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Whether you’re new to the industry, or have a certain amount of knowledge but are about to gain accredited qualifications, you’ll discover interactive Microsoft MCSA study programs that teach both student levels. For a newcomer to the world of computers, it’s probably a good idea to learn a few things ahead of getting into your four Microsoft Certified Professional exams (MCP’s) that are necessary to achieve an MCSA. Search for an organisation that can create a bespoke package to suit you - with a team of advisors who can be relied on to make sure that your choices are good ones.

Training support for students is an absolute must - look for a package providing 24×7 full access, as not opting for this kind of support could hamper your progress. You’ll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and so-called telephone support is normally just routed to a call-centre which 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), at a time suitable for them. This isn’t a lot of good if you’re sitting there confused over an issue and can only study at specific times.

It’s possible to find professional companies which recommend and use direct-access support at all times - at any time of day or night. If you opt for less than 24×7 support, you’ll very quickly realise that you’ve made a mistake. You might not want to use the service during late nights, but what about weekends, late evenings or early mornings.

How long has it been since you considered how safe your job is? For most people, this issue only becomes a talking point when something goes wrong. However, the reality is that true job security has gone the way of the dodo, for all but the most lucky of us. Whereas a sector experiencing fast growth, where staff are in constant demand (because of a massive shortfall of trained workers), enables the possibility of lasting job security.

The 2006 United Kingdom e-Skills analysis brought to light that over 26 percent of IT jobs are unfilled because of a chronic shortage of appropriately certified professionals. So, for every 4 jobs in existence across computing, organisations can only locate enough qualified individuals for 3 of them. Achieving full commercial IT qualification is as a result a ‘Fast Track’ to a life-long as well as worthwhile living. Without a doubt, now really is a fabulous time to join Information Technology (IT).

A knowledgeable and practiced advisor (vs a salesperson) will ask questions and seek to comprehend your abilities and experience. This is useful for working out the starting point for your education. With some commercial experience or some accreditation, you could discover that your appropriate starting-point is not the same as someone new to the industry. Commencing with a basic PC skills module first may be the ideal way to start into your computer program, depending on your current skill level.

Many trainers provide a shelf full of reference manuals. This can be very boring and not really conducive to achieving retention. Research into the way we learn shows that we remember much more when we involve as many senses as possible, and we get physically involved with the study process.

The latest home-based training features easy-to-use DVD or CD ROM’s. Through instructor-led video classes you’ll find things easier to remember by way of the demonstrations and explanations. Then it’s time to test your knowledge by utilising the practice lab’s and modules. Every company that you look at must be able to demonstrate a few examples of their training materials. Make sure you encounter videos of instructor-led classes and a wide selection of interactive elements.

Avoid training that is purely online. Always choose CD or DVD based study materials where possible, as you need to be able to use them whenever it’s convenient for you - it’s not wise to be held hostage to your internet connection always being ‘up’ and available.

Students often end up having issues because of one aspect of their training usually not even thought about: The breakdown of the course materials before being packaged off through the post. Training companies will normally offer a 2 or 3 year study programme, and courier the materials in pieces as you pass each exam. On the surface this seems reasonable - until you consider the following: How would they react if you didn’t complete each element within the time limits imposed? And maybe you’ll find their order of completion won’t fit you as well as an alternative path could be.

Ideally, you’d get ALL the training materials right at the beginning - meaning you’ll have all of them to come back to in the future - at any time you choose. This allows a variation in the order that you complete each objective where a more intuitive path can be found.

A very small number of men and women in the UK today are enjoying job satisfaction. The vast majority of course will do nothing about it. You’ve reached this paragraph, which surely tells us that you know it’s time to make a change.

It’s in your interests that before you start a training course, you discuss your plans with a person who knows the industry and can point you in the right direction. The right person will be able to assess your personal likes and dislikes and give you guidance on the right role for you:

* Are you hoping to be involved with others in the workplace? Is that as part of a team or with many new people? Maybe working on your own on specific tasks would give you pleasure?

* Are you thinking carefully about which sector you maybe could work in? (These days, it’s more important than ever to choose carefully.)

* How long a career do you hope to have once retrained, and can your chosen industry provide you with that possibility?

* Are you worried about the chance of finding new employment, and being gainfully employed to the end of your working life?

The largest sector in the UK to meet the above criteria is the IT sector. There’s a need for more knowledgeable staff in IT, just check out any jobs website and you’ll discover what we mean. Don’t misunderstand and think it’s full of techie geeks looking at their computerscreens every day - there are many more roles than that. The majority of workers in IT are ordinary people, and they have very interesting and well paid jobs.

Huge changes are flooding technology over the next few decades - and it only gets more exciting every day. We’re in the very early stages of beginning to see just how technology will define our world. Technology and the web will profoundly change the way we view and interrelate with the world as a whole over the coming decades.

And don’t forget that income in the IT industry in the United Kingdom is considerably more than remuneration packages in other industries, so you will most likely receive noticeably more in the IT sector, than you’d get in most other industries. It seems there’s no end in sight for IT jobs development across Britain. The sector is still growing enormously, and as we have a skills gap that means we only typically have three IT workers for every four jobs it’s highly unlikely that there’ll be any kind of easing off for a good while yet.

The way a programme is physically sent to you is often missed by many students. How many stages do they break the program into? And in what order and what control do you have at what pace it arrives? Individual deliveries for each training module one stage at a time, according to your exam schedule is the usual method of releasing your program. Of course, this sounds sensible, but you should take these factors into account: Students often discover that their training company’s standard order of study doesn’t suit. It’s often the case that a slightly different order suits them better. Could it cause problems if you don’t get everything done within their exact timetable?

In a perfect world, you want everything at the start - enabling you to have them all to return to any point - at any time you choose. You can also vary the order in which you attack each section as and when something more intuitive seems right for you.

Workshops can be portrayed as a strong aspect by a lot of trainers. When you talk to many IT students who have used them, you’ll likely realise that they’ve now become a major negative as they hadn’t properly considered the following:

* All the travelling required - multiple journeys and quite often 100’s of miles each time.

* Monday to Friday availability to workshops is the norm, and trying to take several days leave in a single chunk can represent quite a problem for many working people.

* Most of us think 4 weeks annual leave doesn’t go very far. Sacrifice a big chunk of this for educational workshops and watch how much harder things become.

* Taking into account the costs associated with delivering a workshop, a lot of training providers fill the classes up to the brim - not really ideal (and with less one-on-one time).

* Many trainees are trying to maintain a quick pace, but some like to take it easier and be allowed to set their own speed. This generates tension in most cases.

* Tot up the cost of all the travel, fares, accommodation, parking and food and you may be surprised (and not pleasantly). Trainees mention extra costs of between several hundred and a couple of thousand pounds. Work it out - and see for yourself.

* Keeping your training private from your employer can be high on the list of priorities to a lot of attendees. Why lose any possible promotions, salary hikes or achievement in your job because you’re getting trained in a different area. If your work discovers you’ve committed to qualification in another area entirely, what do you think they’ll do?

* Surely, all of us at some time have avoided asking a question, because we didn’t want to look stupid?

* If your work takes you away from home, you now have to deal with the fact that events now become impossible to get to - and yet, the money has already been paid.

It obviously makes a lot more sense to be trained when it suits you — not the training company - and utilise videos of instructors with interactive virtual-lab’s. Training can take place wherever it suits you. If you have a laptop, why not catch some fresh air in your garden as you work. Any issues that arise just get onto the live 24×7 support. You can go back and re-cover all the study modules as many times as you want to. There’s absolutely no need to jot down any notes because the class is available whenever you want it. The outcome: Reduced stress, saved money, and absolutely no travelling.

If your dream is to become a great web designer qualified appropriately for the current working environment, the course you need is Adobe Dreamweaver. In order to use Dreamweaver commercially in web design, an in-depth and thorough understanding of the whole Adobe Web Creative Suite (including Flash and Action Script) is something to consider very seriously. With these skills, you have the choice to become either an Adobe Certified Expert or Adobe Certified Professional (ACE or ACP).

The construction of a website only scratches the surface of the skills needed though - to drive traffic, update content, and work with dynamic database-driven sites, you’ll need to bolt on further programming skills, namely ones like HTML and PHP, and database engines like MySQL. In addition, you should gain a working knowledge of E-Commerce and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

Many people question why qualifications from colleges and universities are being replaced by more qualifications from the commercial sector? Corporate based study (as it’s known in the industry) is far more specialised and product-specific. The IT sector has acknowledged that specialisation is necessary to meet the requirements of a technologically complex world. CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA are the key players in this arena. The training is effectively done by focusing on the particular skills that are needed (together with a relevant amount of related knowledge,) rather than covering masses of the background detail and ‘fluff’ that degree courses are prone to get tied up in (because the syllabus is so wide).

In simple terms: Accredited IT qualifications tell an employer precisely what skills you have - the title says it all: i.e. I am a ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ in ‘Windows XP Administration and Configuration’. Consequently an employer can look at the particular needs they have and which qualifications are required to perform the job.

Searching for your first position in IT can be a little easier if you’re offered a Job Placement Assistance facility. The honest truth is that it’s not as hard as some people make out to land a job - as long as you’re correctly trained and certified; because there’s still a great need for IT skills in the UK today.

CV and Interview advice and support should be offered (if it isn’t, consult one of our sites). Be sure to you polish up your CV straight away - not when you’re ready to start work! Being considered a ‘maybe’ is more than not being known. Many junior support jobs are bagged by students who are still at an early stage in their studies. The most reliable organisations to get you a new position are normally local IT focused employment agencies. Because they only get paid when they place you, they have the necessary incentive to try that bit harder.

In a nutshell, if you put the same amount of effort into getting your first IT position as into studying, you won’t have any problems. A number of trainees curiously put hundreds of hours into their course materials and then call a halt once certified and appear to be under the impression that jobs will come to them.

We’d hazard a guess that you’ve always enjoyed practical work - the ‘hands-on’ person. Typically, the trial of reading reference books and manuals is something you’ll make yourself do if you have to, but it’s not ideal. You should use video and multimedia based materials if books just don’t do it for you. Research into the way we learn shows that we remember much more when we involve as many senses as possible, and we take action to use what we’ve learned.

Study programs now come in disc format, so everything is learned directly from your own PC. Using video-streaming, you can watch instructors demonstrating how something is done, and then practice yourself - via the interactive virtual lab’s. Always insist on a look at some courseware examples from the training company. You should ask for slide-shows, instructor-led videos and interactive labs where you get to practice.

Some companies only have access to purely on-line training; sometimes you can get away with this - but, think what will happen when you don’t have access to the internet or you only get very a very slow connection sometimes. A safer solution is the provision of CD and DVD ROM materials which removes the issue entirely.

Students hoping to start an IT career generally haven’t a clue what route to consider, let alone what market to obtain accreditation for. Because without any commercial skills in Information Technology, in what way could we know what someone in a particular job does? To get through to the essence of this, a discussion is necessary, covering several different aspects:

* The kind of person you reckon you are - what tasks do you really enjoy, and conversely - what you hate to do.

* Are you driven to obtain training due to a specific raison d’etre - e.g. are you looking at working from home (self-employment possibly?)?

* Is salary further up on your priority-list than anything else.

* Looking at the many markets that computing encompasses, it’s important to be able to see how they differ.

* It’s wise to spend some time thinking about the level of commitment you’re going to give to the accreditation program.

At the end of the day, your only chance of covering these is from a good talk with an experienced advisor who has enough background to be able to guide you.

Remember: the training course or a certification isn’t what this is about; a job you’re training for is. Far too many training organisations put too much weight in the certificate itself. Don’t let yourself become part of that group that choose a course that on the surface appears interesting - only to end up with a qualification for something they’ll never enjoy.

Get to grips with earning potential and how ambitious you are. This will influence what particular certifications will be expected and how much effort you’ll have to give in return. Before you embark on a study course, you’d be well advised to discuss specific job needs with an experienced industry professional, so as to be sure the training path covers all the necessary elements.

What might you expect the best Microsoft certified training providers to offer a student in Britain in this day and age? Clearly, the ultimate in Microsoft authorised training routes, offering a portfolio of courses to take you to a variety of careers in the IT workplace. In addition, you may want to get advice on the sort of careers available to you once you’ve qualified, and the type of individual those jobs may be appropriate for. Lots of people like to get advice on what would suit them individually. Once you’ve decided on your career path, you must find an appropriate course customised to your ability level and skill set. The standard of teaching should leave no room for complaints.

Please understand this most important point: Always get full 24×7 instructor support. You’ll severely regret it if you let this one slide. some companies only provide email support (slow), and phone support is usually just a call-centre which will make some notes and then email an advisor - who will call back over the next day or so (assuming you’re there), when it suits them. This is all next to useless if you’re stuck and can’t continue and only have a specific time you can study.

Keep your eyes open for study programmes that utilise many support facilities from around the world. Every one of them needs to be seamlessly combined to give a single entry point and 24×7 access, when you need it, without any problems. Unless you insist on support round-the-clock, you’ll regret it. You may not need it late at night, but consider weekends, evenings and early mornings at some point.

With all the options available, there’s no surprise that most potential trainees have no idea which career they should even pursue. Perusing lists of IT career possibilities is a complete waste of time. Most of us have no concept what our next-door neighbours do at work each day - let alone understand the ins and outs of any specific IT role. Generally, the way to deal with this problem correctly stems from a deep chat, covering several different topics:

* Personalities play a major role - what gives you a ‘kick’, and what are the activities that really turn you off.

* Why you want to consider moving into Information Technology - is it to achieve a life-long goal such as self-employment for example.

* What salary and timescale requirements you may have?

* With everything that computing encompasses, it’s important to be able to see how they differ.

* It’s wise to spend some time thinking about the amount of time and effort you’ll put into the accreditation program.

The best way to avoid all the jargon and confusion, and reveal the most viable option for your success, have an informal meeting with an industry expert and advisor; someone who will cover the commercial realities and truth whilst covering each accreditation.

Discovering job security in the current climate is incredibly rare. Companies often remove us from the workforce at a moment’s notice - as long as it fits their needs. However, a marketplace with high growth, with huge staffing demands (through a massive shortfall of properly qualified workers), opens the possibility of true job security.

Investigating the IT industry, the 2006 e-Skills analysis demonstrated a 26 percent skills deficit. It follows then that for every 4 jobs that exist around computing, companies can only locate trained staff for 3 of them. This basic notion shows an urgent requirement for more appropriately qualified computing professionals across the United Kingdom. For sure, this really is a fabulous time to consider retraining into the IT industry.

Many students come unstuck over one area of their training usually not even thought about: The breakdown of the course materials before being sent out to you. You may think it logical (with training often lasting 2 or 3 years for a full commercial certification,) for your typical trainer to courier one module at a time, as you achieve each exam pass. However: Sometimes the steps or stages prescribed by the provider doesn’t suit you. And what if you don’t finish all the sections inside their defined time-scales?

For future safety and flexibility, many trainees now want to have all their training materials (which they’ve now paid for) posted to them in one go, with nothing held back. That means it’s down to you in what order and how fast or slow you want to finish things.

A sneaky way that colleges make a big mark-up is by charging for exams up-front and offering an exam guarantee. It looks like a good deal, but let’s just examine it more closely:

In this day and age, we are a tad more knowledgeable about sales gimmicks - and the majority of us ought to grasp that it is something we’re paying for - it’s not because they’re so generous they want to give something away! Trainees who take exams one at a time, funding them one at a time are far more likely to pass first time. They’re thoughtful of the cost and take the necessary steps to make sure they’re ready.

Go for the best offer you can find when you’re ready, and save having to find the money early. You’ll then be able to select where you take your exam - which means you can stay local. Including money in your training package for examinations (plus interest - if you’re financing your study) is insane. Resist being talked into filling the training company’s account with additional funds just to give them more interest! Many will hope you won’t get round to taking them - then they’ll keep the extra money. The majority of companies will insist that you take mock exams first and with-hold subsequent exam entries from you until you’ve demonstrated an excellent ability to pass - which makes an ‘Exam Guarantee’ frankly useless.

The cost of exams was approximately 112 pounds in the last 12 months when taken at Prometric or VUE centres around the United Kingdom. So what’s the point of paying maybe a thousand pounds extra to get ‘an Exam Guarantee’, when it’s no secret that the most successful method is a regular, committed, study programme, with an accredited exam preparation system.

Should you be wanting to study for an MCSE, you’re probably in 1 of 2 situations. You might be ready to enter the world of IT, and you’ve found the industry has many opportunities for qualified people. Or you are perhaps an IT professional attempting to gain acknowledgement with the Microsoft qualification.

As you find out about training providers, don’t use those who reduce their out-goings by failing to use the latest level of Microsoft development. Over time, this will cost the student a great deal more as they will have been studying an out-of-date syllabus which inevitably will have to be up-dated very quickly. Avoid businesses who’re just out to sell you anything. Advisors should be helping to verify that you are on the right course for you. Don’t allow yourself to be sold their standard course by an over-keen salesman.

Any program that you’re going to undertake should always lead to a properly recognised qualification at the end - and not a worthless ‘in-house’ printed certificate to hang in your hallway. All the major commercial players like Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA or Adobe all have internationally acknowledged proficiency programs. Huge conglomerates such as these can make sure you stand out at interview.

Always expect the current Microsoft (or Cisco, CompTIA etc.) authorised exam preparation packages. Confirm that the mock exams aren’t just asking you the right questions on the correct subjects, but ask them in the exact format that the real exams will formulate them. It completely unsettles students if the phraseology and format is completely different. Be sure to ask for exam preparation tools so you’ll be able to verify your understanding at all times. Simulations of exams help to build your confidence - then the real thing isn’t quite as scary.

Many trainers provide a big box of books. Learning like this is dull and repetitive and not a very good way of taking things in. Years of research and study has repeatedly shown that becoming involved with our studies, to utilise all our senses, will more likely produce memories that are deeper and longer-lasting.

Search for a course where you’ll receive a selection of CD and DVD ROM’s - you’ll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, followed by the chance to use virtual lab’s to practice your new skills. Always insist on a study material demo’ from your training provider. The package should contain slide-shows, instructor-led videos and interactive labs where you get to practice.

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

One useful service that many training companies provide is a programme of Job Placement assistance. This is designed to assist your search for your first position. Don’t get overly impressed with this service - it’s easy for training companies to make it sound harder than it is. In reality, the massive skills shortage in Great Britain is the reason you’ll find a job.

Update your CV at the beginning of your training though (advice can be sought on this via your provider). Don’t put it off till you’ve finished your exams. Quite frequently, you’ll secure your initial role whilst you’re still studying (occasionally right at the beginning). If you haven’t updated your CV to say what you’re studying (and it’s not being looked at by employers) then you don’t stand a chance! You’ll normally experience quicker service from a specialised and independent local recruitment service than any training course provider’s national service, because they will be more familiar with the area and local employers.

A regular frustration for a number of training course providers is how much students are focused on studying to get qualified, but how un-prepared they are to work on getting the job they have qualified for. Don’t falter at the last fence.

A subtle way that course providers make more money is through up-front charges for exams then giving it ‘Exam Guarantee’ status. This looks like a great idea for the student, until you think it through:

It’s become essential these days that we tend to be a tad more knowledgeable about sales gimmicks - and the majority of us ought to realise that of course we are actually being charged for it (it isn’t free or out of the goodness of their hearts!) The fact is that if students pay for their own exams, when they’re ready to take them and not before, there’s a much better chance they’ll get through on the first attempt - since they’ll be conscious of what they’ve paid and their application will be greater.

Sit the exam somewhere close to home and go for the best offer you can find when you’re ready. Huge profits are made by some training companies that get money for exam fees in advance. For various reasons, many students don’t take their exams but no refunds are given. Amazingly, providers exist who rely on that fact - as that’s how they make a lot of their profit. Don’t forget, with most ‘Exam Guarantees’ - the company decides when you are allowed to have another go. You’ll have to prove conclusively that you can pass before they’ll pay for another exam.

Paying maybe a thousand pounds extra on ‘Exam Guarantees’ is foolish - when hard work, commitment and the right preparation via exam simulations is actually the key to your success.