A fraction of the working population in the United Kingdom are pleased and contented with their working life. The vast majority of course won’t do a thing. You’ve reached this paragraph, which at least means that change is beckoning.
We’d strongly advise that prior to beginning any individual training program, you discuss your plans with a person who has knowledge of the industry and can give you advice. They can assess your personality and help you sort out a role to fit you:
* Is collaborating with others important to you? Would that be with the same people or with a lot of new people? Possibly operating on your own with your own methodology may be your preference?
* What thoughts are fundamentally important regarding the industry you hope to work in?
* How long a career do you hope to have once retrained, and can the industry you choose offer you the chance to do that?
* Are you worried about your chances of finding new employment, and staying employable right up to retirement?
The most significant market sector in the UK that fulfils the above criteria is the IT industry. There’s a need for more skilled technicians in the industry, - take a look at any jobs website and you’ll see for yourself. Don’t let people tell you it’s all techie people looking at their computerscreens all day - it’s much more diverse than that. Most of the people in IT are people of average intelligence, with well paid and stimulating jobs.
Bearing in mind so much discussion on the area of computing technology nowadays, how can we appreciate what in particular to look for?
One fatal mistake that many potential students make is to concentrate on the course itself, and take their eye off the desired end-result. Schools have thousands of students that chose an ‘interesting’ course - instead of the program that would surely get them the job they want. It’s unfortunate, but the majority of trainees kick-off study that often sounds magnificent in the syllabus guide, but which gets us a career that is of no interest. Talk to many college leavers and you’ll see where we’re coming from.
Spend some time thinking about what you want to earn and what level of ambition fits you. This will influence which particular exams will be required and how much effort you’ll have to give in return. As a precursor to beginning a learning program, it makes sense to talk through specific career requirements with an experienced professional, in order to be sure the retraining programme covers all the bases.
Ensure all your exams are commercially valid and current - forget courses that lead to in-house certificates. The main industry leaders such as Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA or Adobe each have globally recognised skills courses. These heavyweights will give some sparkle to your CV.
A lot of training providers will only provide support to you inside of office hours (typically 9am-6pm) and sometimes a little earlier or later; very few go late in the evening or at weekends. Never buy study programmes that only provide support to you through a call-centre messaging service when it’s outside of usual working hours. Companies will always try to hide the importance of this issue. Essentially - you want to be supported when you need the help - not at times when they find it cheaper to provide it.
We recommend looking for colleges that utilise many support facilities across multiple time-zones. All of them should be combined to provide a single interface and 24×7 access, when it suits you, with no fuss. Find an educator that goes the extra mile. Because only live 24×7 support provides the necessary backup.
Those that are drawn to this type of work are often very practical, and don’t always take well to classrooms, and endless reading of dry academic textbooks. If you identify with this, go for more modern interactive training, with on-screen demonstrations and labs. Recent studies into the way we learn shows that we remember much more when we involve as many senses as possible, and we get physically involved with the study process.
The latest home-based training features self-contained CD or DVD materials. Instructor-led tutorials will mean you’ll learn your subject by way of their teaching and demonstrations. Then it’s time to test your knowledge by interacting with the software and practicing yourself. Always insist on a demonstration of the study materials from your training provider. The package should contain expert-led demonstrations, slideshows and lab’s for you to practice your skills in.
Purely on-line training should be avoided. You want physical CD/DVD ROM course materials where possible, as you need to be able to use them whenever it’s convenient for you - ISP quality varies, so you don’t want to be totally reliant on a good broadband connection all the time.
One area often overlooked by trainees thinking about a course is the issue of ‘training segmentation’. Essentially, this is how the program is broken down into parts for timed release to you, which vastly changes how you end up. Many think it logical (with most training taking 1-3 years for a full commercial certification,) for your typical trainer to courier one section at a time, as you complete each part. However: Sometimes the steps or stages insisted on by the company won’t suit you. And what if you don’t finish each and every section within their timetable?
To provide the maximum security and flexibility, most students now choose to have all their training materials (which they’ve now paid for) sent immediately, and not in a piecemeal fashion. It’s then your own choice in which order and at what speed you want to finish things.
One interesting way that course providers make extra profits is by adding exam fees upfront to the cost of a course and offering an exam guarantee. It looks like a good deal, but let’s just examine it more closely:
We all know that we’re still footing the bill for it - it’s quite obvious to see that it’s already in the gross price invoiced by the training company. Certainly, it’s not a freebie - and it’s insulting that we’re supposed to think it is! Evidence shows that if a student pays for each progressive exam, one at a time, the chances are they’re going to pass first time - since they’ll think of their payment and so will prepare more thoroughly.
Why pay a college early for exam fees? Find the best exam deal or offer at the appropriate time, don’t pay mark-ups - and sit exams more locally - rather than in some remote place. A surprising number of current training providers secure a great deal of profit because they’re getting paid for exams at the start of the course then cashing in if they’re not all taken. It’s worth noting that exam re-takes through companies with an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are always heavily controlled. You’ll be required to sit pre-tests till you’ve proven conclusively that you can pass.
Splashing out often many hundreds of pounds extra on ‘Exam Guarantees’ is naive - when consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.
The world of information technology is one of the more thrilling and changing industries that you could be a part of. Being up close and personal with technology puts you at the fore-front of developments shaping life over the next few decades. We’re only just starting to get a feel for how technology will define our world. Computers and the Internet will massively change the way we see and interrelate with the rest of the world over the years to come.
The typical IT man or woman throughout Britain has been shown to get much more money than employees on a par in other market sectors. Mean average salaries are around the top of national league tables. Excitingly, there is no easing up for IT sector increases across Britain. The market sector is continuing to expand quickly, and with the skills shortage of over 26 percent that we’re experiencing, it’s highly unlikely that this will change significantly for years to come.
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Tags: advice, computer, computer training, education, internet, online, reference, self improvement, training, Uncategorized, web