The MCSA course is a great basis for anyone looking to get into supporting networks. So if you’re just about to get into IT or already have knowledge but need to formalise your skills with an acknowledged certification, it’s possible to achieve your goals with the right training. To qualify at the level of MCSA you need to pass 4 Microsoft Certified Professional exams (MCP’s). For a newcomer to the industry, it’s likely you’ll need to pick up some skills prior to studying for the 4 MCP’s. Find a company that has industry experts who can identify the ideal program for you and will take care to start you at the right entry level.

Sometimes, people don’t catch on to what IT means. It’s stimulating, innovative, and means you’re doing your bit in the gigantic wave of technology affecting everyones lives in the 21st century. Technology, computers and dialogue via the web will noticeably shape the way we live our lives in the near future; profoundly so.

A regular IT professional across the UK is likely to receive noticeably more than fellow workers in other market sectors. Mean average remuneration packages are around the top of national league tables. Experts agree that there’s a significant national requirement for certified IT specialists. And as growth in the industry shows little sign of contracting, it looks like there’s going to be for quite some time to come.

As the Information Technology (IT) sector offers such an array of impressive advancement opportunities for us all – then which questions should we ask and what factors are important to consider?

Looking at the myriad of choice out there, is it any wonder that nearly all newcomers to the industry get stuck choosing the job they could be successful with. Flicking through lists of IT career possibilities is just a waste of time. The vast majority of us don’t really appreciate what our own family members do for a living – let alone understand the intricacies of a particular IT career. Achieving an informed conclusion can only grow via a careful examination covering many unique key points:

* Personalities play an important role – what kind of areas spark your interest, and what are the activities that you really dislike.

* Do you want to obtain training because of a precise raison d’etre – for example, are you looking at working based from home (working for yourself?)?

* What priority do you place on salary vs the travel required?

* Getting to grips with what typical IT roles and markets are – plus how they’re different to each other.

* The time and energy you’re prepared to put into your training.

In all honesty, you’ll find the only real way to gain help on these matters is via a conversation with an experienced advisor who understands IT (as well as it’s commercial needs.)

Many training companies only provide basic 9am till 6pm support (maybe a little earlier or later on certain days); not many go late into the evening (after 8-9pm) or cover weekends properly. Find a good quality service where you can receive help at any time you choose (irrespective of whether it’s the wee hours on Sunday morning!) Ensure you get direct-access to qualified mentors and tutors, and not a message system as this will slow you down – constantly waiting for a call-back – probably during office hours.

It’s possible to find the very best companies who recommend and use online direct access support 24×7 – at any time of day or night. If you fail to get yourself 24×7 support, you’ll very quickly realise that you’ve made a mistake. You might not want to use the service throughout the night, but you’re bound to use weekends, early mornings or even late evenings at some point.

Often, trainers provide a bunch of books and manuals. It’s not a very interesting way to learn and not a very good way of studying effectively. Where possible, if we can study while utilising as many senses as possible, then we normally see dramatically better results.

Interactive full motion video utilising video demo’s and practice lab’s will forever turn you away from traditional book study. And you’ll find them fun and interesting. Each company you’re contemplating must be pushed to demo some simple examples of the type of training materials they provide. You’re looking for evidence of tutorial videos and demonstrations and a variety of interactive modules.

Many companies provide purely on-line training; and while this is acceptable much of the time, consider how you’ll deal with it if your access to the internet is broken or you get a slow connection speed. It is usually safer to have physical CD or DVD discs that will solve that problem.

It’s usual for students to get confused with one area of their training which doesn’t even occur to them: How the training is broken down and physically delivered to you. You may think that it makes sense (with a typical time scale of 1-3 years to pass all the required exams,) for your typical trainer to courier one module at a time, as you achieve each exam pass. However: With thought, many trainees understand that their providers typical path to completion doesn’t suit. They might find a different order of study is more expedient. Perhaps you don’t make it inside of the expected timescales?

To be straight, the perfect answer is to have their ideal ‘order’ of training laid out, but get all the study materials at the start. It’s then all yours should you not complete it within their ideal time-table.

It’s essential to have accredited simulation materials and an exam preparation system as part of your course package. Avoid depending on non-accredited exam preparation questions. The type of questions asked can be completely unlike authorised versions – and sometimes this can be a real headache when the proper exam time arrives. Ensure that you ask for testing modules that will allow you to verify your knowledge whenever you need to. Simulations of exams will help to boost your attitude – so you won’t be quite so nervous at the actual exam.

Searching for your first position in IT can be a little easier if you’re supported with a Job Placement Assistance program. Don’t get caught up in this feature – it isn’t unusual for eager sales people to overstate it’s need. At the end of the day, the huge shortage of staff in the UK is why employers will be interested in you.

Ideally you should have help with your CV and interview techniques though; and we’d recommend everybody to work on polishing up their CV as soon as training commences – don’t wait for when you’re ready to start work. Getting your CV considered is more than not being known. A surprising amount of junior positions are got by people who are still at an early stage in their studies. You’ll normally experience better performance from an independent and specialised local recruitment consultancy than you will through a training course provider’s employment division, because they’ll know local industry and the area better.

Do ensure you don’t invest a great deal of time on your training course, just to give up and expect somebody else to land you a job. Stand up for yourself and get out there. Invest the same focus into securing your new role as you did to gain the skills.

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