As we become adults, our needs regarding training change. In our teenage years our teaching has to give us structure, as we don’t always understand why knowledge is relevant and we’re still developing self-discipline. We need to learn to deal with people, which is a huge learning curve all on its own. Add a few volatile hormones, trying to work out who we are and peer pressure, and it’s surprising that we do any learning at all!
Thank goodness as adults we can put all that behind us. Adult training courses focus on effective learning systems that fit in with our other commitments. If you’re training for career reasons, then it’s also essential that the course content fits with the industry’s requirements.
Firstly there are classroom based colleges, universities and boot camps. These require you putting your life on hold to study. Their method of delivery is tutorial, backed up with technical books. All students are expected to go at the same rate throughout the course which inevitably causes challenges. If you’re unable to attend, you have to catch up.
With a boot camp you’ll romp through a syllabus in 10 to 12 weeks that usually takes two years, so don’t even think of missing one session or you’ll never catch up. These courses are designed to get you through an exam and no more. Your ability to do the job based on what you learn is limited and employers are not impressed by this type of training. The only students who should really use such courses are experienced IT workers who are upgrading their certifications to the latest level. They are definitely not for the student planning to enter the world of IT.
With colleges and universities, the courses tend to be more academic and are not necessarily in-tune with current industry requirements. It’s often difficult for the student to enter industry until they’ve gained some additional commercial skills.
Secondly there are home based commercial training providers. These offer by far the most convenient way to learn, but some adults worry they’ll need the structure of a classroom. Actually, this isn’t usually the case with the right training; it’s just a strong recollection from adolescent days.
Some commercial training providers are very good, but there are also some very bad ones. Always look at the standard of their training materials; if they won’t show you any, don’t buy. The easiest way to study today is via interactive on-screen training. It’s so much more user-friendly and more engaging than books. It also enhances your ability to recall what you’ve learned because it utilises multi-sensory input.
Good training providers will give you direct access to tutors at the time you intend to study - evening and weekends. Ask specific questions to check. (Some companies ‘24×7 Support’ is merely a message system out of office hours.) Additionally, they need to provide an authorised exam preparation system (from Microsoft, Cisco or CompTIA for example) - be wary of learning in a specific style, only to be in an exam which uses different phraseology and terms.
Finally a few tips: Up-front exams fees will cost you more - pay for them when you need them. Classroom visits are a huge additional expense and not necessary with a good quality course. Modern interactive training is much less expensive than old style training and produces more successful students.
Selecting the right IT training provider is really a matter of research. Don’t be frightened to ask questions - remember, it’s your future.
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