When choosing any computer training program it is very important that the certification you will gain appropriates with the working world. Additionally, you should make sure that the course suits you, your personality and abilities. There’s lots to choose from with these courses – from basic office skills up to training courses for web designers, networkers programmers etc. Share your ideas before you take the plunge – talk to an advisor with knowledge of the industry. Somebody who you trust to pick the right specialist area for you – that’s both relevant to industry and leads to a job you’ll love. By taking advantage of the latest training methods and keeping overheads low, you will start to see a new kind of training company offering a finer level of training and support for considerably less than the more out-dated colleges.

At times individuals don’t catch on to what IT can do for us. It is stimulating, innovative, and means you’re doing your bit in the gigantic wave of technology affecting everyones lives in the 21st century. We’re only just starting to get to grips with how all this will mould and change our lives. How we interact with the world will be significantly affected by technology and the internet. And don’t forget that the average salary in IT in Great Britain is significantly better than in other market sectors, so in general you’ll probably earn much more with professional IT knowledge than you would in most typical jobs. As the IT industry keeps growing with no sign of a slow-down, the chances are that the requirement for well trained and qualified IT technicians will flourish for years to come.

What are the questions we need to pose if we’re to take in the understanding we want? After all, it’s evident there are some rather great possibilities for everyone to mull over.

Potential trainees eager to begin a career in IT often don’t know what direction is best, or even which market to get qualified in. How can we possibly grasp the day-to-day realities of any IT job when it’s an alien environment to us? We normally don’t even know anybody who works in that sector anyway. Generally, the way to deal with this question in the best manner comes from a thorough conversation around some important points: Your personal interests and hobbies – these often show the possibilities will satisfy you; What sort of time-frame do you want for the retraining, and what priority do you place on job satisfaction vs salary; With so many areas to train for in computing – it’s wise to pick up a basic understanding of what makes them different; together with having a serious look into the effort, commitment and time you can give. For the majority of us, getting to the bottom of these areas will require meeting with a professional who has direct industry experience. And we’re not only talking about the certifications – but also the commercial requirements of industry too.

It’s so important to understand this key point: It’s essential to obtain proper 24×7 round-the-clock professional support from mentors and instructors. We can tell you that you’ll strongly regret it if you don’t adhere to this. Find a good quality service where you can receive help at any time of day or night (even if it’s early hours on Sunday morning!) You want 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. Be on the lookout for providers that incorporate three or four individual support centres across multiple time-zones. Every one of them needs to be seamlessly combined to provide a single interface and also round-the-clock access, when you need it, with no hassle. Never make the mistake of compromise with the quality of your support. Many would-be IT professionals who fall by the wayside, just need the right support system.

Most trainers typically provide a bunch of books and manuals. This can be very boring and not a very good way of taking things in. Where we can study while utilising as many senses as possible, then we often see hugely increased memory retention as a result. 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 find things easier to remember through the expert demonstrations. Then you test your knowledge by using practice-lab’s. Any company that you’re considering should be able to show you a few examples of their courseware. You should hope for instructor-led videos and a variety of interactive modules. It’s unwise to opt for on-line only training. With highly variable reliability and quality from the ISP (internet service provider) market, you should always obtain physical media such as CD or DVD ROM’s.

The way in which your courseware is broken down for you is usually ignored by most students. How many parts is the training broken down into? And in what sequence and do you have a say in when you’ll get each part? Individual deliveries for each training module one stage at a time, according to your own speed is the usual method of releasing your program. This sounds logical, but you should take these factors into account: What if there are reasons why you can’t finish every single exam? Maybe the prescribed order won’t suit you? Through no fault of your own, you might take a little longer and not get all the study materials as a result. For maximum flexibility and safety, most students now choose to request that all their modules (now paid for) are delivered immediately, and not in stages. You can then decide in what order and how fast or slow you want to finish things.

The right sort of package of training will undoubtedly have accredited exam simulation and preparation packages. As the majority of IT examination boards are American, you must be prepared for the way exams are phrased. It’s not sufficient simply going through the right questions – they must be in an exam format that exactly replicates the real thing. Be sure to have some simulated exam questions so you can check your knowledge at all times. Practice or ‘mock’ exams will help to boost your attitude – then you won’t be quite so nervous at the actual exam.

The sometimes daunting task of landing your first job can be eased by some training providers because they offer a Job Placement Assistance service. The need for this feature can be bigged up out of proportion though – it’s quite easy for companies marketing departments to make too much of it. Ultimately, the huge shortage of staff in Britain is what will enable you to get a job. Work on polishing up your CV right away however (advice and support for this should come from your course provider). Don’t put it off until you’ve qualified. It’s not unusual to find that you will be offered your first job while you’re still a student (occasionally right at the beginning). If your CV doesn’t say what you’re learning (and it hasn’t been posted on jobsites) then you don’t stand a chance! The best services to help get you placed are normally local IT focused employment agencies. Because they get paid commission to place you, they’re perhaps more focused on results. To bottom line it, as long as you put the same commitment into finding a job as into training, you won’t have any problems. A number of men and women bizarrely spend hundreds of hours on their course materials and then call a halt once qualified and would appear to think that businesses will just discover them.

These days, many workplaces couldn’t function properly without the help of support workers fixing both computers and networks, while advising users on a day to day basis. The desire for such skilled and qualified members of the workforce is constantly growing, as everywhere we work becomes more and more technologically advanced.

Seeing as the computer market provides some outstanding career possibilities for everyone – what questions do we need to be posing and what elements carry the most importance?

Don’t get hung-up, as can often be the case, on the certification itself. Training is not an end in itself; this is about employment. Begin and continue with the end in mind. It’s a sad fact, but a large percentage of students commence training that sounds great in the prospectus, but which provide the end-result of a job which doesn’t satisfy. Speak to a selection of college graduates and you’ll see where we’re coming from. Stay tuned-in to what you want to achieve, and build your study action-plan from that – avoid getting them back-to-front. Stay focused on the end-goal and ensure that you’re training for something you’ll enjoy for years to come. It’s worth seeking guidance from someone that understands the market you think may suit you, and is able to give you ‘A day in the life of’ type of explanation for each job considered. All of these things are essential because you obviously have to know if this change is right for you.

Be careful that the exams you’re studying for are recognised by industry and are up-to-date. ‘In-house’ certificates are not normally useful in gaining employment. From an employer’s viewpoint, only the big-boys such as Microsoft, Adobe, CompTIA or Cisco (for example) provide enough commercial weight. Anything less just doesn’t cut the mustard.

Traditional teaching in classrooms, involving piles of reference textbooks, is usually pretty hard going. If this describes you, dig around for more practical courses which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. Where possible, if we can get all of our senses involved in our learning, then the results are usually dramatically better. Locate a program where you’ll receive a selection of DVD-ROM’s – you’ll learn by watching video tutorials and demonstrations, and be able to practice your skills in interactive lab’s. All companies must be pushed to demo some samples of the type of training materials they provide. Make sure you encounter videos of instructor-led classes and many interactive sections. You’ll find that many companies will only provide online training only; while you can get away with this much of the time, consider how you’ll deal with it if your access to the internet is broken or you get intermittent problems and speed issues. It’s much safer to rely on physical CD or DVD discs that don’t suffer from these broadband issues.

There is no way of over emphasising this: You have to get round-the-clock 24×7 professional support from mentors and instructors. We can tell you that you’ll strongly regret it if you don’t follow this rule rigidly. Locate training schools where you can access help at all hours of the day and night (no matter if it’s in the middle of the night on a weekend!) You’ll need direct-access to qualified mentors and tutors and not a message system as this will slow you down – constantly waiting for a call-back during office hours. The best training colleges opt for an internet-based round-the-clock system involving many support centres from around the world. You’re offered a simple environment that accesses the most appropriate office irrespective of the time of day: Support available as-and-when you want it. Find an educator that is worth purchasing from. Only proper live 24×7 round-the-clock support delivers what is required.

Adding in the cost of exams upfront then including an exam guarantee is a common method with a number of training colleges. But look at the facts: Clearly it isn’t free – you’re still footing the bill for it – it’s just been included in your package price. People who take each progressive exam, funding them one at a time are much better placed to get through first time. They are mindful of what they’ve paid and prepare more appropriately to be ready for the task. Doesn’t it make more sense to hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you take the exam, instead of paying a premium to a training company, and also to sit exams more locally – instead of the remote centre that’s convenient only to the trainer? Paying in advance for examinations (which also includes interest if you’ve taken out a loan) is madness. Resist being talked into filling the training company’s account with additional funds 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. Also, exam guarantees often have very little value. The majority of organisations won’t pay again for an exam until you’ve completely satisfied them that you’re ready this time. On average, exams cost around the 112 pounds mark last year through local VUE or Pro-metric centres throughout the country. So don’t be talked into shelling out hundreds or thousands of pounds more for ‘Exam Guarantees’, when common sense dictates that the responsible approach is study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams.

We’re regularly asked to explain why academic qualifications are being overtaken by more commercially accredited qualifications? As we require increasingly more effective technological know-how, industry has moved to the specialised core-skills learning only available through the vendors themselves – for example companies like CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA. This frequently provides reductions in both cost and time. Of course, a reasonable amount of relevant additional information must be learned, but essential specialised knowledge in the areas needed gives a commercially educated student a distinct advantage. It’s rather like the advert: ‘It does what it says on the tin’. The company just needs to know what they need doing and then match up the appropriate exam numbers as a requirement. They’ll know then that all applicants can do what they need.

Massive developments are coming via technology over the next few decades – and the industry becomes more ground-breaking every year. It’s a common misapprehension that the increase in technology we’ve been going through is cooling down. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are huge changes to come, and the internet in particular will become an increasingly dominant part of our lives. Should lifestyle be around the top on your goal sheet, then you’ll welcome the news that the regular income of a typical IT worker is much higher than salaries in other market sectors. Experts agree that there’s a great UK-wide search for certified IT specialists. In addition as the industry constantly develops, it is likely this pattern will continue for a good while yet.

The MCSA course is a recognised route for men and women looking to get into supporting networks. Whether you’re about to join the IT industry or are experienced already but need to formalise your skills with an acknowledged certification, the right training exists for you. If you’re considering joining the world of IT for the 1st time, it’s likely you’ll have to improve your skill-set before tackling the 4 MCP exams needed to become MCSA qualified. Search for a training organisation that will tailor your studying to fulfil your needs – it should be possible for you to talk this through with an advisor to sort out what the best way forward is for you.

Tuning into all this debate around computing technology these days, how are we supposed to recognize what in particular to look for – so that we may obtain the specifics we need to come to the right verdict for us?

Ask any expert consultant and they’ll entertain you with many awful tales of how students have been duped by salespeople. Stick to an experienced industry professional that asks some in-depth questions to find out what’s appropriate to you – not for their paycheque! It’s very important to locate the right starting point of study for you. If you’ve got a strong background, or sometimes a little work-based experience (maybe some existing accreditation?) then it’s likely the point from which you begin your studies will vary from someone with no background whatsoever. It’s wise to consider some basic user skills first. Beginning there can make the learning curve a much easier going.

Some training providers only provide basic 9am till 6pm support (maybe a little earlier or later on certain days); very few go late in the evening or at weekends. Locate training schools where you can receive help at any time of day or night (irrespective of whether it’s the wee hours on Sunday morning!) Make sure it’s always direct-access to qualified mentors and tutors and not access to a call-in service which takes messages – so you’re consistently being held in a queue for a call-back – probably during office hours. The very best programs tend to use an internet-based round-the-clock package utilising a variety of support centres across the globe. You will have a single, easy-to-use environment that switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres irrespective of the time of day: Support when you need it. Don’t accept second best when you’re looking for the right support service. The majority of trainees who throw in the towel, would have had a different experience if they’d got the right support package in the first place.

We’d hazard a guess that you’re a practical sort of person – a ‘hands-on’ personality 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 doesn’t suit your way of doing things. Consider interactive, multimedia study if books just don’t do it for you. Many studies have proved that memory is aided when we receive multi-sensorial input and get physically involved with the study process. The latest home-based training features easy-to-use DVD or CD ROM’s. Through instructor-led video classes you’ll find things easier to remember via the expert demonstrations. Then you test your knowledge by utilising the practice lab’s and modules. You must ensure that you see the type of training 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. Pick disc based courseware (On CD or DVD) whenever you can. You’re then protected from internet connection failure and issues with signal quality.

If you’re thinking of using a training school which still provides workshops as a feature of their programme, then take note of these problems reported by most trainees: Multiple round journeys – usually hundreds of miles each and every time… Workshop access; typically weekdays only and usually 2-3 days at a time. It’s not easy to get the leave of absence… Holiday days lost – the majority of employed people get just four weeks holiday each year. If half or more of that is used up by educational workshops, vacation time is going to be quite short for most student’s families… Training events invariably get too big.

And don’t forget: Maybe you like to work at a somewhat more suitable pace – rather than be dictated to by the rest of the class. This creates a lot of tension amongst the class… Quite a lot of students talk of the high costs involved with travelling back and forth to the training centre whilst paying for accommodation and food becomes prohibitively expensive… Most trainees would like to keep their training completely private thus avoiding all repercussions in their job… It’s quite usual for students not to pose the question that’s bugging them – simply because they’re surrounded by fellow attendees… Working and living away – many attendees need to live or work away for certain parts of the programme. Classes are therefore very difficult then, unfortunately the monies have already been handed over in your initial payment.

Surely it makes much more sense to study at a time that’s convenient for you – not the school – and make use of instructor-led videos with interactive lab’s. You can study at home on your desktop computer or use your laptop to enjoy the sun. Any questions; then get onto the live 24×7 support (that you should have insisted on for any technical study.) It doesn’t matter how regularly you want to re-do a section, video tutors aren’t ever likely to rush you! Plus, because of this, you don’t have to worry about any note-taking. It’s all there for you when you need it. The result: Much less stress and hassle, money saved, and you’ve avoided all travel.

Sometimes, individuals don’t catch on to what IT is about. It is electrifying, revolutionary, and means you’re working on technology that will affect us all over the next generation. Computer technology and communication via the internet is going to radically alter our lifestyles in the near future; incredibly so. Let’s not forget that on average, the income of a person in the IT market in the United Kingdom is considerably greater than the national average salary, therefore you will probably receive much more once qualified in IT than you’d expect to earn elsewhere. There is a considerable UK-wide search for qualified IT professionals. It follows that with the marketplace continuing to expand, it looks like this pattern will continue for years to come.

Computer training for CompTIA A+ covers four specialised areas – the requirement is exam passes in two of these areas to be seen as A+ competent. Because of this, most colleges limit their course to 2 of the four in the syllabus. We consider that this is selling you short – sure, you can pass an exam, but experience of all four will give you a distinct advantage in industry, where you’ll need to know about all of them. That’s why we believe you require information in all 4 specialities. A+ certification without additional courses will mean that you are able to repair and fix laptops, Macs and PC’s; ones that are most often not part of a network – which is for the most part the home market. Should you decide to add Network+ to your A+ course, you’ll also have the ability to take care of networks, which means you’ll be able to apply for more senior positions.

The world of information technology is amongst the most electrifying and revolutionary industries to be involved in today. Being up close and personal with technology is to do your bit in the gigantic changes that will impact the whole world for generations to come. We’re at the dawn of starting to understand how all this will mould and change our lives. How we interrelate with the rest of the world will be massively affected by technology and the web. Let’s not ignore salaries either – the income on average in the UK for a typical man or woman in IT is considerably greater than in the rest of the economy. It’s likely you’ll make a much better deal than you’d typically expect to bring in elsewhere. Excitingly, there’s no easing up for IT sector expansion across Britain. The market is continuing to expand rapidly, and with the skills shortage of over 26 percent that we’re experiencing, it’s highly unlikely that this will change significantly for quite some time to come.

Arriving at the most fitting career choice is hard enough – so what research do we need to do and what sort of questions should we raise?

It’s important to understand: a actual training or a certification isn’t the end-goal; a job that you want is. A lot of colleges seem to place too much importance on the qualification itself. You could be training for only a year and end up doing a job for a lifetime. Ensure you avoid the fatal error of taking what may be an ‘interesting’ course only to waste your life away with a job you hate! Never let your focus stray from what it is you’re trying to achieve, and build your study action-plan from that – avoid getting them back-to-front. Keep on track and begin studying for a job you’ll enjoy for years to come. Speak to an experienced advisor who has a background in the industry you’re considering, and is able to give you an in-depth explanation of what tasks are going to make up a typical day for you. Researching these areas before starting out on a training program will prevent a lot of wasted time and effort.

There is no way of over emphasising this: You absolutely must have proper 24×7 instructor and mentor support. You will have so many problems later if you let this one slide. Avoid, like the plague, any organisations who use messaging services ‘out-of-hours’ – where an advisor will call back during standard office hours. This is no use if you’re stuck and need an answer now. It’s possible to find the very best companies that offer online direct access support at all times – no matter what time of day it is. Never settle for less than you need and deserve. 24×7 support is the only way to go with technical learning. Perhaps you don’t intend to study during the evenings; often though, we’re out at work at the time when most support is available.

People attracted to this sort of work often have a very practical outlook on work, and won’t enjoy sitting at a desk in class, and struggling through thick study-volumes. If this is putting you off studying, try the newer style of interactive study, where you can learn everything on-screen. Research over recent years has consistently shown that connecting physically with our study, is far more likely to produce long-lasting memories. Locate a program where you’ll receive a library of CD and DVD based materials – you’ll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, with the facility to practice your skills in interactive lab’s. Don’t take any chances and look at some of the typical study materials provided before you sign on the dotted line. You should expect video tutorials, instructor demo’s and a variety of audio-visual and interactive sections. It’s unwise to opt for on-line only training. Because of the variable quality and reliability of all internet service providers, you should always obtain disc based courseware (On CD or DVD).

Most people don’t even think to ask about something of absolutely vital importance – the way their training provider divides up the training materials, and into how many separate packages. Typically, you will purchase a course requiring 1-3 years study and receive one element at a time until graduation. This sounds logical on one level, until you consider this: With thought, many trainees understand that the trainer’s usual training route isn’t as suitable as another. They might find it’s more expedient to use an alternative order of study. Perhaps you don’t make it in the allotted time? Truth be told, the best option is to obtain their recommendation on the best possible order of study, but to receive all the materials up-front. You’re then in possession of everything should you not complete it inside of their required time-scales.

You’ll come across courses which guarantee examination passes – inevitably that means paying for the exams before you’ve even made a start on the course. Before you jump at a course with such a promise, why not think about this: Everybody’s aware that they’re still being charged for it – it’s quite obvious to see that it’s been added into the overall price charged by the training company. It’s certainly not free (it’s just marketing companies think we’ll fall for anything they say!) Should you seriously need to get a first time pass, then the most successful route is to fund each exam as you take it, give it the necessary attention and give the task sufficient application. Does it really add up to pay your training company early for examinations? Hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you’re ready, instead of paying a premium – and sit exams more locally – rather than in some remote place. Is there a good reason to pay interest on a bigger loan than is necessary because you’ve paid early for examination fees when you didn’t need to? Huge profits are made by companies charging upfront for all their exams – and banking on the fact that many won’t be taken. Remember, with ‘Exam Guarantees’ from most places – they control when and how often you can re-take the exam. 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 foolish – when study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is actually the key to your success.

The sometimes daunting task of securing your first role in IT is often relieved by some companies, via a Job Placement Assistance programme. Because of the massive demand for appropriately skilled people in Great Britain even when times are hard, it’s not too important to make too much of this option though. It’s not as difficult as you may be led to believe to find employment as long as you’re correctly trained and certified. Whatever you do, don’t procrastinate and wait until you have completed your exams before bringing your CV up to date. Right at the beginning of your training, enter details of your study programme and get it out there! Many junior support jobs have been bagged by trainees who are still studying and have yet to take their exams. This will at least get your CV into the ‘possible’ pile and not the ‘no’ pile. The top companies to help you find a job are generally local IT focused employment agencies. As they’re keen to place you to receive their commission, they have the necessary incentive to try that bit harder. In a nutshell, as long as you focus the same level of energy into landing a job as into studying, you’re not likely to experience problems. A number of trainees curiously conscientiously work through their training and studies and then call a halt once certified and would appear to think that businesses will just discover them.

We all have busy lives, and most often if we want to learn a new profession, getting educated alongside a job is what we’re faced with. Microsoft certified training could be the answer. In addition, you may want to get advice on the careers that are available once you’ve qualified, and what sort of person those jobs might be right for. Many people prefer to discuss what would suit them individually. Training programs must be designed to meet your needs. Consequently, having worked out the right IT job for you, your next focus is the most applicable training course to get you there.

How can we go about making the right choice then? With all these possibilities, we have to know where we should dig – and of course, what to actually be looking for.

Beware of putting too much emphasis, as can often be the case, on the certification itself. Training is not an end in itself; this is about employment. Focus on the end-goal. Students often train for a single year but end up performing the job-role for decades. Ensure you avoid the fatal error of finding what seems like a program of interest to you and then put 10-20 years into a job you hate! It’s essential to keep your focus on what it is you’re trying to achieve, and then build your training requirements around that – don’t do it the other way round. Keep your eyes on your goals and study for a job that will keep you happy for many years. Seek help from an experienced industry professional that ‘gets’ the commercial realities of the area you’re interested in, and who can give you ‘A day in the life of’ synopsis of of what you’ll be doing during your working week. It makes good sense to discover if this is the right course of action for you long before you embark on your training program. There’s little reason in beginning your training only to find you’ve taken the wrong route.

Only consider study paths which will progress to commercially accepted exams. There are far too many small companies suggesting their own ‘in-house’ certificates which will prove unusable when it comes to finding a job. All the major IT organisations like Microsoft, Adobe, CompTIA or Cisco have internationally recognised proficiency programmes. These heavyweights can make sure you stand out at interview.

Proper support should never be taken lightly – locate a good company providing 24×7 full access, as not obtaining this level of support will severely hamper your progress. Never purchase study programmes that only provide support to trainees with a call-centre messaging system outside of normal office hours. Trainers will give you every excuse in the book why you don’t need this. Essentially – support is needed when it’s needed – not at times when they find it cheaper to provide it. The best training colleges opt for an online access round-the-clock facility combining multiple support operations from around the world. You will be provided with a single, easy-to-use interface which switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres no matter what time of day it is: Support when you need it. If you opt for less than direct-access 24×7 support, you’ll quickly find yourself regretting it. It may be that you don’t use it late at night, but what about weekends, early mornings or late evenings?

If you’re like many of the students we talk to then you’re a practical sort of person – the ‘hands-on’ personality type. Typically, 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 book-based learning really isn’t your style. Many studies have proved that much more of what we learn in remembered when we involve as many senses as possible and take action to use what we’ve learned. The latest audio-visual interactive programs with demonstrations and practice sessions will turn you off book-based study for ever more. And you’ll find them fun and interesting. You must see examples of the study materials provided by the company you’re considering. It’s essential they incorporate instructor-led video demonstrations with virtual practice-lab’s. Purely on-line training should be avoided. Always choose CD or DVD based study materials where obtainable, enabling them to be used at your convenience – you don’t want to be reliant on your broadband being ‘up’ 100 percent of the time.

Charging for exams upfront and presenting it as a guarantee for your exams is popular with many training course providers. However, let’s consider what’s really going on: Clearly it isn’t free – you’re still coughing up for it – it’s just been wrapped up in the price of the package. It’s well known in the industry that when trainees fund their relevant examinations, when they’re ready to take them and not before, they’ll be in a better position to get through on the first attempt – because they’ll be conscious of what they’ve paid and will therefore apply themselves appropriately. Don’t you think it’s more sensible to find the best exam deal or offer when you’re ready, rather than coughing up months or even a year or two in advance to the training course provider, and also to sit exams more locally – rather than possibly hours away from your area? Paying upfront for exam fees (which also includes interest if you’ve taken out a loan) is bad financial management. Resist being talked into filling the training company’s account with extra money of yours just to give them more interest! Some will be pinning their hopes on the fact that you will never make it to exams – then they’ll keep the extra money. In addition to this, many exam guarantees are worthless. The majority of companies won’t pay for re-takes until you’ve completely satisfied them that you’re ready this time. Average exam fees were about 112 pounds last year via Prometric or VUE centres around the United Kingdom. So why pay hundreds or thousands of pounds extra to have ‘Exam Guarantees’, when it’s obvious that the best guarantee is a regular, committed, study programme, with an accredited exam preparation system.

What is the reason why qualifications from colleges and universities are now falling behind more commercial qualifications? With the costs of academic degree’s becoming a tall order for many, plus the industry’s recognition that corporate based study is closer to the mark commercially, we have seen a large rise in CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA authorised training courses that supply key solutions to a student at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. In essence, students are simply taught the necessary specifics in depth. It’s not quite as straightforward as that, but the most important function is always to focus on the exact skills required (including a degree of required background) – without overdoing the detail in all sorts of other things (as universities often do). Imagine if you were an employer – and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. What is easier: Wade your way through a mass of different academic qualifications from hopeful applicants, having to ask what each has covered and what trade skills they’ve mastered, or choose a specific set of accreditations that perfectly fit your needs, 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.

It would be wonderful to believe that our jobs are secure and our future is protected, but the growing likelihood for the majority of jobs throughout the United Kingdom right now seems to be that security may be a thing of the past. We could however locate market-level security, by looking for areas that have high demand, coupled with a lack of qualified workers. Reviewing the computer industry, a recent e-Skills study highlighted a 26 percent deficit in trained staff. Therefore, out of each 4 positions existing across IT, organisations can only source trained staff for three of them. Highly qualified and commercially accredited new workers are consequently at a complete premium, and it looks like they will be for a long time. In reality, acquiring professional IT skills as you progress through the coming years is likely the finest career direction you could choose.