What are the sort of things you’d expect the finest Microsoft certified training providers to offer a client in the UK today? Obviously, the very best Gold Partner Microsoft accredited programs, presenting a portfolio of courses to lead you into a selection of professions with IT.

It’s a good idea to find a training advisor, who might give you help to sort out what sort of job would work for you, and what sort of tasks are correct for somebody with your abilities and personal preferences.

Once you’ve decided on the area you want to get into, you will require a relevant course matched to your needs. The standard of teaching should be second to none.

The age-old way of teaching, involving piles of reference textbooks, is often a huge slog for most of us. If this sounds like you, look for learning programmes that are multimedia based.

Where possible, if we can get all of our senses involved in our learning, then we normally see dramatically better results.

Interactive full motion video with demonstrations and practice sessions will forever turn you away from traditional book study. And you’ll actually enjoy doing them.

You must ensure that you see examples of the study materials provided by each company you’re contemplating. They have to utilise video, demonstrations and various interactive elements.

Go for CD or DVD ROM based materials whenever you can. Thus avoiding all the issues associated with the variability of broadband quality and service.

It’s clear nowadays: There’s very little evidence of individual job security available anymore; there’s only market or sector security – companies can just remove anyone whenever it fits the company’s business interests.

But a quickly growing market-place, where staff are in constant demand (because of an enormous shortfall of properly qualified staff), creates the conditions for lasting job security.

Taking the Information Technology (IT) market for example, the 2006 e-Skills study showed a skills gap across Great Britain in excess of 26 percent. Quite simply, we can only fill three out of 4 positions in the computing industry.

This distressing notion reveals the validity and need for more commercially accredited computing professionals across Great Britain.

No better time or market circumstances could exist for acquiring training in this swiftly expanding and budding sector.

At times individuals don’t really get what IT is doing for all of us. It is thrilling, changing, and means you’re a part of the huge progress of technology that will impact the whole world for generations to come.

We’ve barely started to scrape the surface of how technology is going to shape our lives. Computers and the Internet will significantly change how we view and interrelate with the rest of the world over the coming years.

And it’s worth remembering that income in the IT market over Britain as a whole is much higher than remuneration packages in other industries, so in general you will probably earn noticeably more as a trained IT professional, than you would in most typical jobs.

There is a great country-wide demand for qualified IT professionals. In addition, with the constant growth in the marketplace, it seems there’s going to be for quite some time to come.

Including examination fees up-front and presenting it as a guarantee for your exams is common for many training course providers. But let’s examine why they really do it:

Thankfully, today we’re a tad more knowledgeable about sales gimmicks – and usually we cotton on to the fact that it is actually an additional cost to us – it’s not because they’re so generous they want to give something away!

Those who take exams one at a time, paying as they go are far more likely to pass first time. They’re aware of their investment and so are more inclined to be ready for the task.

Isn’t it in your interests to not pay up-front, but when you’re ready, rather than coughing up months or even a year or two in advance to the training company, and to do it in a local testing office – instead of miles away at the college’s beck and call?

A surprising number of unscrupulous training course providers make big margins through getting in the money for all the exam fees up-front and hoping you won’t see them all through.

Many training companies will require you to do mock exams and with-hold subsequent exam entries from you until you’ve demonstrated an excellent ability to pass – which makes an ‘Exam Guarantee’ frankly useless.

Splashing out often many hundreds of pounds extra on ‘Exam Guarantees’ is naive – when a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools is what will get you through.

(C) Scott Edwards 2010. Browse around Adobe Training or www.CareersOpportunity.co.uk/wcaropp.html.

If you’re thinking about studying for an MCSE, it’s likely you’ll come into one of two categories. You’re either just starting to enter the computer sector, and your research tells you the IT industry has a great need for men and women who are commercially qualified. Alternatively you might be already a professional wanting to consolidate your skill-set with the Microsoft qualification.

Take care to ensure you check that your training company is definitely teaching with the latest Microsoft version. Many trainees get frustrated when they realise they’ve been learning from an outdated MCSE course which will require an up-date.

A training provider’s focus must be centred on the best thing for their clients, and they should care greatly about what they do. Studying for a career isn’t just about passing exams – the procedure must also be geared towards helping you work out the most suitable route for you.

Workshops can be offered as a strong aspect by a lot of certification companies. If you talk to many computer industry hopefuls who have partaken in a couple, you’ll likely realise that they’ve now become a mistake as they hadn’t properly considered the following:

* A lot of travelling to and from the workshop centre – sometimes 100’s of miles.

* Workshop access; frequently weekdays only and sometimes 2-3 days at a time. It’s not easy to get the leave of absence.

* Don’t ignore the lost holiday days. Usually we’re lucky to have 4 weeks annual leave. If half is given up to classes, then there’s very little left over for us.

* Training events sometimes become quickly full, giving us the only option of something that we don’t really want.

* Many students want to progress quickly, but some need a more gentle learning curve and not be pushed beyond their comfort-zone. This will often generate difficulty and tension on many workshops.

* Many attendees speak about the high (and unexpected) costs associated with all the travelling back and forth to the facility and paying for food and accommodation can get very expensive.

* Many attendees want training privacy so as to avoid any repercussions in their work.

* Posing questions in front of other class-mates sometimes makes us a little awkward. Would you admit that you’ve occasionally avoided posing a question because you didn’t want to look foolish?

* For students working away from home occasionally, you face the added difficulty that days in-centre can often become very hard to attend – unfortunately however, the fees were paid along with everything else at the start.

Why don’t you just watch and gain knowledge from instructors one-on-one in ready-made lessons, doing them when it’s convenient for you, not someone else.

You can train wherever you want. If you have a laptop, you could catch a little sun in your garden as you learn. If you have any problems then use the provided 24×7 live support.

No matter how many times you have to re-cover a topic, filmed teachers are never going to run out of patience! Also, as a consequence, note-taking is gone forever. Everything is already there for immediate use.

Basically: You save on money, time, hassle and avoid polluting our environment.

There is a tidal wave of change coming via technology over the next few decades – and it becomes more and more thrilling each day.

Many people are of the opinion that the technological advancement we’ve been going through is slowing down. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have yet to experience incredible advances, and the internet particularly will become an increasingly dominant part of our lives.

If earning a good living is high on your list of priorities, then you will appreciate the fact that the income on average of a typical IT worker is much greater than salaries in most other jobs or industries.

With the IT marketplace growing with no sign of a slow-down, it’s looking good that demand for certified IT specialists will continue actively for a good while yet.

(C) 2010 – S. Edwards. Try Adult Retraining or www.learninglolly.com/CompTIA_A_Certification.html.

The CCNA certification is the usual starting point for all Cisco training. This teaches you how to work on maintaining and installing 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 allow their networks to keep in touch.

Because routers are linked to networks, it’s essential to have prior knowledge of how networks work, or you’ll have difficulty gaining the course and be unable to understand the work. Seek out a program that teaches the basics (for example CompTIA) prior to starting your CCNA.

Getting your Cisco CCNA is what you should be aiming for – don’t be cajoled into attempting your CCNP yet. Once you’ve worked for a few years you will know if this next level is for you. If so, you’ll have significantly improved your chances of success – because you’ll know so much more by then.

Many companies focus completely on the certification process, and completely miss what it’s all actually about – getting yourself a new job or career. Always start with the end in mind – don’t make the journey more important than where you want to get to.

Imagine training for just 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 earning potential and what level of ambition fits you. Usually, this will point the way to what particular certifications will be expected and what’ll be expected of you in your new role.

Talk to a professional advisor who has a background in the industry you’re considering, and who’ll explain to you a detailed description of what to expect in that role. Getting to the bottom of all this well before beginning a training program has obvious benefits.

There is a tidal wave of change about to hit technology over the next generation – and this means greater innovations all the time.

Many people are of the opinion that the technological advancement we have experienced is easing off. There is no truth in this at all. We have yet to experience incredible advances, and most especially the internet is going to dominate how we conduct our lives.

Let’s not ignore salaries also – the average salary over this country as a whole for a typical IT employee is a lot higher than in other market sectors. Chances are that you’ll receive a much better deal than you could reasonably hope to get in other industries.

The good news is there’s no easing up for IT increases in Great Britain as a whole. The industry is still growing quickly, and as we have a skills gap that means we only typically have three IT workers for every four jobs it’s most unlikely that there’ll be any kind of easing off for the significant future.

Validated exam preparation and simulation materials are crucial – and really must be supplied by your training company.

Sometimes people can find themselves confused by going through practice questions that don’t come from the authorised examining boards. It’s not uncommon that the phraseology can be completely unlike un-authorised versions and it’s vital that you know this.

‘Mock’ or practice exams can be very useful as a resource to you – then when the time comes for you to take your actual exams, you don’t get uptight.

Getting into your first IT role can be a little easier if you’re supported with a Job Placement Assistance program. Ultimately it’s not as difficult as you may be led to believe to land the right work – as long as you’ve got the necessary skills and qualifications; because there’s still a great need for IT skills in the UK today.

However, don’t wait till you’ve qualified before polishing up your CV. The day you start training, list what you’re working on and get it out there!

Quite often, you’ll land your first role whilst you’re still studying (occasionally right at the beginning). If your course details aren’t on your CV (and it isn’t in the hands of someone with jobs to offer) then you won’t even be considered!

In many cases, an independent and specialised local recruitment consultant or service – who make their money when they’ve found you a job – is going to give you a better service than a centralised training company’s service. In addition, they will no doubt be familiar with local industry and the area better.

Do be sure that you don’t invest a great deal of time on your training course, just to give up and leave it up to everyone else to secure your first position. Stand up for yourself and start looking for yourself. Put the same focus into landing a good job as it took to pass the exams.

(C) 2010 S. Edwards. Try MCSA MCSE or www.MCSE2008-4PC.co.uk.

Nice One! By landing here you’re probably toying with the idea of getting re-qualified for a new job – that puts you way ahead of the crowd. Less of us than you’d think are satisfied with our careers, but most complain but just stay there. Why not be one of a small number who take responsibility for their future.

When considering retraining, it’s essential to initially know what you DO want and DON’T want from the career you’re looking to get into. It’s important to discover if a new career would suit you better before you put a lot of energy into re-directing your life. So much better to look at the end goal first, to steer clear of regrets:

* Are you hoping to be involved with others in the workplace? Is that as part of a team or with a lot of new people? It could be working by yourself in isolation would give you pleasure?

* The building trade and the banking industry are none too stable today, so think carefully about the sector that will answer your needs?

* Is this the final time you envisage re-training, and if so, do you suppose your new career will offer that choice?

* Do you feel uncomfortable about the possibility of getting new work, and being in demand in the employment market until you plan to retire?

We would advise that you consider IT – it’s no secret that it’s getting bigger. IT isn’t all techie geeks lost in their computer screens all day – it’s true some IT jobs demand that, but the majority of roles are carried out by Joe averages who do very well out of it.

Students often end up having issues because of one aspect of their training which doesn’t even occur to them: The way the training is divided into chunks and physically delivered to you.

Most companies will sell you a 2 or 3 year study programme, and deliver each piece one-by-one as you pass each exam. Sounds reasonable? Well consider these facts:

Many students find that the company’s usual training route is not what they would prefer. It’s often the case that a different order of study is more expedient. And what if you don’t get to the end in the allotted time?

To be straight, the very best answer is to have their ideal ‘order’ of training laid out, but get everything up-front. You’re then in possession of everything if you don’t manage to finish at their required pace.

Talk to a professional advisor and they can normally tell you many terrible tales of students who’ve been sold completely the wrong course for them. Stick to a professional advisor that asks some in-depth questions to discover the most appropriate thing for you – not for their wallet! You need to find the very best place to start for you.

If you have a strong background, or maybe some live experience (some certifications gained previously perhaps?) then it’s likely the point from which you begin your studies will be different from someone with no background whatsoever.

It’s usual to start with a user-skills course first. This can help whip your basic knowledge into shape and make the learning curve a much more gentle.

Have you recently questioned your job security? For most people, we only think of this after something goes wrong. But in today’s marketplace, the painful truth is that true job security doesn’t really exist anymore, for the vast majority of people.

Wherever we find increasing skills shortages together with rising demand however, we almost always discover a fresh type of security in the marketplace; as fuelled by a continual growth, companies just can’t get the influx of staff needed.

The 2006 British e-Skills survey brought to light that more than 26 percent of IT jobs haven’t been filled as an upshot of a huge deficit of appropriately certified professionals. Meaning that for every 4 jobs in existence across Information Technology (IT), there are only 3 trained people to perform that task.

This one notion alone reveals why Great Britain is in need of many more trainees to enter the industry.

Because the IT sector is evolving at such a rate, is there any other area of industry worth investigating for retraining.

One thing you must always insist on is 24×7 round-the-clock support through professional mentors and instructors. Too many companies only seem to want to help while they’re in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends.

Never purchase certification programs which can only support students with a call-centre messaging system after 6-9pm in the evening and during weekends. Companies will try to talk you round from this line of reasoning. Essentially – you want support at the appropriate time – not at times when they find it cheaper to provide it.

The very best training providers incorporate three or four individual support centres from around the world. Online access provides the interactive interface to seamlessly link them all, irrespective of the time you login, there is always help at hand, with no hassle or contact issues.

Never compromise with the quality of your support. Most would-be IT professionals that fall by the wayside, would have had a different experience if they’d got the right support package in the first place.

(C) 2010 S. Edwards. Look at SQL Course or www.CCNACertificationInfo.co.uk.

In the fast-paced world we live in, support workers who are qualified to fix PC’s and networks, and offer constant help to users, are vital in every part of industry. Our requirement for such skilled and qualified people is ever increasing, as industry becomes progressively more reliant on computers.

How can job security honestly exist anywhere now? Here in the UK, where industry can change its mind on a day-to-day basis, we’d question whether it does.

We’re able though to reveal security at market-level, by looking for areas in high demand, mixed with a shortage of skilled staff.

Reviewing the computing business, a recent e-Skills analysis highlighted an over 26 percent shortfall of skilled workers. Therefore, for every 4 jobs in existence across Information Technology (IT), companies are only able to find trained staff for three of the four.

Properly qualified and commercially grounded new workers are consequently at a resounding premium, and it’s estimated to remain so for many years longer.

In actuality, gaining new qualifications in IT during the coming years is most likely the finest career move you’ll ever make.

If you’re like many of the students we talk to then you’re a practical sort of person – a ‘hands-on’ personality type. If you’re like us, the trial of reading reference books and manuals can be just about bared when essential, but it doesn’t suit your way of doing things. Check out video-based multimedia instruction if book-based learning really isn’t your style.

If we’re able to utilise all of our senses into our learning, then we often see hugely increased memory retention as a result.

Modern training can now be done at home via self-contained CD or DVD materials. Real-world classes from the instructors will mean you’ll learn your subject via their teaching and demonstrations. Then you test your knowledge by using practice-lab’s.

Be sure to get a training material demonstration from your training provider. The package should contain slide-shows, instructor-led videos and fully interactive skills-lab’s.

Seek out CD and DVD ROM based physical training media wherever available. You’re then protected from broadband outages, failure and signal quality issues etc.

If an advisor doesn’t ask many questions – the likelihood is they’re just a salesperson. If they’re pushing towards a particular product before learning about your history and current experience level, then you know it’s true.

Don’t forget, if you’ve got any work-experience or certification, then it’s not unreasonable to expect to start at a different point than a trainee with no history to speak of.

If this is going to be your initial crack at IT study then you might also want to start with some basic PC skills training first.

Adding in the cost of examination fees upfront then giving it ‘Exam Guarantee’ status is popular with many companies. However, let’s consider what’s really going on:

Everybody’s aware that they’re still footing the bill for it – it’s quite obvious to see that it’s already been included in the overall price charged by the college. Certainly, it’s not a freebie – and it’s insulting that we’re supposed to think it is!

If you want to pass in one, you must avoid exam guarantees and pay when entering exams, focus on it intently and apply yourself as required.

Do your exams somewhere close to home and look for the very best offer you can at the time.

Paying in advance for exams (plus interest – if you’re financing your study) is a false economy. Why fill a company’s coffers with your hard-earned cash just to give them a good cash-flow! Many will hope you won’t get round to taking them – so they get to keep the extra funds.

Re-takes of previously unsuccessful exams with companies with an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are monitored with tight restrictions. You’ll be required to sit pre-tests to make sure they think you’re going to pass.

With average prices for VUE and Pro-metric tests costing in the region of 112 pounds in this country, the most cost-effective way to cover the cost is by paying when you need them. There’s no sense in throwing away maybe a thousand pounds extra at the start of your studies. Consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.

Written by Scott Edwards. Pop over to MCSE Certification or www.ITCourse4UK.co.uk.

As there are a plethora of computer courses on the market today, it’s not always easy to know which ones best. Select one that corresponds with your personal character, and one that is in demand in the commercial world.

Why not try user skills courses, or more advanced IT professional certifications. User-friendly courses will help you to realise your dreams.

Currently, there are a variety of easily understood and well priced courses around that provide you with all you require.

Searching for your first position in IT can be a little easier with a Job Placement Assistance program. 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. In reality, the massive skills shortage in the UK is the reason you’ll find a job.

Help and assistance with preparing a CV and getting interviews is sometimes offered (if not, see one of our sites for help). Ensure you update that dusty old CV straight away – don’t wait until you’ve finished your exams!

You might not even have qualified when you will get your initial junior support job; yet this is not possible if interviewers don’t get sight of your CV.

Normally you’ll get quicker results from a specialist locally based employment agency than you’ll experience from any training company’s recruitment division, because they’ll know the area better.

Essentially, if you put the same amount of effort into finding your first job as into studying, you’re not likely to experience problems. A number of people bizarrely spend hundreds of hours on their learning program and just give up once they’ve got certified and would appear to think that businesses will just discover them.

So, why ought we to be looking at commercial certification and not more traditional academic qualifications gained through schools and Further Education colleges?

Industry now acknowledges that for an understanding of the relevant skills, proper accreditation from companies such as Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe is closer to the mark commercially – saving time and money.

Of course, an appropriate degree of associated information must be learned, but precise specialisation in the areas needed gives a commercially trained person a distinct advantage.

The crux of the matter is this: Commercial IT certifications provide exactly what an employer needs – it says what you do in the title: as an example – I am a ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ in ‘Windows XP Administration and Configuration’. So employers can identify exactly what they need and which qualifications are needed for the job.

Often, trainers provide a bunch of books and manuals. This isn’t very interesting and not ideal for remembering.

Many years of research has constantly demonstrated that becoming involved with our studies, to utilise all our senses, is much more conducive to long-term memory.

Modern training can now be done at home via interactive CD and DVD ROM’s. Instructor-led tutorials will mean you’ll find things easier to remember via the expert demonstrations. Knowledge can then be tested by practicing and interacting with the software.

You must ensure that you see some example materials from the company you’re considering. It’s essential they incorporate video, demonstrations and various interactive elements.

It doesn’t make sense to select online only courseware. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from your average broadband company, it makes sense to have physical media such as CD or DVD ROM’s.

Remember: a training course or the accreditation is not what you’re looking for; the particular job you’re training for is. Far too many training organisations completely prioritise the qualification itself.

You could be training for only a year and end up performing the job-role for decades. Don’t make the mistake of choosing what sounds like an ‘interesting’ training program and then spend decades in something you don’t even enjoy!

It’s essential to keep your focus on where you want to get to, and build your study action-plan from that – not the other way round. Stay on target and study for a job that’ll reward you for many long and fruitful years.

Sense dictates that you take advice from an experienced advisor before you begin a particular training program, so you can be sure that the chosen route will give you the appropriate skill-set.

Copyright Scott Edwards 2010. Visit Database Training or www.DatabaseTraining2U.co.uk.

Should you fancy being a web designer, then you need training in Adobe Dreamweaver.

For commercial applications you will require an in-depth and thorough understanding of the full Adobe Web Creative Suite. This includes (but isn’t limited to) Flash and Action Script. Should you have ambitions to become an Adobe Certified Expert or Adobe Certified Professional (ACE or ACP) you’ll find these skills are vital.

To develop into a professional web-designer however, there are other things to consider. You’ll need to study various programming essentials like PHP, HTML, and MySQL. A good understanding of E-Commerce and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) will also give you a distinct advantage in the marketplace.

Adding in the cost of examination fees with the course fee then giving it ‘Exam Guarantee’ status is a common method with many companies. But let’s examine why they really do it:

You’re paying for it ultimately. You can be assured it’s not a freebie – it’s just been rolled into the price of the whole package.

Passing first time is everyone’s goal. Entering examinations when it’s appropriate and funding them one at a time makes it far more likely you’ll pass first time – you prepare appropriately and think carefully about the costs.

Sit the exam somewhere local and don’t pay up-front, but seek out the best deal for you when you’re ready.

Many questionable training companies net a great deal of profit by getting in the money for exams at the start of the course and hoping that you won’t take them all.

Remember, with ‘Exam Guarantees’ from most places – they control when and how often you are allowed to do a re-take. They’ll only allow a re-take once completely satisfied.

With average prices for VUE and Pro-metric exams costing in the region of 112 pounds in this country, it makes sense to pay as you go. 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.

Students often end up having issues because of one area of their training which doesn’t even occur to them: The way the training is divided into chunks and packaged off through the post.

The majority of training companies will set up a program spread over 1-3 years, and send out each piece as you get to the end of each exam. This sounds reasonable until you consider the following:

What happens when you don’t complete each and every exam? And what if you find the order of the modules counter-intuitive? Through no fault of your own, you may go a little slower and therefore not end up with all the modules.

The very best situation would see you getting all the learning modules packed off to your home before you even start; the whole caboodle! This way, nothing can happen down the line which could affect your ability to finish.

Locating job security nowadays is incredibly rare. Businesses will remove us from the workplace at the drop of a hat – as and when it suits them.

Security only exists now via a fast escalating marketplace, fuelled by a lack of trained workers. It’s this shortage that creates the correct environment for a secure marketplace – a more attractive situation all round.

The Information Technology (IT) skills shortfall around the country currently stands at just over 26 percent, as shown by a recent e-Skills analysis. Or, to put it differently, this means that the United Kingdom can only find three qualified staff for every four jobs available now.

Accomplishing the appropriate commercial computer qualification is accordingly a ‘Fast Track’ to succeed in a continuing and satisfying career.

While the market is growing at such a quick pace, could there honestly be a better area of industry worth investigating as a retraining vehicle.

It only makes sense to consider retraining paths which will lead to commercially acknowledged qualifications. There are loads of small companies pushing their own ‘in-house’ certificates which will prove unusable in today’s commercial market.

You’ll find that only recognised accreditation from the top companies like Microsoft, CompTIA, Cisco and Adobe will be useful to a future employer.

(C) 2010 S. Edwards. Pop over to Microsoft Certification Courses or www.FindingANewCareer.co.uk/nfaneca.html.

Both if you’re a beginner, or an experienced technician looking to gain acknowledged certifications, there are state-of-the-art Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) courses that teach both standards of student.

If you’re just getting started in the computer industry, it may well be necessary to improve your skill-set prior to having a go at your 1st of 4 Microsoft Certified Professional exams (MCP’s) that are required to become qualified at the MCSA level. Search for an organisation that will create an ideal program to suit your requirements – with industry experts who will assist to ensure that you make the right choices.

Most trainers typically provide a shelf full of reference manuals. It’s not a very interesting way to learn and not really conducive to taking things in.

Studies have consistently shown that an ‘involved’ approach to study, where we utilise all our senses, is far more likely to produce long-lasting memories.

Study programs now come on CD and DVD discs, where everything is taught on your PC. Video streaming means you can sit back and watch the teachers showing you precisely how it’s all done, and then have a go at it yourself – in a virtual lab environment.

Any company that you’re considering should be able to show you a few examples of the type of training materials they provide. Expect video tutorials, instructor led classes and a variety of interactive modules.

It is generally unwise to select online only courseware. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from all internet service providers, make sure you get CD or DVD ROM based materials.

Of all the important things to consider, one of the most essential is always full 24×7 support from professional mentors and instructors. So many companies we come across only provide office hours (or extended office hours) support.

You’ll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and phone support is often to a call-centre that will take the information and email an instructor – who will attempt to call you within 24-48 hrs, at a time suitable for them. This is all next to useless if you’re lost and confused and can only study at specific times.

Top training providers provide an online access 24×7 facility combining multiple support operations throughout multiple time-zones. You’ll have a single, easy-to-use interface which switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres at any time of day or night: Support on demand.

If you fail to get yourself 24×7 support, you’ll quickly find yourself regretting it. You may avoid using the support throughout the night, but you may need weekends, evenings and early mornings at some point.

It only makes sense to consider retraining paths which progress to industry acknowledged qualifications. There’s a plethora of trainers proposing minor ‘in-house’ certificates which are worthless in today’s commercial market.

From the viewpoint of an employer, only the top companies such as Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco (for instance) provide enough commercial weight. Nothing else hits the mark.

If an advisor doesn’t question you thoroughly – it’s more than likely they’re just trying to sell you something. If someone pushes specific products before looking at your personality and experience, then you know you’re being sold to.

Occasionally, the training start-point for a trainee with a little experience will be vastly different to someone without.

If you’re a new trainee beginning IT exams and training as a new venture, it can be helpful to start out slowly, kicking off with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first. Usually this is packaged with any study program.

(C) 2010 S. Edwards. Look at Cisco Training or www.mcse-training-uk.co.uk.

What kind of things do you expect the top of the range Microsoft certified training providers to give a student in the UK today? Clearly, the very best Gold Partner Microsoft authorised training routes, supplying a range of courses to take you to a variety of careers in the IT workplace.

You may wish to discuss all the different permutations with an advisor who is on familiar terms with the commercial demands for IT staff, and can help you choose the more likely roles to match your character.

Be assured that your course is tailored to your current level of knowledge and ability. A reputable training company will ensure that the training is appropriate for where you want to get to.

Students will sometimes miss checking on a painfully important area – how their company divides up the physical training materials, and into how many separate packages.

The majority of training companies will set up some sort of program spread over 1-3 years, and send out each piece as you finish each section. On the surface this seems 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 each and every section within the time limits imposed?

The very best situation would see you getting every piece of your study pack sent to your address right at the beginning; the complete package! This way, nothing can happen down the line which could affect your ability to finish.

One fatal mistake that many potential students make is to concentrate on the course itself, and take their eye off the end result they want to achieve. Training academies are full of unaware students that chose an ‘interesting’ course – in place of something that could gain them an enjoyable career or job.

It’s a terrible situation, but the majority of trainees commence training that sounds wonderful in the syllabus guide, but which provides the end-result of a job that is of no interest. Try talking to typical university leavers for a real eye-opener.

Take time to understand your feelings on career progression and earning potential, and whether you intend to be quite ambitious. It’s vital to know what will be expected of you, which exams will be required and how to develop your experience.

As a precursor to beginning a study program, trainees are advised to chat over the exact job requirements with a skilled professional, to ensure the retraining path covers all the necessary elements.

Incorporating exams up-front 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:

Everybody’s aware that they’re still being charged for it – obviously it has been added into the overall figure from the course provider. It’s certainly not free (it’s just marketing companies think we’ll fall for anything they say!)

We all want to pass first time. Progressively working through your exams when it’s appropriate and paying for them just before taking them puts you in a much stronger position to qualify at the first attempt – you prepare appropriately and are aware of the costs involved.

Do your exams somewhere local and go for the best offer you can find when you’re ready.

A surprising number of unscrupulous training colleges net big margins by asking for exam fees early then banking on the fact that many won’t be taken.

The majority of companies will insist on pre-tests and prohibit you from re-taking an exam until you’ve proven conclusively that you can pass – which makes an ‘Exam Guarantee’ frankly useless.

Exams taken at VUE and Prometric centres are in the region of 112 pounds in the United Kingdom today. Students should be very wary of forking out hundreds of pounds extra in charges for ‘Exam Guarantees’ (often covertly rolled into the cost of the course) – when good quality study materials, the proper support and a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools are actually the key to your success.

We’re regularly asked to explain why traditional degrees are being overtaken by more qualifications from the commercial sector?

With the costs of academic degree’s becoming a tall order for many, alongside the IT sector’s increasing awareness that accreditation-based training often has more relevance in the commercial field, we have seen a dramatic increase in Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe based training routes that supply key solutions to a student for much less time and money.

University courses, for instance, become confusing because of a great deal of background study – and much too wide a syllabus. Students are then held back from understanding the specific essentials in enough depth.

It’s rather like the advert: ‘It does what it says on the label’. Companies need only to know what they’re looking for, and then advertise for someone with the specific certification. Then they know that anyone who applies can do the necessary work.

(C) Scott Edwards 2010. Go to www.CareerChangeHelp.co.uk/vcch.html or www.Retraining4Adults.co.uk/vretadu.html.