s important to understand: a actual training or a qualification isn’t the end-goal; the job or career that you want to end up in is. Too many training companies over-emphasise just the training course. You could be training for only a year and end up doing a job for a lifetime. Avoid the mistake of choosing what sounds like a very ‘interesting’ program and then put 10-20 years into a job you don’t like!

Never let your focus stray from where you want to go, and create a learning-plan from that – avoid getting them back-to-front. Keep your eyes on your goals and ensure that you’re training for a career that will keep you happy for many years. Have a conversation with an experienced industry advisor that has a commercial understanding of the realities faced in the industry, and could provide a detailed run-down of the kind of things you’ll be doing on a daily basis. Contemplating this before starting out on a retraining path will prevent a lot of wasted time and effort.

It’s essential to have the current Microsoft (or any other key organisation’s) accredited exam simulation and preparation packages. Steer clear of depending on non-official exam preparation systems. The terminology of their questions is often somewhat different – and this leads to huge confusion in the actual examination. Clearly, it’s very important to ensure that you’ve thoroughly prepared for your final certified exam prior to going for it. Rehearsing ‘mock’ tests logs the information in your brain and saves you time and money on failed exams.

Congratulations! Reading this subject matter suggests you’re pondering over your options, and if it’s re-training you’re considering you’ve already done more than most. Can you believe that a small minority of us consider ourselves contented at work – yet the vast majority of us won’t do a thing about it. We implore you to break free and take action – you have the rest of your life to enjoy it.

For those thinking of re-training, it’s vital that you first make a list of your expectations from the position you would like to get. You need to know that things would be a lot better before you spend time and effort altering your life’s plans. Prudence suggests looking at the big picture first, to make the right judgements:

* Is it your preference to work in isolation or perhaps being around others is an essential criteria for you?

* Which criteria’s are important to you when considering the market sector you’ll be employed in?

* Once your training has been completed, would you like this skill to take you through to retirement?

* Do you feel uncomfortable with regard to the possibility of new employment opportunities, and keeping a job all the way until retirement?

Pay attention to the IT industry, that’s our recommendation – it’s one of the few market sectors still on the grow in the UK and Europe. Salaries are also more generous than most.

Students who consider this area of study are usually quite practically-minded, and don’t really enjoy classrooms, and slogging through piles of books. If you’re thinking this sounds like you, try the newer style of interactive study, where you can learn everything on-screen. If we can utilise all of our senses into our learning, then we normally see dramatically better results.

Fully interactive motion videos with demonstrations and practice sessions will turn you off book-based study for ever more. And they’re a lot more fun to do. Be sure to get a training material demonstration from the training company. The package should contain expert-led demonstrations, slideshows and interactive labs where you get to practice.

You’ll find that many companies will only provide training that is purely available online; sometimes you can get away with this – but, imagine the problems if you lose your internet access or you get slow speeds and down-time etc. It’s preferable to have DVD or CD discs which will not have these problems.

The area most overlooked by people mulling over a new direction is the issue of ‘training segmentation’. This is essentially the method used to break up the program to be delivered to you, which makes a huge difference to where you end up. A release of your materials one piece at a time, according to your exam schedule is how things will normally arrive. This sounds logical, but you might like to consider this: What if you don’t finish every single section? And what if the order provided doesn’t meet your requirements? Because of nothing that’s your fault, you mightn’t complete everything fast enough and not receive all the modules you’ve paid for.

An ideal situation would be to have every piece of your study pack sent to you immediately; every single thing! Then, nothing can hinder your capability of finishing.

One fatal mistake that potential students often succumb to is to choose a career based on a course, instead of focusing on the desired end-result. Training academies are full of students that chose a program because it looked interesting – in place of something that could gain them an enjoyable career or job. Don’t let yourself become one of those unfortunate people who set off on a track that seems ‘fun’ or ‘interesting’ – only to end up with a qualification for a job they hate.

It’s a good idea to understand what expectations industry may have of you. Which accreditations they will want you to have and how to gain experience. You should also spend a little time thinking about how far you reckon you’re going to want to progress your career as often it can affect your choice of exams. Before you embark on a study course, you’d be well advised to chat over the exact career requirements with a skilled professional, so as to be sure the study programme covers everything needed.

You should only consider learning paths that’ll lead to commercially acknowledged qualifications. There’s a plethora of small colleges pushing ‘in-house’ certificates which will prove unusable in the real world. From a commercial standpoint, only the top companies such as Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA (to give some examples) really carry any commercial clout. Anything less just won’t hit the right spot.

Chat with a skilled consultant and you’ll be surprised by their many awful tales of how students have been duped by salespeople. Stick to an industry professional who asks lots of questions to uncover the best thing for you – not for their pay-packet! Dig until you find the right starting point of study for you. Where you have a strong background, or sometimes a little real-world experience (possibly even some previous certification?) then obviously your starting level will be very different from a student that is completely new to the industry. For students embarking on IT studies for the first time, it can be useful to break yourself in gently, kicking off with user-skills and software training first. This is often offered with most training programs.

If you’re ready to get certified at the MCSA level of study, the latest courses available are based on CD and DVD ROM’s using interactive, hands-on study. So if you have a certain amount of knowledge but are hoping to formalise your skills with certification, or are new to the industry, there are interactive MCSA training programs to cater for you. For a newcomer to the industry, it’s likely to be vital to improve your skill-set ahead of getting involved in your MCP exams that are necessary to become qualified at the MCSA level. Find a company that will create an ideal program to suit your requirements – with industry experts who will work with you to guarantee that your choices are good ones.

The way a programme is physically sent to you is usually ignored by most students. How many parts is the training broken down into? And in what order and what control do you have at what pace it arrives? Normally, you’ll enrol on a course that takes between and 1 and 3 years and receive one element at a time until graduation. This may seem sensible until you think about these factors: What if for some reason you don’t get to the end of every single exam? And what if you find the order of the modules counter-intuitive? Without any fault on your part, you may go a little slower and therefore not end up with all the modules.

To avoid any potential future issues, it’s normal for most trainees to request that all their modules (now paid for) are delivered immediately, and not in stages. It’s then up to you in which order and at what speed you want to work.

IT has become one of the more thrilling and changing industries that you can get into right now. To be working on the cutting-edge of technology means you’re a part of the huge progress shaping life over the next few decades. Technological changes and dialogue on the web will radically shape our lives over future years; incredibly so.

Wages in the IT sector aren’t to be ignored moreover – the usual income throughout Britain for an average man or woman in IT is considerably higher than average salaries nationally. It’s a good bet that you’ll earn a whole lot more than you could reasonably hope to get in other industries. It’s no secret that there is a substantial UK-wide requirement for trained and qualified IT technicians. Also, as growth in the industry shows little sign of contracting, it looks like this pattern will continue for quite some time to come.

It’s important to understand: a actual training program or a certification is not the ultimate goal; the career you’re training for is. Too many training companies place too much importance on the qualification itself. You may train for one year and then end up performing the job-role for decades. Avoid the mistake of finding what seems like a program of interest to you only to waste your life away with something you don’t even enjoy!

Get to grips with what you want to earn and the level of your ambition. This will influence what precise accreditations you will need and what industry will expect from you in return. Have a chat with a professional advisor who has a commercial understanding of the realities faced in the industry, and is able to give you a detailed run-down of the kind of things you’ll be doing on a daily basis. Researching these areas well before you start on any learning program makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?

Frequently, the normal IT hopeful has no idea where to start with IT, let alone which sector is worth considering for retraining. Since having no commercial background in Information Technology, how could any of us know what anyone doing a particular job actually does? Reflection on several factors is vital if you need to reveal the right solution that will work for you:

* What hobbies you’re involved with in your spare-time – often these define what areas will provide a happy working life.

* Is your focus to obtain training for a precise reason – for example, are you looking at working at home (self-employment possibly?)?

* What priority do you place on travelling time and locality vs salary?

* Often, trainees don’t consider the time involved to gain all the necessary accreditation.

* You need to appreciate the differences between the myriad of training options.

For most of us, sifting through so much data will require meeting with an experienced pro that has direct industry experience. And we’re not only talking about the certifications – but the commercial expectations and needs of the market as well.

Review the following facts and pay great regard to them if you think that over-used sales technique about ‘guaranteeing’ exams sounds like a benefit to the student:

You’re paying for it one way or another. It certainly isn’t free – they’ve simply charged more for the whole training package. The fact is that when students fund each progressive exam, at the time of taking them, they will be much more likely to qualify each time – as they are conscious of their payment and their application will be greater.

Does it really add up to pay a training college at the start of the course for examinations? Find the best deal you can at the time, rather than coughing up months or even a year or two in advance – and take it closer to home – rather than in some remote place. Why borrow the money or pay in advance (plus interest of course) on examinations when you don’t need to? A great deal of money is made by companies charging all their exam fees up-front – and then hoping that you won’t take them all. The majority of organisations will insist on pre-tests and with-hold subsequent exam entries from you until you have proved to them you have a good chance of passing – making an ‘exam guarantee’ just about worthless.

VUE and Prometric examinations are currently clocking in at an average of 112 pounds in the UK. What’s the point of paying huge charges for ‘Exam Guarantees’ (usually wrapped up in the course package price) – when good quality study materials, the proper support and exam preparation systems and a dose of commitment and effort are what’s required.

For anyone looking to get into a web design team, Adobe Dreamweaver training is an absolute must to gain professional qualifications acknowledged around the world. The entire Adobe Web Creative Suite should also be learned in-depth. This will mean you have knowledge of Flash and Action Script, amongst others, and will put you on track to gain your Adobe Certified Professional or an Adobe Certified Expert accreditation.

In order to become a well-rounded web professional however, you’ll have to get more diverse knowledge. You’ll need to study various programming essentials like HTML, PHP and database engines like MySQL. A good understanding of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and E-Commerce will help when talking to employers.

Many trainers supply a practical Job Placement Assistance service, to assist your search for your first position. Don’t get overly impressed with this service – it’s quite easy for training companies to overplay it. At the end of the day, the need for well trained IT people in the United Kingdom is what will make you attractive to employers.

Ideally you should have advice and support about your CV and interviews though; and we’d encourage any student to get their CV updated right at the beginning of their training – don’t put it off for when you’re ready to start work. Being considered a ‘maybe’ is better than being rejected. Many junior support roles are offered to students (who’ve only just left first base.) Normally you’ll get quicker service from a specialised and independent local recruitment service than you’ll get from a course provider’s national service, as they will understand the local industry and employment needs.

A good number of students, so it seems, conscientiously work through their course materials (sometimes for years), and then just stop instead of looking for a job. Sell yourself… Work hard to get yourself known. Good jobs don’t just knock on your door.

You have to be sure that all your certifications are commercially valid and current – don’t bother with programmes which lead to some in-house certificate (which is as useless as if you’d printed it yourself). You’ll discover that only industry recognised qualifications from companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA and Adobe will mean anything to employers.

If you forget everything else – then just remember this: It’s essential to obtain proper 24×7 round-the-clock professional support from mentors and instructors. Later, you’ll kick yourself if you don’t. Never buy certification programs which can only support you through a message system after office-staff have gone home. Training organisations will always try to hide the importance of this issue. The bottom line is – you want to be supported when you need the help – not at times when they find it cheaper to provide it.

We recommend that you search for colleges that utilise many support facilities active in different time-zones. These should be integrated to give a single entry point as well as access round-the-clock, when it suits you, with no fuss. Never make do with less than this. Online 24×7 support is really your only option for IT training. Maybe burning the midnight-oil is not your thing; but for the majority of us however, we’re working while the support is live.

Validated exam simulation and preparation software is crucial – and must be sought from your training supplier. Because a lot of examination boards in IT tend to be American, you need to become familiar with their phraseology. It’s no use just going through the right questions – they have to be in the same format as the actual exams. It’s a good idea to ask for testing modules that will allow you to check your comprehension at any point. Mock exams prepare you properly – so the real thing isn’t quite as scary.

Get rid of a salesperson that offers any particular course without an in-depth conversation to better understand your current abilities and also your experience level. Ensure that they have a large range of products so they can solve your training issues. An important point to note is that, if you have some relevant work-experience or certification, then you may be able to commence studying further along than a trainee with no history to speak of. If this is going to be your initial crack at studying to take an IT exam then you may want to cut your teeth on some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first.

What are the sort of things you’d expect the finest Microsoft accredited suppliers to offer a client in the UK today? Obviously, the very best Gold Partner training tracks certified by Microsoft, providing a range of options to lead you to a variety of careers in the IT workplace. You may wish to discuss all the different permutations with someone who has knowledge of the commercial needs of the market, and has the ability to guide you towards the most appropriate area to go with your personal characteristics. When you’ve chosen the career path you want, a suitable training program needs to be chosen that’s goes with your ability level and skill set. Make sure it’s well designed for you.

Have a conversation with almost any specialised consultant and they’ll entertain you with many terrible tales of how students have been duped by salespeople. Ensure you only ever work with a skilled advisor that asks lots of questions to uncover the best thing for you – not for their wallet! It’s very important to locate a starting-point that will suit you. With a bit of commercial experience or certification, you may find that your starting point is now at a different level to a new student. If you’re a student beginning IT exams and training from scratch, you might like to avoid jumping in at the deep-end, beginning with user-skills and software training first. This is often offered with most training packages.

For the most part, your typical IT hopeful has no idea how they should get into IT, let alone which area they should be considering getting trained in. After all, if you don’t have any understanding of the IT industry, how are you equipped to know what any qualified IT worker actually does day-to-day? Let alone decide on which certification program will be most suitable for your success. Achieving the right decision only comes through a systematic analysis of many changing areas:

* Our personalities play an important role – what things get your juices flowing, and what tasks get you down.

* What sort of time-frame do you want for your training?

* Where do you stand on salary vs the travel required?

* There are many ways to train in Information Technology – you’ll need to gain a basic understanding of what separates them.

* You have to appreciate the differences between each area of training.

To cut through all the jargon and confusion, and discover the best path to success, have an informal chat with an industry expert and advisor; a person that can impart the commercial reality and of course all the qualifications.

Don’t accept anything less than authorised exam simulation and preparation programs included in the package you choose. Due to the fact that a lot of examining boards for IT are from the USA, you must be prepared for the way exams are phrased. It’s no use simply going through the right questions – it’s essential that you can cope with them in the proper exam format. Obviously, it’s very important to ensure that you are completely prepared for the real exam prior to going for it. Rehearsing mock-up tests helps build your confidence and saves you time and money on unsuccessful attempts at exams.

Make sure that all your accreditations are what employers want – forget studies that lead to in-house certificates. All the major commercial players such as Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA all have globally approved skills courses. These heavyweights will give some sparkle to your CV.

Think about the following facts in detail if you believe that over-used sales technique about examination guarantees seems like a good idea:

You’ll be charged for it one way or another. One thing’s for sure – it isn’t free – they’ve simply charged more for the whole training package. If you want to qualify first ‘go’, you must avoid exam guarantees and pay when entering exams, give it the necessary attention and apply yourself as required.

Sit the exam as locally as possible and look for the very best offer you can at the time. Many questionable training companies make big margins by charging for exams at the start of the course and cashing in if they’re not all taken. Don’t forget, in the majority of cases of ‘exam guarantees’ – the company controls how often and when you can re-take the exam. You will have to demonstrate an excellent pass-rate before they’ll approve a re-take.

Splashing out often many hundreds of pounds extra on ‘Exam Guarantees’ is short-sighted – when study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is actually the key to your success.

Should you be wanting to study to get an MCSE, it’s probable that you fall into one of the following categories. You’re either just starting to enter the world of IT, and you’ve found the IT industry has many opportunities for people with the right qualifications. Alternatively you may be someone with a certain amount of knowledge attempting to gain accreditation with the Microsoft qualification.

Always make sure you check that your training company is actually training you on the latest version from Microsoft. Many trainees become very demoralised when they realise they’ve been learning from an old version of MCSE which will have to be revised. Don’t be pushed into a computer course before you feel comfortable. Find a training company that will put effort into advising you on an appropriate training track for your needs.

Of course: the training itself or an accreditation isn’t the end-goal; the particular job that you want is. Too many training companies place too much importance on the qualification itself. It’s an awful thing, but the majority of trainees commence training that sounds fabulous in the syllabus guide, but which gets us a career that doesn’t fulfil at all. Talk to many university leavers for examples.

Take time to understand how you feel about career development, earning potential, and if you’re ambitious or not. It’s vital to know what industry expects from you, which particular qualifications will be required and how you’ll gain real-world experience. Our recommendation would be to look for advice and guidance from an experienced professional before embarking on a learning program, so you’re sure from the outset that the content of a learning package provides the appropriate skill-set.

One interesting way that colleges make a lot more is through up-front charges for exams and then including an ‘Exam Guarantee’. This looks like a great idea for the student, until you think it through:

It’s become essential these days that we’re a tad more knowledgeable about sales gimmicks – and generally we realise that of course we’re actually paying for it – it’s not because they’re so generous they want to give something away! The fact is that if students pay for their relevant examinations, one by one, the chances are they’re going to pass every time – because they’re aware of what they’ve paid and therefore will put more effort into their preparation.

Does it really add up to pay the training company early for exams? Find the best deal you can at the appropriate time, instead of paying any mark-up – and do it locally – rather than in some remote place. Considerable numbers of unscrupulous training providers secure huge profits by getting paid 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 you should consider what an ‘exam guarantee’ really means. The majority of organisations won’t pay for you to re-take until you have demonstrated conclusively that you won’t fail again.

Paying maybe a thousand pounds extra on ‘Exam Guarantees’ is foolish – when study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really see you through.

One area often overlooked by those considering a training program is that of ‘training segmentation’. This is essentially the method used to break up the program to be delivered to you, which completely controls where you end up. Many companies enrol you into some sort of program spread over 1-3 years, and deliver each piece one-by-one as you finish each section. If you think this sound logical, then consider this: Students often discover that their providers standard order of study is not what they would prefer. You may find that a different order of study is more expedient. And what if you don’t get to the end at the pace they expect?

To be straight, the best solution is to have their ideal ‘order’ of training laid out, but make sure you have all of your learning modules right from the beginning. You then have everything in case you don’t finish within their ideal time-table.

With so much choice, is it any wonder that a large majority of career changers have no idea which career they will enjoy. Therefore, if you don’t have any know-how of the IT market, what chance is there for you to know what someone in a particular field does each day? How can you possibly choose which certification program will be most suitable for ultimate success. Often, the key to unlocking this quandary in the best manner flows from a thorough talk over several areas:

* Your individual personality as well as your interests – the sort of working tasks you love or hate.

* Is your focus to re-train for a precise raison d’etre – e.g. do you aim to work from home (being your own boss?)?

* Where is the salary on a scale of importance – is it very important, or is job satisfaction further up on your list of priorities?

* With everything that IT encompasses, you really need to be able to see what’s different.

* Our advice is to think deeply about what kind of effort and commitment you’re going to invest in gaining your certifications.

For the average person, considering these areas tends to require the help of someone that has direct industry experience. Not only the qualifications – you also need to understand the commercial needs and expectations of industry too.

Many people question why traditional academic studies are being replaced by more commercial certificates? The IT sector now acknowledges that for an understanding of the relevant skills, certified accreditation from the likes of CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA most often has much more specialised relevance – for much less time and money. They do this through concentrating on the skill-sets required (together with a relevant amount of associated knowledge,) as opposed to trawling through all the background ‘extras’ that academic courses are prone to get tied up in (to fill up a syllabus or course).

Think about if you were the employer – and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. What is easier: Go through loads of academic qualifications from hopeful applicants, having to ask what each has covered and which commercial skills they’ve acquired, or pick out specific commercial accreditations that perfectly fit your needs, and then select who you want to interview from that. You’ll then be able to concentrate on getting a feel for the person at interview – instead of having to work out if they can do the job.

The CCNA certification is where it all starts for training in Cisco. This will enable you to deal with the maintenance and installation of routers and network switches. Fundamentally, the internet is based upon huge numbers of routers, and many large organisations that have a number of branches rely on them to keep their networks in touch.

To take this course, you should be clear on how computer networks operate and function, as networks are built with routers. If not, it’s likely you’ll run into difficulties. Why not find a course teaching basic networking skills – perhaps Network+ and A+, and then do a CCNA course. Some companies will design a bespoke package for you.

Having the skills and comprehension in advance of commencing your Cisco training is very important. So talk to someone who will know what you need.

Workshop days get pushed as a strong aspect by a lot of certification companies. After chatting with most computer industry hopefuls who have partaken in a couple, you’ll likely realise that they’ve now become a major negative because of many things:

* All the travelling required – lots of journeys and sometimes hundreds of miles a time.

* For those of us that work, then weekday workshops are difficult to make. You could be having to deal with at least 2, if not 3 days in a row.

* Most of us discover 4 weeks holiday each year doesn’t go very far. Use up a good 50 percent of that for training workshops and you’ll experience even more problems.

* Classes sometimes reach their maximum intake very quickly, so we end up having to take a slot that doesn’t really suit.

* Workshop pace – workshops can have trainees of varying aptitude, so tension develops between the quicker-learners and the ones who need a little longer.

* Many students speak about the high (and unexpected) costs associated with getting transport to and from the training venue whilst paying for accommodation and food gets very expensive.

* A lot of trainees want study privacy thus avoiding all come-back whilst in their current job.

* Asking questions in the presence of other class-mates sometimes makes any one of us feel uncomfortable. Would you admit that you’ve occasionally avoided posing a question just because you honestly thought you might seem thick?

* Working and living away – a fair few students find they’re living or working away for part of the programme. Classes are therefore hard to get to, but the monies have already been handed over in your initial payment.

The ultimate convenience is by viewing a pre-filmed lesson – having instructor-led teaching on hand whenever you wish. Study from home on your PC or if you have laptop, why not get outside if the weather’s nice. If you’ve got questions, then use the provided 24×7 live support (that should come with any technical program.) You’ll never have to write notes again – you have the lessons and accompanying information ready-made for you. If you want to re-do anything, just do it. Essentially: You avoid a bunch of hassle, save money and time, and steer clear of killing more trees.

All programs you’re considering really needs to work up to a widely recognised certification as an end-result – and not a worthless ‘in-house’ diploma – fit only for filing away and forgetting. The main industry leaders like Microsoft, Adobe, CompTIA or Cisco all have widely approved proficiency programs. Major-league companies like these will ensure your employability.

Starting from the viewpoint that we have to find the area of most interest first and foremost, before we’re able to consider what career development program ticks the right boxes, how are we supposed to find the right path? Since with no commercial skills in the IT industry, in what way could we be expected to know what any job actually involves? Contemplation on these factors is imperative when you need to discover the right solution that will work for you:

* Which type of individual you think yourself to be – what tasks do you get enjoyment from, plus of course – what don’t you like doing.

* Are you hoping to obtain training for a specific raison d’etre – e.g. are you pushing to work based at home (maybe self-employment?)?

* Is your income higher on your priority-list than other factors.

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

* You should also think long and hard about the amount of time and effort you’re going to invest in the accreditation program.

Ultimately, the best way of covering these is via a meeting with someone who has enough background to give you the information required.