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Just ten percent of adults in Great Britain are happy with what they do for a living. Of course, most will take no action. The fact that you’re reading this surely suggests that you’ve realised change must come.

When considering retraining, it’s important that you first make a list of what you want and don’t want from the position you would like to get. Ensure that a new career would suit you better before you put a lot of energy into changing the direction of your life. We recommend looking at the big picture first, to avoid disappointment:

* Is having company at work important to you? Is it meeting new people or being part of a team? Maybe you like to deal with tasks that only you know how to deal with?

* What’s important that you get from the industry your job is in? (Building and banking - not so stable as they once were.)

* How long a career do you hope to have once retrained, and will the market sector offer you that opportunity?

* Do you feel uncomfortable with regard to your chances of getting another job, and keeping a job to the end of your working life?

The biggest industry in the UK that fulfils the above criteria is Information Technology. There is a requirement for greater numbers of qualified staff in IT, simply have a look at a local jobsite and you will find them yourself. Don’t let people tell you it’s only geeky nerds sitting in front ofscreens all day - there’s a lot more to it than that. Large numbers of the people in the computer industry are just like you and me, and they have very interesting and well paid jobs.

Many certification companies are still maintaining the slightly musty old method of in-centre classes. Usually touted as a major benefit, after discussion with someone who has first-hand experience, you’ll find them listing some or all of the following problems:

* Lots of round journeys - often hundreds of miles each and every time.

* For those of us that work, then Mon-Fri events represent a difficulty in getting time off. You’re usually having to deal with 2-3 days at a time as well.

* Lost annual leave - most IT hopefuls are given only twenty days of leave annually. If over half of it is swallowed up by study workshops, vacation time is going to be quite short for students and their families.

* Training events fill up fast and can be very crammed in.

* There is often tension in classes as most students want to move at a pace comfortable for them.

* Add up the cost of all the fares or petrol, parking, accommodation and food and you’ll be in for a big surprise. Trainees talk of increased costs mounting to several hundred and sometimes thousands of pounds. Take some time to add it all up - and see for yourself.

* You should never risk the chance of letting yourself be overlooked for a lift up the ladder or pay-rises because you’re getting trained in a different area.

* Posing questions in front of other class-mates will often make any one of us feel nervous. Have you ever left a question un-asked just because you didn’t want to look foolish?

* Living away for part of your working week - a lot of students have to work or live away for part of the program. Events are very difficult then, unfortunately the monies have already been handed over as part of your fees.

Doesn’t it make a lot more sense to learn when it’s convenient for you - not the company - and exploit videos of instructors with interactive virtual-lab’s.

Training can take place wherever it suits you. If your PC is a laptop, take in some sun outside while you learn. If you have any problems then make use of the 24×7 support.

It really doesn’t matter how often you would like to re-take a quiz or test, on-screen teachers can never get frustrated with you! And don’t forget, with this method, note-taking is gone forever. Everything is already there for you.

Even though this can’t completely stop every single problem, it definitely makes things easier, simpler and less stressful. Plus you’ve got less hassle, costs and travel.

Potential Students hoping to begin an IT career often have no idea of which route is best, or what area to build their qualifications around.

How can we possibly grasp the tasks faced daily in an IT career when we’ve never done it? Maybe we don’t know someone who works in that sector anyway.

Arriving at the right conclusion will only come from a meticulous analysis of several varying key points:

* Which type of person you consider yourself to be - what kind of jobs you really enjoy, plus of course - what you definitely don’t enjoy.

* Why it seems right stepping into Information Technology - is it to overcome some personal goal such as being your own boss for instance.

* Does salary have a higher place on your priority-list than some other areas.

* Learning what the main job areas and sectors are - and what differentiates them.

* It’s wise to spend some time thinking about what kind of effort and commitment you’ll put into your training.

For the average person, getting to the bottom of each of these concepts tends to require the help of a professional who can explain things properly. And we don’t just mean the qualifications - but also the commercial requirements and expectations also.

(C) 2009. Go to LearningLolly.com for smart info on XSLT 1.0 for Developers and XSLT 1.0 for Developers Training.

With an abundance of IT courses to be had, it can be difficult to find the right one. Find one that’s on a par with your character and abilities, and that’s in demand in the working environment.

Whether it’s office skills you’re looking to polish up on, or dream of getting professional IT certifications, there are technically advanced courses and assistance to turn your goals into reality.

Due to the vast number of well priced, user-friendly courses and support, we’re confident you’ll find something that should take you into the commercial world.

Discovering job security nowadays is problematic. Companies can drop us from the workforce at a moment’s notice - as and when it suits them.

It’s possible though to hit upon market-level security, by looking for areas of high demand, together with a lack of qualified workers.

The most recent United Kingdom e-Skills analysis showed that over 26 percent of all available IT positions cannot be filled due to a huge deficit of trained staff. Quite simply, we can’t properly place more than 3 out of every 4 jobs in the computer industry.

This troubling certainty reveals the requirement for more appropriately accredited computer professionals in the country.

With the market evolving at such a quick pace, it’s unlikely there’s any better area of industry worth looking at for retraining.

Review the points below in detail if you’ve been persuaded that that over-used sales technique about examination guarantees seems like a good idea:

Obviously it’s not free - you are paying for it - it’s just been wrapped up in the price of the package.

Students who take exams one at a time, funding them as they go are much better placed to get through first time. They’re thoughtful of what they’ve paid and prepare more appropriately to be ready for the task.

Find the best exam deal or offer available at the appropriate time, and hang on to your cash. You’ll then be able to select where you do your exams - which means you can stay local.

A lot of questionable training course providers secure huge profits by charging for examinations upfront and hoping that you won’t take them all.

Remember, with most ‘Exam Guarantees’ - you are not in control of when you are allowed to have another go. You will have to demonstrate an excellent pass-rate before they’ll approve a re-take.

Spending hundreds or even thousands extra on ‘Exam Guarantees’ is remiss - when consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is actually the key to your success.

Always expect the very latest Microsoft (or Cisco, CompTIA etc.) authorised exam preparation and simulation materials.

Avoid depending on unauthorised exam preparation systems. The type of questions asked is sometimes startlingly different - and sometimes this can be a real headache when the proper exam time arrives.

Ensure that you verify whether you’re learning enough by doing tests and practice exams to prepare you for taking the proper exam.

Qualifications from the commercial sector are now, undoubtedly, beginning to replace the more academic tracks into the IT industry - so why should this be?

With 3 and 4 year academic degree costs spiralling out of control, alongside the industry’s growing opinion that corporate based study often has more relevance in the commercial field, there’s been a dramatic increase in Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA authorised training routes that create knowledgeable employees for considerably less.

Higher education courses, for instance, often get bogged down in too much loosely associated study - and a syllabus that’s too generalised. This prevents a student from getting enough specific knowledge about the core essentials.

Imagine if you were an employer - and you needed to take on someone with a very particular skill-set. Which is the most straightforward: Go through loads of academic qualifications from several applicants, trying to establish what they know and what vocational skills have been attained, or choose particular accreditations that perfectly fit your needs, and draw up from that who you want to speak to. The interview is then more about the person and how they’ll fit in - instead of long discussions on technical suitability.

(C) 2009. Pop over to LearningLolly.com for intelligent ideas on Customer Satisfaction and IT News Articles.

Some people just seem to find life easy, and bounce from one triumph to the next. Conversely,others struggle with everything they do, and can always give you a reason why life has dealt them a hard blow. The world is made up of victors and victims, and attitude is very often the one key factor that makes the difference.

When moving in a new career direction, it’s essential to learn the habits of the victor to achieve a successful outcome. The victims attempt actions in a timid manner, hoping for good things, but never really believing they’re worthy of great things. Victors commit mentally to a successful outcome, and back their actions with emotion.

Imagine two tennis players who’re about to play for a championship. The first says “It’s my final chance - I’ll give it my best shot,” but the second says “Winning is my destiny.” Guess who’ll win the tournament? They may both put in the same practice hours, but the victor spends more time on his mental training to win.

We can define the victor by the word OAR (Ownership, Accountability and Responsibility) - a figure paddling towards success. The victim is defined by the word BED (Blame, Excuses and Denial) - one who stays in bed and gives up.

The victor takes ownership of his or her tasks, not expecting someone else to lead the way. He’s accountable for his actions, and so takes them seriously, seeing things through by tackling problems not creating them. He’s responsible for the results of his actions, and so doesn’t take excuses from himself.

The victim can always come up with a reason for not achieving, and it’s rarely to do with himself. Everything is always somebody else’s fault - he doesn’t feel in control so puts the blame at someone else’s door. He gives excuses for his lack of performance, and doesn’t realise the only person he’s convincing is himself. After repeating this pattern of blame and excuses for a while, the victim is in denial, absolutely convinced that there’s nothing he can do about this situation.

Students approaching a life-changing training program need to give themselves a mental work-out, to stack the odds in their favour. Anyone who’s a fully paid up member of the victim society will have to address their issues before they start, to truly embrace the potential in front of them.

The two sets of attitudes are both just habits. With constant repetition over time, habits can be changed. Listen to the little voice in your head - if it’s obviously a victim, then consciously stop it and verbalise why you can achieve. Nobody else is any better than you are - some have just conquered their demons and emerged victorious.

As Churchill said, “There is no such thing as a hero, only those who rise to the occasion.” In learning as in life, we need to have the attitude of a winner in order to become a winner.

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I’m not professing that IT training and careers within IT are the be-all and end-all of futures on this planet. God forbid where we would be without the highly paid football stars to entertain us so well on a week by week basis. Yet there has to be a reason why more and more people are studying for careers within the IT industry.

A development I find interesting has been the increase in IT training amongst people who are seeking a career change or an enhancement to their existing skill sets. Reviewing this, I’m intrigued as to why IT continues to offer the attraction, and is this really a viable option?

Whilst we all acknowledge that in relationships, key elements and people themselves can change. At the age of 10, a boyfriend or girlfriend can be considered a cute thing, but it isn’t expected to last. At the age of 18-20, relationships are often less transient, but they also have a shorter lifespan than others later in life.

We ask young people to make decisions and plan their working career fairly early on in life. Yet historically there seems to be an inherent resistance to change as times passes. So if we accept that life changes, and we accept that circumstances also change, isn’t it prudent for us to accept that career paths can and indeed ought to change?

The ongoing dependence of today’s society on IT, and factors related to IT, means that many people assume a career in this industry would be well paid and reliable, (based on simple economics of supply and demand). A lot see a direct correlation of how they utilise IT systems in a social environment (such as playing games and social interaction on the internet e.g. facebook etc.) and transfer that into a career. Could this genuinely lead to a career within IT, and what factors would be necessary for a successful career?

I would suggest that a key element in answering this is acknowledging that a career in IT is as dependent on factors such as an employer (or client base if self-employed,) and economic circumstances, as any other career path. There is, however considerable evidence to show that professional IT personnel can move between employers and industry sectors more freely, due to the great dependence on IT services across both geographic and industry models.

The term ‘Professional IT People’ is one of the key elements here - as in any other industry, employers have consistently sought staff where the skills can be proven by both experience and a recognised, approved benchmark. This is the same whether that’s a degree, or recognised apprenticeship culminating in an industry standard qualification, like an electrician or plumber.

It’s no different in the IT industry. Just because many people have a computer at home, and can experience many areas of the IT industry domestically, this is vastly different in many cases from the skills and resources required in the commercial sector. I’m sure we’d all acknowledge that playing games for four hours a night or surfing the internet doesn’t make us a qualified games designer, or a qualified webmaster.

Professional qualifications such as MCSE or MCSA within the IT field are instantly recognisable as an industry standard. Employers can rely upon the skills offered. This means there’s a reduced risk of breach of commercial insurance policies for work and services provided by such people, whether they are directly employed or self-employed.

Anybody seriously thinking about a future in this field must look at how best to position themselves to become interesting to an employer - and clearly having a professional qualification will go a long way towards this. It’s the employer or client who pays the salary, so we should at least be aware of what they’re seeking in recruitment or engagement.

We have plenty of data in existence to support the view that the IT sector growth is faster and more resilient than many other industry sectors. We’re seeing a transitional shift in industry sectors, from the first world over to the third world. Many growing or ‘tiger’ economies are adapting to (and embracing) long standing IT systems at a very fast rate indeed.

Within this article so far we’ve considered the trends, which along with the demise of traditional industry and therefore traditional expectancies of a job-for-life, there will be a growing propensity towards multiple jobs and career paths throughout our working life.

What’s more, we’ve noted that the IT industry remains attractive consistently as it continues to provide both supply and demand across geographical boundaries and across industry sectors. Todays forecasts also predict the increasing long-term dependence on IT systems overall. This includes the professional individuals who develop, utilise and maintain those systems, as they remain integral to many organisations long-term requirements.

Expectations for salaries continue to be high within this field, and plenty of evidence suggests that this is achievable. However, it is worth noting that the top-people get paid the top-money in many other industries. It’s not good enough to simply ‘be there’ and does not guarantee the top-money.

We’ve also argued the case that employers view recruitment for IT skills as no different to any other facet of their business. They expect the individuals to formally demonstrate their skills and qualifications, in exactly the same way as they expect their accountants and electricians to be professionally qualified to do the work they’re employed to do.

I concur that there is substantial evidence to promote a career within the IT industry as a robust and viable option to many individuals within today’s economic and social climate. High renumeration is definitely achievable. However, it’s equally clear and, in fairness, common sense, to expect to have to achieve a recognisable professional IT certification to be able to demonstrate clearly one’s own ability; at the very least it demonstrates the attitude that you are serious about this career path and that any prospective employer can rely on you commercially.

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Recently published long term studies have indicated that on average, it costs a total of 193,000 pounds to bring up a child in the UK - equating to approximately 26-28 pounds each day. This news was received with a swathe of cynical reactions from long suffering parents, few of whom were totally shocked.

The current recession and its effect on traditional educational systems is now being evaluated by many pundits. They make consistent reference to the strategies to survive adopted by parents, teachers and students alike in the recession of the 1990’s.

Analysis suggests that the money spent on education and schooling overall could on average be up to 40 percent of the entire household disposable income. With the hardening attitude towards mortgage allocation and bank lending, this figure could increase as young people stay with their parents for longer and extend their education programs - almost as a by product of something to do until things start to get better.

With families focusing increasingly on the cost of living, along with many companies cutting back on training and development programs - it’s pointless spending money on training when you don’t know for certain that the person won’t be made redundant - it’s small wonder that many people are now reviewing their method of personal development and the subject matter in which they study.

Historically banking, public services and the like have all been considered stable long term employers and attracted people accordingly. Over the last ten years or so this has been largely superseded by the perception of jobs offered within the IT industry.

Training in the motor industry or engineering demands that key skills often have to be gained in a practical environment. By contrast, IT training can be predominantly home-based. It would be impossible to transport a complete car production line into the home, yet computer based training is easily at hand. Enhancements in the intellectual property field such as IT have grown exponentially as a result of this and the continued progression in the way the skills are learnt and taught.

New training methodology utilising 24/7 remote access to highly skilled lecturers adds weight to the strategy and the final result is certification in a field that is widely sought after throughout the world. Along with easily quantified salary and career structures it is little wonder that IT training is so attractive.

With many people unsure of their future, whether early on in their career or mid way through life, home based training in subjects such as IT can often be seen as a superb, low cost, easy paced development program; gaining skills that are easily accepted anywhere in the world and highly resilient in a changeable economic environment.

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