In today’s high speed society, support workers who have the ability to mend PC’s and networks, plus give daily help to users, are essential in all areas of industry. Our requirement for better qualified personnel is enhanced, as we become vastly more reliant on PC’s in the modern world.

How can we go about making a good decision then? With all this potential, we’ll need to know where to be looking – and what we should be searching for.

An all too common mistake that many potential students make is to concentrate on the course itself, instead of focusing on where they want to get to. Colleges are full of unaware students who chose a course based on what sounded good – rather than what would get them the career they desired. Students often train for a single year but end up doing the job for 20 years. Don’t make the error of choosing what sounds like a very ‘interesting’ program and then spend decades in 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 – avoid getting them back-to-front. Stay focused on the end-goal and begin studying for a career that will keep you happy for many years. Before setting out on a particular study programme, you’d be well advised to chat over specific job needs with an industry professional, so as to be sure the learning program covers all that is required.

All programs you’re considering must provide a widely recognised certification at the end – and not some unimportant ‘in-house’ plaque for your wall. Unless your qualification is issued by a company like Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA, then you may discover it will have been a waste of time – as no-one will have heard of it.

Usually, trainers will provide a big box of books. It’s not a very interesting way to learn and not a very good way of taking things in. Our ability to remember is increased when multiple senses are involved – this has been an accepted fact in expert circles for as long as we can remember. Programs are now found via DVD-ROM discs, where your computer becomes the centre of your learning. Video streaming means you are able to see your instructors showing you how to perform the required skill, with some practice time to follow – via the interactive virtual lab’s. It’s imperative to see the type of training provided by the company you’re considering. You’ll want to see that they include instructor-led video demonstrations with virtual practice-lab’s. Avoid training that is purely online. Physical CD or DVD ROM materials are preferable where offered, so you can use them wherever and whenever you want – and not be totally reliant on a quality and continuous internet connection.

Proper support should never be taken lightly – locate a good company that includes 24×7 access, as anything else will annoy you and definitely hold up your pace and restrict your intake. Try and find training where you can access help at any time of day or night (irrespective of whether it’s the wee hours on Sunday morning!) Ensure you get access directly to professional tutors and not access to a call-in service which takes messages – so you’re waiting for tutors to call you back when it’s convenient for them. World-class organisations offer an internet-based 24×7 facility utilising a variety of support centres across the globe. You will have a simple interface that seamlessly selects the best facility available at any time of day or night: Support when you need it. If you accept anything less than support round-the-clock, you’ll regret it very quickly. You may not need it during the night, but what about weekends, early mornings or even late evenings at some point?

One interesting way that training providers make more money is via an ‘exam inclusive’ package then giving it ‘Exam Guarantee’ status. It looks impressive, but let’s just examine it more closely… You’re paying for it somehow. It’s definitely not free – they’ve simply charged more for the whole training package. Should you seriously need to qualify first go, evidence suggests you must fund each exam as you take it, give it the priority it deserves and apply yourself as required. Doesn’t it make more sense to hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the appropriate time, rather than coughing up months or even a year or two in advance to a training company, and to do it in a local testing office – rather than possibly hours away from your area? Including money in your training package for exam fees (and interest charges if you’re borrowing money) is a false economy. Resist being talked into filling the training company’s account with your hard-earned cash just to give them more interest! A lot bank on the fact that you won’t get round to taking them – then they’ll keep the extra money. Additionally, you should consider what an ‘exam guarantee’ really means. Many training companies won’t be prepared to pay again for an exam until you’ve completely satisfied them that you’re ready this time. With the average price of Pro-metric and VUE examinations coming in at around 112 pounds in the UK, 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. Consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.

A number of students are under the impression that the state educational path is the way they should go. Why then is commercial certification beginning to overtake it? As demand increases for knowledge about more and more complex technology, the IT sector has moved to specialist courses only available through the vendors themselves – namely companies like Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA. This often comes in at a fraction of the cost and time. Essentially, students are simply taught the necessary specifics in depth. It isn’t quite as lean as that might sound, but the most important function is always to concentrate on the fundamentally important skill-sets (with some necessary background) – without trying to cram in everything else (as degree courses are known to do). Think about if you were the employer – and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. Which is the most straightforward: Trawl through loads of academic qualifications from graduate applicants, having to ask what each has covered and which commercial skills they’ve mastered, or choose particular accreditations that exactly fulfil your criteria, and draw up from that who you want to speak to. You’ll then be able to concentrate on getting a feel for the person at interview – instead of having to work out if they can do the job.

The world of information technology is one of the more thrilling and changing industries that you can get into right now. Being a member of a team working on breakthroughs in technology means you’re a part of the huge progress affecting everyone who lives in the 21st century. We’re barely beginning to get a handle on what this change will mean to us. The way we communicate and interact with everyone around us will be massively affected by computers and the internet. The standard IT worker in the UK can demonstrate that they earn significantly more than employees on a par outside of IT. Mean average wages are around the top of national league tables. Apparently there is no end in sight for IT industry expansion across Britain. The industry continues to grow rapidly, 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 things will be any different for years to come.