In today’s high speed society, support workers who have the ability to solve problems with networks and PC’s, and give ongoing help to users, are hugely valuable in all sections of the business environment. Because of the daunting complexities of technology, growing numbers of IT professionals are needed to look after the various different areas we rely on.
We can see a myriad of jobs and positions available in Information Technology. Arriving at the correct choice for you often proves challenging. As in the absence of any commercial skills in the IT industry, how should we possibly understand what anyone doing a particular job actually does? Generally, the way to deal with this problem properly flows from a full conversation around several areas:
* Your personal interests and hobbies – these can show the possibilities will provide a happy working life.
* Why you want to consider stepping into IT – maybe you’d like to achieve some personal goal like working from home for example.
* Does salary have a higher place on your list of priorities than anything else.
* Many students don’t properly consider the energy demanded to achieve their goals.
* The level of commitment and effort you’ll have available to put into your training.
For most people, getting to the bottom of all these ideas will require meeting with an experienced pro that can explain things properly. And we don’t just mean the accreditations – but the commercial requirements and expectations also.
What is the reason why traditional academic studies are being overtaken by more commercial certificates? With a growing demand for specific technological expertise, industry has of necessity moved to the specialised training that can only be obtained from the actual vendors – that is companies such as CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA. Often this saves time and money for the student. In essence, only that which is required is learned. It isn’t quite as lean as that might sound, but the principle objective is to master the precisely demanded skill-sets (with some necessary background) – without going into too much detail in everything else (as academia often does).
As long as an employer understands what they’re looking for, then they just need to look for someone with a specific qualification. The syllabuses are set to exacting standards and can’t change from one establishment to the next (in the way that degree courses can).
You should only consider retraining programmes which move onto commercially accepted certifications. There’s a plethora of minor schools proposing their own ‘in-house’ certificates that are essentially useless in today’s commercial market. All the major commercial players such as Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco all have internationally renowned skills programs. Huge conglomerates such as these will ensure your employability.
Charging for exam fees with the course fee and presenting it as a guarantee for your exams is common for many training course providers. But let’s examine why they really do it:
You’re paying for it one way or another. It certainly isn’t free – they’ve simply charged more for the whole training package. Trainees who enter their exams one by one, funding them one at a time are far more likely to pass first time. They’re mindful of their spending and so are more inclined to make sure they’re ready.
Doesn’t it make more sense to hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you’re ready, not to pay any mark-up to the training college, and to do it in a local testing office – rather than possibly hours away from your area? Paying in advance for exam fees (plus interest – if you’re financing your study) is bad financial management. Don’t line companies bank accounts with extra money of yours only to please their Bank Manager! Many will hope you won’t get round to taking them – so they don’t need to pay for them. It’s worth noting that exam re-takes via organisations with an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are monitored with tight restrictions. You will be required to do mock exams till you’ve proven conclusively that you can pass.
Exam fees averaged 112 pounds or thereabouts twelve months or so ago via local VUE or Pro-metric centres throughout the country. So why pay hundreds or thousands of pounds extra for ‘an Exam Guarantee’, when any student knows that the responsible approach is consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software.
A ridiculously large number of organisations only concern themselves with gaining a certificate, and avoid focusing on the reasons for getting there – which is of course employment. You should always begin with where you want to get to – don’t get hung-up on the training vehicle. Never let yourself become part of that group who set off on a track that sounds really ‘interesting’ and ‘fun’ – only to end up with a qualification for a job they hate.
You must also consider what your attitude is towards career progression and earning potential, plus your level of ambition. It’s vital to know what industry expects from you, which particular exams are needed and how you’ll gain real-world experience. We’d recommend you seek advice from an experienced industry professional before making your final decision on a learning path, so you’re sure from the outset that a program provides the appropriate skill-set.
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