Should you be looking for certified training from Microsoft, then you’ll naturally expect training providers to provide a large selection of the best training programs on the market today. You might like to talk about career options with a training advisor – and should you be confused, then take counsel on whereabouts in industry would be right for you, based on your personality and ability level. Training courses must be tailored to meet your needs. Therefore, once you’ve decided on the best kind of work for you, you’ll then need to look at what is the most suitable program to get you there.

Which questions should we be asking to take onboard the understanding we need? After all, it looks like there are some somewhat superb opportunities for us all to look at.

Speak with a knowledgeable advisor and they’ll entertain you with many worrying experiences of salespeople ripping-off unsuspecting students. Make sure you deal with an experienced industry advisor that digs deep to discover the most appropriate thing for you – not for their bank-account! You must establish a starting-point that will suit you. With a strong background, or even a touch of commercial experience (possibly even some previous certification?) then it’s likely the point from which you begin your studies will vary from a trainee who has no experience. Opening with a foundation module first can be the best way to start into your computer studies, but really depends on your level of familiarity with computers.

Training support for students is an absolute must – find a program that includes 24×7 access, as not obtaining this level of support will severely impede your ability to learn. Locate training schools with help available at all hours of the day and night (even 1am on Sunday morning!) Make sure it’s always direct-access to qualified mentors and tutors, and not a message system as this will slow you down – parked in a queue of others waiting to be called back – probably during office hours.

If you look properly, you’ll find professional training packages who give students online support all the time – including evenings, nights and weekends. Don’t under any circumstances take a lower level of service. 24×7 support is really your only option with IT learning. Perhaps you don’t intend to study during the evenings; but for most of us, we’re out at work at the time when most support is available.

Students who consider this area of study can be very practical by nature, and don’t really enjoy classrooms, and struggling through thick study-volumes. If this could be you, go for more modern interactive training, where you can learn everything on-screen. Where we can study while utilising as many senses as possible, our results will often be quite spectacular.

Modern training can now be done at home via interactive CD and DVD ROM’s. Through instructor-led video classes you’ll find things easier to remember via the demonstrations and explanations. Knowledge can then be tested by practicing and interacting with the software. You’ll definitely want a demonstration of the study materials from the school that you’re considering. The materials should incorporate expert-led demonstrations, slideshows and lab’s for you to practice your skills in.

It’s usually bad advice to select online only courseware. Connection quality and reliability varies hugely across the ISP (internet service provider) market, it makes sense to have physical media such as CD or DVD ROM’s.

Quite often, students have issues with one aspect of their training very rarely considered: The way the training is divided into chunks and packaged off through the post. Most companies will sell you a program spread over 1-3 years, and deliver each piece one-by-one as you complete each section or exam. This sounds reasonable until you consider the following: With thought, many trainees understand that their providers ‘standard’ path of training isn’t the easiest way for them. You may find that a different order of study is more expedient. Perhaps you don’t make it within their exact timetable?

To avoid any potential future issues, it’s normal for most trainees to request that all their modules (now paid for) are sent immediately, and not in a piecemeal fashion. It’s then up to you in what order and how fast or slow you want to finish things.

A sneaky way that colleges make extra profits is via an ‘exam inclusive’ package and then including an ‘Exam Guarantee’. It looks impressive, but let’s just examine it more closely:

Certainly it isn’t free – you’re still coughing up for it – it’s just been included in your package price. It’s well known in the industry that if a student pays for each progressive exam, one at a time, they will be much more likely to pass first time – because they’ll be conscious of their payment and will therefore apply themselves appropriately.

Take your exams at a local pro-metric testing centre and find the best deal for you at the time. Many questionable training providers secure huge amounts of money because they’re getting in the money for all the exam fees up-front then hoping either that you won’t take them, or it will be a long time before you do. It’s worth noting, with ‘Exam Guarantees’ from most places – the company controls how often and when you can re-take the exam. They’ll only allow a re-take once completely satisfied.

Exams taken at local centres are in the region of 112 pounds in this country. Students should be very wary of forking out hundreds of pounds extra in ‘Exam Guarantee’ costs (most often hidden in the package) – when the best course materials, the right level of support and study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.

It can be a nerve-racking task, but getting your first computer related job can be made easier by training colleges, through a Job Placement Assistance facility. But don’t place too much emphasis on it – it’s quite easy for companies marketing departments to make too much of it. The fact of the matter is, the huge shortage of staff in the UK is the reason you’ll find a job.

Having said that, it’s important to have advice and support about your CV and interviews though; additionally, we would recommend all students to update their CV the day they start training – don’t put it off until you’ve qualified. Many junior support jobs have been bagged by people who are still studying and have still to get qualified. At the very least this will get your CV into the ‘possible’ pile and not the ‘no’ pile. Most often, a specialist locally based employment agency – who make their money when they’ve found you a job – will be more pro-active than a centralised training company’s service. In addition, they will no doubt know the area and local employers better.

Certainly ensure you don’t invest a great deal of time on your training course, just to give up and expect somebody else to secure your first position. Take responsibility for yourself and get on with the job. Invest the same energy and enthusiasm into securing your new role as it took to pass the exams.

Often, individuals don’t really get what information technology is all about. It is thrilling, changing, and means you’re doing your bit in the gigantic wave of technology that will impact the whole world for generations to come. Society largely thinks that the increase in technology that’s been a familiar part of our recent lives is slowing down. All indicators point in the opposite direction. There are huge changes to come, and the internet significantly will be the most effective tool in our lives.

A standard IT technician over this country as a whole will also get a lot more than fellow workers in much of the rest of the economy. Mean average remuneration packages are some of the best to be had nationwide. Experts agree that there’s a considerable nationwide need for professionally qualified IT workers. And as the industry constantly develops, it appears this pattern will continue for quite some time to come.

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