Of course: the training course or an accreditation isn't the end-goal; a job that you want is. Too many training companies completely prioritise the actual accreditation. It's an awful thing, but the majority of trainees commence training that sounds marvellous in the syllabus guide, but which provides a job that doesn't fulfil at all. Talk to many university graduates and you'll see where we're coming from.

It's a good idea to understand what expectations industry may have of you. Which particular exams they'll want you to gain and how you'll build your experience level. It's also worth spending time considering how far you reckon you're going to want to progress your career as it will often present a very specific set of qualifications. It's worth seeking guidance from an experienced person that knows the commercial realities of the industry you've chosen, and will be able to provide 'A day in the life of' outline of the job being considered. All of these things are of paramount importance as you'll need to fully understand whether or not you've chosen correctly.

Now, why is it better to gain qualifications from the commercial sector as opposed to more traditional academic qualifications obtained from schools, colleges or universities? With university education costs spiralling out of control, together with the industry's general opinion that vendor-based training most often has much more commercial relevance, we've seen a dramatic increase in Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA authorised training paths that supply key solutions to a student at a fraction of the cost and time involved. They do this through concentrating on the actual skills required (alongside a relevant amount of background knowledge,) as opposed to trawling through all the background detail and 'fluff' that degrees in computing can often find themselves doing (because the syllabus is so wide).

Put yourself in the employer's position - and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. What is easier: Trawl through loads of academic qualifications from graduate applicants, having to ask what each has covered and what workplace skills they've mastered, or pick out specific commercial accreditations that specifically match what you're looking for, and make your short-list from that. The interview is then more about the person and how they'll fit in - rather than on the depth of their technical knowledge.

A so-called advisor who doesn't question you thoroughly - it's likely they're just trying to sell you something. If they're pushing towards a particular product before looking at your personality and current experience level, then it's definitely the case. Of course, if you have some relevant previous certification, then it's not unreasonable to expect to start at a different point than someone who is new to the field. Starting with a basic PC skills program first may be the ideal way to get up and running on your IT studies, depending on your skill level at the moment.

Many certification companies are still offering the rather old-fashioned idea of classroom attendance. Very often portrayed as a huge benefit, if you track down someone who's been through a few, you'll most likely hear about many or all of these:

- Loads of travelling - multiple visits and usually hundreds of miles each time.

- Getting constant holidays or time off - a lot of training companies can only give class availability from Monday to Friday and typically group 2-3 days together. To be honest, this doesn't suit working people, and this is made worse if you include the travel time on top.

- At only twenty days annual leave, sacrificing half of them for educational days leaves very little time for holidays.

- Workshop days can fill up very quickly and can sometimes be too big - so they're not personal enough.

- Class pace - classes usually feature students of different skill, consequently tension can run high between the quicker-learners and the ones who need a little longer.

- Many trainees speak about the high (and unexpected) costs associated with getting to and from the facility and paying for food and accommodation can get very expensive.

- Keeping your training private from your employer is often very important to many trainees. You don't want to lose any job advancement, income boosts or success in your job because of your studies. When your boss discovers you've committed to certification in a different industry, what are they going to be thinking?

- It's quite usual for trainees to hide the fact that they want to raise a question - purely down to the fact that they're in front of other people.

- For those of us who need to on occasion live or work away from home, imagine the trouble involved in reaching the required classes, as time becomes even more scarce.

It obviously makes more sense to study at a time that's convenient for you - not the school - and use interactive videos of instructors teaching a class. If anything comes up, make use of the 24x7 support (that should come with any technical program.) Don't forget, if you've got a laptop, study isn't restricted to the home or office. You have the ability to re-watch and re-cover the modules as often as you want to brush up. There's absolutely no need to scribble any notes because you'll always have access to the teaching. Whilst it's impossible to avoid each and every issue, it undoubtedly makes things easier, simpler and less stressful. You also have reduced costs, travel and hassle.

Commercial Computer Interactive Self-Paced Courses In IT Skills >>