Currently in the UK, most companies would be severely hampered if it weren’t for support workers solving problems with both computers and networks, while giving advice to users on a regular basis each week. As we’re all becoming massively more reliant on our PC’s, we additionally become more reliant on the well trained networking professionals, who keep the systems going.

Remember: the course itself or a qualification isn’t the end-goal; the job or career that you want is. Far too many training organisations completely prioritise the piece of paper. You could be training for only a year and end up performing the job-role for decades. Don’t make the error of finding what seems like a very ‘interesting’ program and then spend decades in a job you don’t like!

Prioritise understanding what expectations industry may have of you. What precise accreditations you’ll need and how to gain experience. It’s definitely worth spending time assessing how far you reckon you’re going to want to build your skill-set as it may affect your choice of certifications. We recommend that students seek advice from an experienced industry advisor before you begin some particular learning path, so you’re sure from the outset that the specific package will give the appropriate skill-set.

Lately, do you find yourself questioning how safe your job is? Normally, this only rears its head when we get some bad news. Unfortunately, the lesson often learned too late is that true job security is a thing of the past, for nearly everyone now. In times of increasing skills deficits and high demand areas though, we generally discover a newer brand of market-security; as fuelled by the constant growth conditions, companies find it hard to locate enough staff.

The IT skills shortage across the country is standing at approx twenty six percent, as shown by the 2006 e-Skills investigation. To explain it in a different way, this shows that Great Britain can only find 3 trained people for every four jobs that exist currently. This single concept alone is the backbone of why Great Britain needs a lot more new trainees to join the IT sector. Actually, retraining in Information Technology as you progress through the years to come is almost definitely the best career choice you could ever make.

It only makes sense to consider learning programs that’ll progress to commercially approved accreditations. There are way too many minor schools proposing their own ‘in-house’ certificates that are essentially useless in the real world. From a commercial standpoint, only the major heavyweights like Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA (as an example) will get you into the interview seat. Anything less just doesn’t cut the mustard.

Being a part of the cutting-edge of new technology is as thrilling as it comes. You’re involved with impacting progress around the world. We are really only just beginning to understand how all this will mould and change our lives. The way we interact with the world will be profoundly affected by computers and the web.

Let’s not ignore salaries either – the income on average in Great Britain for a typical person working in IT is a lot greater than remuneration packages in other sectors. It’s likely you’ll bring in a whole lot more than you’d expect to earn doing other work. Demand for professionally qualified and skilled IT workers is assured for many years to come, due to the ongoing increase in this sector and the massive shortage that remains.

Adding in the cost of exam fees up-front then giving it ‘Exam Guarantee’ status is a popular marketing tool with many companies. Consider the facts:

You’re paying for it somehow. It’s definitely not free – they’ve just worked it into the package price. It’s well known in the industry that if a student pays for their own exams, one at a time, there’s a much better chance they’ll qualify each time – as they’ll be conscious of the cost and so will prepare more thoroughly.

Does it really add up to pay a training college early for exams? Go for the best offer at the appropriate time, instead of paying any mark-up – and do it in a local testing centre – rather than in some remote place. A lot of extra profit is secured by many training colleges that get money upfront for exam fees. For quite legitimate reasons, a number of students don’t get to do their exams but the company keeps the money. Surprising as it sounds, there are companies around that rely on that fact – as that’s where a lot of their profit comes from. Don’t forget, in the majority of cases of ‘exam guarantees’ – the company decides when you can re-take the exam. They’ll only allow a re-take once completely satisfied.

Shelling out hundreds or thousands of pounds on an ‘Exam Guarantee’ is short-sighted – when study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is actually the key to your success.