Really Basic

In today’s high speed society, support workers who are able to fix computers and networks, along with giving regular assistance to users, are hugely valuable in all areas of industry. Because of the complex nature of technology, greater numbers of competent professionals are being looked for to specialise in the many areas we’ve become dependent on.

Finding job security nowadays is incredibly rare. Companies can drop us from the workplace with very little notice – whenever it suits. We can however discover market-level security, by digging for areas of high demand, together with shortages of trained staff.

Taking the computer market as an example, the last e-Skills investigation brought to light a skills shortage around Great Britain of around 26 percent. Showing that for each four job positions that are available in Information Technology (IT), there are only 3 trained people to fulfil that role. Achieving full commercial computer certification is consequently a quick route to succeed in a continuing as well as worthwhile line of work. Actually, gaining new qualifications in IT over the next year or two is probably the greatest choice of careers you could make.

So, which questions do we need to be raising so as to arrive at the understanding required? Because it looks like there are a good many pretty phenomenal opportunities for us all to investigate.

Students hoping to start a career in IT generally haven’t a clue what path to consider, let alone which market to build their qualifications around. Working through long lists of different and confusing job titles is next to useless. The vast majority of us have no concept what the neighbours do for a living – so we have no hope of understanding the ins and outs of any specific IT role. To work through this, there should be a discussion of a number of definitive areas:

* Your individual personality as well as your interests – what kind of work-related things you love or hate.

* What length of time can you allocate for the retraining?

* Does salary have a higher place on your wish list than anything else.

* Learning what typical work areas and sectors are – and what differentiates them.

* You need to understand what differentiates the myriad of training options.

When all is said and done, the only real way of covering these is by means of a good talk with an advisor or professional who knows the industry well enough to be able to guide you.

We’d hazard a guess that you’re a practical sort of person – the ‘hands-on’ person. 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’s not really your thing. Consider interactive, multimedia study if books just don’t do it for you. Memory is vastly improved with an involvement of all our senses – learning experts have been saying this for as long as we can remember.

Study programs now come in the form of CD and DVD ROM’s, so you can study at your own computer. Utilising the latest video technology, you are able to see your instructors showing you how to do something, and then practice yourself – in an interactive lab. Every company that you look at must be able to demonstrate a few samples of the materials provided for study. Make sure you encounter videos of instructor-led classes and many interactive sections.

Opt for actual CD or DVD ROM’s in all circumstances. This then avoids all the potential pitfalls with the variability of broadband quality and service.

Many students come unstuck over a single training area which is often not even considered: How the training is broken down and physically delivered to you. By and large, you will purchase a course staged over 2 or 3 years and receive a module at a time. While this may sound logical on one level, consider this: What if there are reasons why you can’t finish every single exam? And what if you find the order of the modules counter-intuitive? Due to no fault of yours, you mightn’t complete everything fast enough and not get all the study materials as a result.

For future safety and flexibility, it’s normal for most trainees to make sure that every element of their training is 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 work.

We can’t make a big enough deal out of this point: Always get full 24×7 support from professional instructors. You’ll severely regret it if you don’t heed this. Look for training where you can access help at any time of the day or night (even if it’s early hours on Sunday morning!) Ensure you get direct-access to qualified mentors and tutors, and not simply some messaging service that means you’re constantly waiting for a call-back at a convenient time for them.

The best training colleges tend to use a web-based 24×7 facility utilising a variety of support centres throughout multiple time-zones. You will be provided with an environment which accesses the most appropriate office irrespective of the time of day: Support when you need it. Don’t compromise when you’re looking for the right support service. The vast majority of trainees that fall by the wayside, just need the right support system.

It’s not uncommon for companies to offer inclusive exam guarantees – they always involve paying for the exam fees up-front, before you’ve even made a start on the course. However, prior to embracing a course with such a promise, why not consider this:

These days, we are a little bit more aware of sales ploys – and usually we grasp that it is something we’re paying for (it’s not a freebie because they like us so much!) It’s everybody’s ambition to qualify on the first attempt. Going for exams when it’s appropriate and paying for them just before taking them has a marked effect on pass-rates – you take it seriously and are mindful of the investment you’ve made.

Don’t you think it’s more sensible to go for the best offer when you’re ready, not to pay the fees marked up by a training college, and to take it closer to home – rather than possibly hours away from your area? Big margins are netted by a significant number of organisations who get money upfront for exam fees. A number of students don’t take them for various reasons and so they pocket the rest. Surprising as it sounds, there are companies around who rely on that fact – as that’s where a lot of their profit comes from. Pay heed to the fact that, with most ‘Exam Guarantees’ – the company controls how often and when you can do your re-takes. Subsequent exam attempts are only authorised at the company’s say so.

Exams taken at local centres are currently clocking in at an average of 112 pounds in Britain at the time of writing. What’s the point of paying huge fees for ‘exam guarantees’ (usually wrapped up in the course package price) – when the best course materials, the right level of support and commitment, effort and practice with quality exam preparation systems are the factors that really get you through.

Be alert that all exams that you’re considering will be recognised by employers and are bang up to date. ‘In-house’ exams and the certificates they come with are often meaningless. The main industry leaders such as Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA each have nationally renowned skills programmes. These heavyweights can make sure you stand out at interview.

Good for you! As you’re reading this article it’s likely you’re thinking about retraining for a new career – that means you’ve already taken one more step than the majority. Only one in ten of us are pleased to go to work each day, but no action is ever taken. You could be a member of the few who actually do something about it.

Prior to considering any career courses, seek out someone who will give you advice on which area will be right for you. An advisor who will take time to ask questions about your likes and dislikes, and discover what type of job will be right for you:

* Do you operate better working alone or is being part of a team an essential criteria for you?

* What criteria are fundamentally important with regard to the sector of industry you hope to work in?

* Would you like this to be the last time you’ll need to re-qualify?

* Do you believe that your industry training course can help you find employment, and will offer the chance to work right until retirement?

We would strongly recommend that your number one choice is Information Technology – it’s common knowledge that it’s on the grow. It’s not full of geeky individuals staring at computers all day – we know some IT jobs demand that, but most jobs are done by ordinary men and women who are earning rather well.

It’s indisputable, the UK computer sector shows incomparable possibilities. However, to investigate fully, which questions should we raise, and which are the areas we need to look at?

There are an excess of work available in Information Technology. Arriving at the correct choice out of this complexity often proves challenging. Because without any commercial skills in IT, how could any of us be expected to understand what any job actually involves? To attack this, we need to discuss a variety of unique issues:

* Your personality type and interests – the sort of work-related things you enjoy or dislike.

* Do you want to get qualified because of a specific raison d’etre – for instance, are you pushing to work based at home (self-employment?)?

* Is the money you make further up on your priority-scale than other requirements.

* Considering the huge variation that computing encompasses, it’s a requirement that you can take in the differences.

* You’ll also need to think hard about the level of commitment you’ll put into gaining your certifications.

To bypass the industry jargon, and reveal the best path to success, have an informal chat with an advisor with years of experience; an individual that appreciates and can explain the commercial realities while explaining the certifications.

Trainees looking at this market are often very practical, and aren’t really suited to the classroom environment, and poring through books and manuals. If this is putting you off studying, go for more modern interactive training, where learning is video-based. Our ability to remember is increased when we use multiple senses – this has been an accepted fact in expert circles for many years.

Find a course where you’re provided with an array of CD or DVD ROM’s – you’ll start with videos of instructor demonstrations, and then have the opportunity to use virtual lab’s to practice your new skills. Each company you’re contemplating should be able to show you samples of their training materials. You should hope for instructor-led videos and a wide selection of interactive elements.

Often, companies will only use just online versions of their training packages; and while this is acceptable much of the time, consider what happens if you lose your internet access or you get a slow connection speed. A safer solution is the provision of physical CD or DVD discs that removes the issue entirely.

Proper support should never be taken lightly – locate a good company offering 24×7 direct access to instructors, as anything less will not satisfy and will also hamper your progress. Avoid those companies that use ‘out-of-hours’ call-centres – where an advisor will call back during normal office hours. It’s not a lot of help when you’ve got study issues and could do with an answer during your scheduled study period.

We recommend that you search for providers that use several support centres active in different time-zones. Every one of them needs to be seamlessly combined to offer a simple interface and access round-the-clock, when it’s convenient for you, without any problems. Never make do with less than this. Direct-access round-the-clock support is the only way to go when it comes to technical courses. Perhaps you don’t intend to study during the evenings; often though, we’re at work during the provided support period.

If you’re considering a training company who still utilises ‘in-centre’ days as part of their program, then you should know about these typical downsides experienced by almost all trainees:

* Frequent driving or public transport – quite a distance away in more cases than not.

* Workshop availability; usually weekdays only and usually 2-3 days at a time. This can be difficult to get the leave of absence.

* Holiday days lost – many workers only get 4 weeks annual leave. If you use up half of that with study days, you haven’t got a great deal of holiday time remaining for most student’s families.

* Workshops usually reach their maximum intake very quickly, leaving us with a slot that doesn’t really suit.

* Maybe you like to work at a different pace to others in the class. This creates a lot of tension amongst the class.

* And don’t disregard the added cost of travelling or several days accommodation either. This may well run to hundreds and even thousands of pounds extra. Do the maths yourself – it’ll shock and surprise you.

* Quite a lot of students want study privacy thus avoiding all repercussions in their job.

* It’s quite usual for people not to put a question forward that they would like answered – purely due to the reason that they’re amongst other classmates.

* If you occasionally work away from home, it’s apparent that days in-centre sometimes become difficult to get to – unfortunately however, they’ve been paid for in advance.

Why don’t you simply watch and be taught by teachers one-to-one through filmed modules, taking them at a time that’s convenient for you and you alone. You can train wherever you want. If you have a laptop, you could get a little sunshine in your garden while you learn. Any difficulties and use the provided 24×7 live support. Note-taking is a thing of the past – every lesson is laid out for you already. And if you want to repeat anything, it’s there. Could it be simpler: A lot of money is saved and you avoid all the travelling; plus you get a much more relaxed learning environment.

Technology and IT is one of the most stimulating and innovative industries that you could be a part of. To be working on the cutting-edge of technology means you’re a part of the huge progress that will impact the whole world for generations to come. There are people who believe that the technological advancement we’ve been going through is easing off. All indicators point in the opposite direction. There are huge changes to come, and the internet particularly will become an increasingly dominant part of our lives.

Incomes in IT are not a problem moreover – the usual income in the United Kingdom for a typical IT worker is significantly greater than in other market sectors. It’s likely you’ll bring in a much better deal than you’d typically expect to bring in elsewhere. It’s no secret that there is a considerable country-wide demand for certified IT specialists. And as growth in the industry shows little sign of contracting, it looks like this pattern will continue for the significant future.

If your future is in a web design career, then it’s critical to study Adobe Dreamweaver. In order to use Dreamweaver commercially in web design, an in-depth understanding of the complete Adobe Web Creative Suite (which incorporates Flash and Action Script) is without doubt a bonus. With this knowledge, you could subsequently become an ACP (Adobe Certified Professional) or an ACE (Adobe Certified Expert).

Getting to grips with how to construct the website is simply the first base. Driving traffic, maintaining content and some programming skills should follow. Aim for courses that also contain modules to teach these subjects (such as PHP, HTML, MySQL etc.), alongside Search Engine Optimisation and E Commerce.

Many individuals don’t understand what IT is doing for all of us. It’s ground-breaking, exciting, and puts you at the fore-front of developments in technology that will change our world over the next few decades. We’re in the very early stages of beginning to see just how technology is going to shape our lives. The internet will significantly alter how we regard and interact with the world as a whole over the coming decades.

Incomes in IT are not a problem either – the typical remuneration across the UK for an average IT employee is much better than in other market sectors. Chances are you’ll make a much better deal than you’d expect to earn doing other work. The need for professionally qualified and skilled IT workers is a fact of life for many years to come, because of the substantial increase in the marketplace and the massive deficiency still in existence.

Which questions do we need to be posing if we want to take onboard the understanding we want? After all, it seems there are a good many somewhat tremendous opportunities for everyone to mull over.

Don’t put too much store, as many people do, on the training course itself. Your training isn’t about getting a plaque on your wall; you should be geared towards the actual job at the end of it. You need to remain focused on where you want to go. Never let yourself become one of those unfortunate people who select a program that on the surface appears interesting – and get to the final hurdle of an accreditation for something they’ll never enjoy.

Get to grips with the income level you aspire to and how ambitious you are. Often, this changes what particular exams will be expected and what you can expect to give industry in return. It’s worth seeking help from a professional who understands the market you think may suit you, and will be able to provide ‘A day in the life of’ outline for each job considered. All of these things are of paramount importance as you’ll need to know if you’re barking up the wrong tree.

If you forget everything else – then just remember this: You absolutely must have proper 24×7 instructor support. You will have so many problems later if you don’t follow this rule rigidly. Beware of institutions who use ‘out-of-hours’ call-centres – with the call-back coming in during typical office hours. It’s not a lot of help when you’ve got study issues and need help now.

We recommend that you search for study programmes that utilise many support facilities from around the world. Each one should be integrated to give a single entry point as well as access round-the-clock, when it suits you, with no fuss. Never ever take second best with the quality of your support. The majority of would-be IT professionals that drop-out or fail, would have had a different experience if they’d got the right support package in the first place.

Students who consider this area of study can be very practical by nature, and won’t enjoy sitting at a desk in class, and struggling through thick study-volumes. If you’re thinking this sounds like you, try the newer style of interactive study, with on-screen demonstrations and labs. We see a huge improvement in memory retention when all our senses are brought into the mix – this has been an accepted fact in expert circles for as long as we can remember.

Find a course where you’re provided with an array of DVD-ROM’s – you’ll learn by watching video tutorials and demonstrations, and then have the opportunity to fine-tune your skills in fully interactive practice sessions. Any company that you’re considering must be pushed to demo a few examples of the materials provided for study. Expect video tutorials, instructor led classes and many interactive sections.

Go for actual CD or DVD ROM’s every time. You’re then protected from broadband ‘downtime’ or slow-speeds.

The way in which your courseware is broken down for you is usually ignored by most students. How is the courseware broken down? And in what sequence and what control do you have at what pace it arrives? The majority of training companies will set up a program typically taking 1-3 years, and drop-ship the materials to you piecemeal as you finish each section. On the surface this seems reasonable – until you consider the following: What if you don’t finish every section? What if you don’t find their order of learning is ideal for you? Because of nothing that’s your fault, you may not meet the required timescales and not receive all the modules you’ve paid for.

The very best situation would see you getting all the learning modules couriered to your address right at the beginning; the whole caboodle! This way, nothing can happen down the line which could affect your ability to finish.

Your training program should always include the most up to date Microsoft (or Cisco, CompTIA etc.) authorised exam preparation packages. Don’t fall foul of relying on non-official exam preparation systems. The terminology of their questions can be completely unlike authorised versions – and often this creates real issues in the actual examination. Ensure that you have some simulated exam questions in order to test your understanding whenever you need to. Simulated or practice exams will help to boost your attitude – then the actual exam is much easier.

Finding your first job in the industry sometimes feels easier to handle if you’re offered a Job Placement Assistance facility. Ultimately it isn’t so complicated as you might think to land employment – assuming you’re well trained and qualified; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.

Whatever you do, don’t leave it until you’ve finished your training before polishing up your CV. As soon as your training commences, enter details of your study programme and place it on jobsites! You’ll often find that you will get your initial role whilst you’re still studying (even in the early stages). If your CV doesn’t say what you’re learning – or it’s not getting in front of interviewers, then you aren’t even in the running! You’ll normally experience better results from a specialist locally based employment agency than you’ll get from a training course provider’s national service, as they’ll know the local area and commercial needs better.

Various students, it would appear, put a great deal of effort into their studies (sometimes for years), and just give up when it comes to looking for a job. Promote yourself… Work hard to put yourself out there. Don’t expect a job to just fall into your lap.

To become a proficient web designer with the right credentials for today’s employment market, your must-have certification is Adobe Dreamweaver. Additionally, it’s good practice that you learn all about the entire Adobe Web Creative Suite, including Flash and Action Script, to have the facility to facilitate Dreamweaver professionally as a web designer. Having such skills can take you on to becoming an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) or Adobe Certified Professional (ACP).

The construction of the website is only the beginning of the skill set required though – to maintain content, create traffic, and work with dynamic database-driven sites, you’ll be required to have more programming skills, such as PHP, HTML, and MySQL. It would also be a good idea to gain a good understanding of Search Engine Optimisation and E Commerce.

Can job security really exist anymore? In a marketplace like the UK, with industry changing its mind on a day-to-day basis, it certainly appears not. Wherever we find growing skills shortages together with areas of high demand of course, we almost always find a newer brand of security in the marketplace; driven by the constant growth conditions, businesses just can’t get the staff required.

Looking at the Information Technology (IT) sector, a recent e-Skills investigation brought to light an over 26 percent deficit in trained staff. That means for each 4 job positions in existence across Information Technology (IT), we have only 3 certified professionals to perform that task. Achieving the appropriate commercial computer accreditation is consequently an effective route to a long-lasting and satisfying occupation. Undoubtedly, this really is such a perfect time to consider retraining into IT.

So, which are the questions we need to be posing if we’re to gain the understanding necessary? After all, there seems to be many fairly tremendous prospects for us to think about.

Starting from the viewpoint that we need to home-in on the area of most interest first, before we’re able to contemplate which training program meets that requirement, how do we know the right path? As having no solid background in computing, how could any of us be expected to understand what any job actually involves? Usually, the way to come at this issue correctly comes from a full talk over some important points:

* Your individual personality and interests – which work-oriented areas you love or hate.

* Are you looking to realise a closely held dream – for instance, being your own boss as quickly as possible?

* How important is salary to you – is it the most important thing, or is enjoying your job a little higher on the scale of your priorities?

* Looking at the many markets that the IT industry encapsulates, you’ll need to be able to understand the differences.

* You’ll also need to think hard about what kind of effort and commitment you’re going to give to your training.

To cut through all the jargon and confusion, and reveal the best route for you, have an informal chat with an experienced professional; a person who will cover the commercial realities and truth while explaining all the qualifications.

We can guess that you’ve always enjoyed practical work – the ‘hands-on’ person. If you’re like us, the painful task of reading endless manuals is something you’ll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but it’s not ideal. Consider interactive, multimedia study if learning from books is not your thing. Many studies have proved that long term memory is improved when we receive multi-sensorial input, and we get physically involved with the study process.

Learning is now available on CD and DVD discs, where everything is taught on your PC. Utilising the latest video technology, you will be able to see the instructor presenting exactly how it’s all done, and then practice yourself – via the interactive virtual lab’s. You really need to look at the type of training provided by your chosen company. It’s essential they incorporate video demo’s and interactive elements such as practice lab’s.

Plump for CD or DVD ROM based materials where possible. This then avoids all the potential pitfalls with internet connection failure and issues with signal quality.

An important area that is sometimes not even considered by people thinking about a course is ‘training segmentation’. This basically means the method used to break up the program for delivery to you, which completely controls how you end up. Delivery by courier of each element one piece at a time, as you pass each exam is the normal way of receiving your courseware. This sounds sensible, but you should consider these factors: What if you don’t finish each and every exam? And what if you find the order of the modules counter-intuitive? Through no fault of your own, you might take a little longer and not get all the study materials as a result.

For future safety and flexibility, many trainees now want to have all their training materials (which they’ve now paid for) sent immediately, and not in a piecemeal fashion. You can then decide how fast or slow and in what order you want to work.

Of all the important things to consider, one of the most essential is always comprehensive 24×7 direct-access support through expert mentors and instructors. It’s an all too common story to find providers that will only offer a basic 9am till 6pm support period (maybe later on certain days) with very little availability over the weekend. Try and find training with proper support available at any time you choose (even if it’s early hours on Sunday morning!) Ensure you get access directly to professional tutors, and not a call-centre that will take messages so you’re constantly waiting for a call-back during office hours.

Top training companies utilise several support facilities active in different time-zones. Online access provides the interactive interface to join them all seamlessly, any time of the day or night, there is always help at hand, without any contact issues or hassle. Never make the mistake of compromise when you’re looking for the right support service. Most IT hopefuls that drop-out or fail, just need the right support system.

One crafty way that training providers make more money is through up-front charges for exams then giving it ‘Exam Guarantee’ status. This sounds impressive, but is it really:

Everybody’s aware that they’re still being charged for it – it’s quite obvious to see that it’s been inserted into the gross price invoiced by the course provider. It’s definitely not free (it’s just marketing companies think we’ll fall for anything they say!) Evidence shows that if a student pays for their relevant examinations, one after the other, they’ll be in a better position to qualify each time – because they’re aware of their payment and will therefore apply themselves appropriately.

Isn’t it in your interests to go for the best offer at the appropriate time, not to pay the fees marked up by a training course provider, and to do it in a local testing office – instead of the remote centre that’s convenient only to the trainer? Why borrow the money or pay in advance (plus interest of course) on examination fees when there was no need to? Big margins are made because training colleges are charging upfront for all their exams – and banking on the fact that many won’t be taken. It’s worth noting that exam re-takes with companies with an ‘Exam Guarantee’ inevitably are heavily regulated. They will insist that you take pre-tests first until you’ve demonstrated an excellent ability to pass.

With the average price of Pro-metric and VUE exams in the United Kingdom costing around 112 pounds, it makes sense to pay as you go. It’s not in the student’s interests to fork out hundreds or thousands of pounds for exams when enrolling on a course. Study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.

Be watchful that any certifications you’re studying for will be commercially viable and are current. ‘In-house’ exams and the certificates they come with are generally useless. Only properly recognised examinations from the likes of Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA and Adobe will be useful to a future employer.

If you’d like to find a Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) training course, pay attention to the fact that companies offer quite diverse courses; and you’ll relate to some more than others. You’ll discover a variety of courses, whether you’re new to the industry, or an IT professional hoping to polish up your CV. Each of these categories needs a specialised track, so pay attention that you’ve got the correct program prior to making a start. Look for a training provider that’s willing to understand you, and what you’re trying to achieve, and will supply you with the clear facts to make your choice.

How are we supposed to make the right choice then? With so many opportunities, we have to know where we should look – and what it is we should be looking for.

Don’t get hung-up, as a lot of students can, on the accreditation program. Training for training’s sake is generally pointless; this is about gaining commercial employment. You need to remain focused on where you want to go. Never let yourself become one of the unfortunate masses who choose a training program that sounds really ‘interesting’ and ‘fun’ – and get to the final hurdle of an accreditation for a job they hate.

Prioritise understanding what expectations industry may have of you. What qualifications you’ll be required to have and how you’ll build your experience level. It’s definitely worth spending time thinking about how far you wish to build your skill-set as it will force you to choose a particular set of certifications. Seek help from a skilled advisor who understands the sector you wish to join, and who can give you ‘A day in the life of’ understanding of what you’ll actually be doing day-to-day. It’d be sensible to understand whether or not this is right for you long before you embark on your training program. There’s little point in beginning your training only to find you’ve gone the wrong way entirely.

Often, trainers provide a big box of books. This isn’t very interesting and not really conducive to remembering. Long-term memory is enhanced with an involvement of all our senses – learning experts have been saying this for decades now.

The latest home-based training features easy-to-use DVD or CD ROM’s. Instructor-led tutorials will mean you’ll find things easier to remember by way of the expert demonstrations. Knowledge can then be tested by using practice-lab’s. It’s imperative to see some example materials from the company you’re considering. Be sure that they contain video, demonstrations and various interactive elements.

Seek out actual CD or DVD ROM’s if possible. Thus avoiding all the issues associated with internet connection failure and issues with signal quality.

We can’t make a big enough deal out of this point: Always get full 24×7 instructor support. We can tell you that you’ll strongly regret it if you let this one slide. some companies only provide email support (slow), and phone support is often to a call-centre who will chat nicely with you for 5 minutes to ask what the issue is and then simply send an email to an instructor – who will call back over the next day or so (assuming you’re there), when it suits them. This is no use if you’re stuck and can’t continue and can only study at specific times.

Be on the lookout for providers that have multiple support offices active in different time-zones. These should be integrated to provide a single interface as well as 24×7 access, when you need it, with no hassle. If you accept anything less than 24×7 support, you’ll regret it very quickly. You may not need it in the middle of the night, but you’re bound to use weekends, early mornings or late evenings.

A major candidate for the biggest single let-down for IT students is usually having to turn up to ‘In Centre’ days or workshops. Most training schools extol the virtues of the positive points of taking part in these events, but most students end up finding them a burden to be carried because of:

* Frequent driving or public transport – 100’s of miles in more cases than not.

* If you work for a living, then weekday only workshops cause problems at work. More than likely you will be contending with several days in a row too.

* Lost annual leave – many students get just four weeks holiday each year. If over half of it is swallowed up by training events, that isn’t going to leave much vacation time for the family as a whole.

* ‘In-Centre’ days normally become quickly full, leaving us with a less-than-ideal slot.

* A lot of trainees hope to push through at quite a pace, others want a more steady pace and not be forced to adopt an uncomfortable speed for them. This will often generate tension and bad atmosphere in most workshops.

* Quite a lot of attendees report that the (not inconsiderable) costs of all the travelling back and forth to the venue whilst paying for accommodation and food gets very high.

* Training privacy will be of paramount importance to a lot of attendees. Why would you want to lose potential advancement, pay-rises or success at work while you’re training. If your work discovers you’re putting yourself through accreditation in another sector, what are they going to be thinking?

* It’s quite usual for people to not ask questions they want answered – simply because they’re amongst other classmates.

* If you on occasion work or live away part of the time, think of the now-increased trouble of travelling to the requisite days in-centre, when time is at a premium.

Many students discover a more flexible approach is to use ready-made, videoed lessons at the location of your choice – and do it when it’s convenient to you – not someone else. You can study from home on your desktop PC or if you have laptop, why not get outside if the weather’s nice. If you’ve got questions, then utilise the 24×7 Support (that you should have insisted on for any technical study.) You can watch and re-watch the learning modules as many times as you want to. There’s also no need to take notes as you have the lesson indefinitely. The outcome: Much less stress and hassle, less cost, and absolutely no travelling.

Technology and IT is one of the most exciting and ground-breaking industries that you can get into right now. To be dealing with leading-edge technology is to be a part of the massive changes that will impact the whole world for generations to come. Technology, computers and dialogue on the web will spectacularly affect the direction of our lives in the future; incredibly so.

Should receiving a good salary be high on your goal sheet, you will welcome the news that the average salary of the majority of IT staff is significantly better than with the rest of the economy. There is a considerable country-wide demand for trained and qualified IT technicians. It follows that with the constant growth in the marketplace, it seems this will be the case for years to come.