These days, many workplaces would be severely hampered were it not for support workers solving problems with PC's and networks, while advising users on a constant basis. Because of the daunting complexities of technological advances, greater numbers of competent professionals are needed to run the various different areas we've become dependent on.
Without a doubt, the IT industry shows unparalleled opportunities. However, to investigate fully, which questions should we pose, and which are the most important considerations?
Far too many companies only concern themselves with gaining a certificate, and forget the reasons for getting there - getting yourself a new job or career. Always begin with the end goal - too many people focus on the journey. Students often train for a single year but end up doing a job for a lifetime. Ensure you avoid the fatal error of finding what seems like an 'interesting' training program and then spend decades in an unrewarding career!
Take time to understand what your attitude is towards career progression and earning potential, and if you're ambitious or not. It's vital to know what the role will demand of you, what accreditations are required and where you'll pick-up experience from. We advise all students to talk with an experienced industry advisor before deciding on their study programme. This gives some measure of assurance that it features what is required for the chosen career path.
A lot of training providers will only provide support available from 9-6 (office hours) and sometimes later on specific days; It's rare to find someone who offers late evening or full weekend cover. Avoid those companies that use call-centres 'out-of-hours' - where you'll get called back during typical office hours. It's not a lot of help when you've got study issues and need help now.
It's possible to find professional companies which offer online support 24x7 - including evenings, nights and weekends. You can't afford to accept less than you need and deserve. Support round-the-clock is the only kind that ever makes the grade when it comes to computer-based study. Maybe burning the midnight-oil is not your thing; often though, we're out at work while the support is live.
We'd hazard a guess that you probably enjoy fairly practical work - the 'hands-on' personality type. If you're like us, the world of book-reading and classrooms can be just about bared when essential, but it's not ideal. You should use video and multimedia based materials if book-based learning really isn't your style. Years of research and study has time and time again confirmed that connecting physically with our study, will more likely produce memories that are deeper and longer-lasting.
Learning is now available in disc format, where your computer becomes the centre of your learning. Video streaming means you can sit back and watch the teachers showing you precisely how it's all done, and then have a go at it yourself - in a virtual lab environment. It's wise to view some of the typical study materials provided before you sign the purchase order. You should expect video tutorials, instructor demo's and audio-visual elements backed up by interactive lab's.
It's usually bad advice to choose training that is only available online. Connection quality and reliability varies hugely across your average broadband company, ensure that you have access to disc based courseware (On CD or DVD).
Workshops are often touted as a major benefit by a lot of training schools. If you talk to most IT hopefuls who've attended a few, you'll begin to see a common thread - they are viewed as a major negative due to many reasons:
* The amount of travel required - lots of visits and sometimes over 100 miles a pop.
* Getting time off work - typical colleges can only give Mon-Fri workshop availability and often group days together in a clump. If you're working then this can be difficult, even more so when travel time is included.
* Annual leave lost - many working people only have 20 days holiday. If over half of it is swallowed up by training classes, vacation time is going to be quite short for the student.
* Training events sometimes become quickly full, leaving us with the '2nd best' solution.
* Tension can be created in mixed classes because most students want to move at a pace comfortable for them.
* The growing costs associated with travel - driving or taking public transport to the training centre and of course several days bed and breakfast can mount up with each visit. If you only assumed 5-10 classes costing around 35 pounds for one over-night room, plus a petrol cost of 40 pounds and food at 15 pounds, that equates to four to nine hundred pounds of add-on cost.
* The majority of attendees want their studies to remain private thus avoiding all come-back from their current employer.
* Asking questions in front of other class-mates sometimes makes us feel uncomfortable. Have you ever left a question un-asked just because you didn't want to look foolish?
* For those who have work away from home, it's a fact of life that workshops sometimes become awkward to keep up - unfortunately however, they've been paid for in advance.
It really does make more sense to take classes at your convenience - not your training provider's - and employ videos of instructors with interactive virtual-lab's. You can study anywhere you want. If you own a laptop, take in some fresh air in your garden as you study. Any issues that arise just logon to the 24x7 support facility. Note-taking is gone forever - you have the lessons and accompanying information ready-made for you. If you need to cover something again, it's all right there. The bottom line: Much less stress and hassle, saved money, and no wasted travelling time.
Have you recently questioned how safe your job is? For most of us, we only think of this after something goes wrong. However, the lesson often learned too late is that true job security is a thing of the past, for nearly everyone now. Wherever we find escalating skills shortfalls mixed with rising demand though, we generally locate a newer brand of security in the marketplace; where, fuelled by conditions of continuous growth, employers find it hard to locate the number of people required.
The computer industry skills-gap around the UK clocks in at roughly twenty six percent, as reported by the 2006 e-Skills survey. This shows that for every 4 jobs that exist in Information Technology (IT), we've only got three properly trained pro's to fulfil that role. This worrying fact clearly demonstrates the requirement for more properly certified computing professionals in the country. It's unlikely if a better time or market state of affairs will exist for gaining qualification for this rapidly emerging and developing business.
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