Train Routes

In the UK today, industry would struggle were it not for support workers mending networks and computers, while giving advice to users on a constant basis. The world’s need for such qualified and commercially astute individuals is consistently on the grow, as everywhere we work becomes more and more dependent upon technology. Lately, do you find yourself questioning the security of your job? For most people, this isn’t an issue until something dramatic happens to shake us. However, The cold truth is that job security has gone the way of the dodo, for all but the most lucky of us. Security can now only exist through a quickly growing market, pushed forward by a lack of trained workers. It’s this shortage that creates the right environment for market-security – definitely a more pleasing situation. Taking a look at the computer business, the 2006 e-Skills investigation showed an over 26 percent shortage in trained professionals. Or, to put it differently, this means that the country can only find three qualified staff for each 4 positions available at the moment. This one idea in itself clearly demonstrates why Great Britain is in need of many more people to become part of the Information Technology market. We can’t imagine if a better time or market settings could exist for getting trained into this quickly emerging and budding sector. Potential trainees looking to start an Information Technology career normally aren’t sure which route is best, or what market to build their qualifications around. Because in the absence of any commercial background in IT, how could any of us be expected to understand what anyone doing a particular job actually does? To come through this, we need to discuss a variety of definitive areas: * Your personality can play an important role – what gets you ‘up and running’, and what are the areas that you really dislike. * Are you hoping to obtain training due to a precise reason – e.g. do you aim to work based at home (being your own boss?)?* Is your income higher on your wish list than anything else. * Looking at the many markets that the IT industry encompasses, it’s important to be able to take in what’s different.* You should also think long and hard about the level of commitment you’re going to invest in the accreditation program. In these situations, your only option to seek advice on these matters will be via a meeting with an experienced advisor who has a background in IT (and specifically it’s commercial needs.) People attracted to this sort of work often have a very practical outlook on work, and don’t always take well to classrooms, and slogging through piles of books. If this is putting you off studying, opt for more involving, interactive learning materials, where you can learn everything on-screen. Recent studies into the way we learn shows that we remember much more when we receive multi-sensorial input, and we take action to use what we’ve learned. Courses are now available on CD and DVD discs, so everything is learned directly from your own PC. Using video-streaming, you will be able to see the instructor presenting exactly how to perform the required skill, and then have a go at it yourself – in an interactive lab. Each company you’re contemplating should willingly take you through a few examples of their courseware. You should hope for instructor-led videos and a wide selection of interactive elements. Avoiding training that is delivered purely online is generally a good idea. Physical CD or DVD ROM materials are preferable where possible, so that you have access at all times – it’s not wise to be held hostage to a quality and continuous internet connection. Each programme of learning must provide a nationally accepted exam as an end-result – and not some unimportant ‘in-house’ plaque for your wall. All the major commercial players such as Microsoft, Adobe, CompTIA or Cisco each have internationally recognised proficiency programs. Major-league companies like these will make your CV stand-out.

What kind of things do you expect the top of the range training organisations accredited by Microsoft to provide a trainee in the UK today? Patently, the finest training tracks certified by Microsoft, offering a selection of courses to lead you to a variety of careers in the IT workplace. You may wish to discuss all the different permutations with an advisor who has knowledge of the requirements in the workplace, and will help you select the more likely roles to suit your personality. Once you’ve decided on the career path you want, you’ll need a relevant course customised to be right for your current level of knowledge and ability. The quality of training should leave no room for complaints. Any program that you’re going to undertake should always lead to a commercially valid qualification at the finale – and not some unimportant ‘in-house’ diploma – fit only for filing away and forgetting. The top IT companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA each have nationally recognised skills programs. These big-hitters will ensure your employability. Make sure you don’t get caught-up, as can often be the case, on the certification itself. Training is not an end in itself; this is about gaining commercial employment. Focus on the end-goal. It’s possible, in many cases, to find immense satisfaction in a year of study and then spend 20 miserable years in a job you hate, as an upshot of not doing the correct level of soul-searching at the beginning. You also need to know your feelings on career development, earning potential, plus your level of ambition. It’s vital to know what will be expected of you, which accreditations they want you to have and how you’ll gain real-world experience. Our recommendation would be to seek guidance and advice from a skilled advisor before you begin a study program, so you’re sure from the outset that the chosen route will give you the skills necessary. If you may be starting with a training company which is still using ‘in-centre’ days as a necessary part of their training, then listen to these typical downsides met by most trainees: * Multiple back and forth visits – quite often hundreds of miles each and every time. * Weekday only access with classes is usual, and with 2-3 days to book off work, this can be difficult for many working people. * And let’s not ignore lost holiday time. Most of us have 4 weeks off each year. If half of that is used up on workshops, then we haven’t got much left for ourselves. * ‘In-Centre’ days can get too big. * Class pace – centre-days normally have trainees of varied aptitude, therefore tension can be created between the quicker-learners and those who want to go a little slower. * Rising travel prices – driving to and from the training centre together with accommodation can cost a lot every time you have to go. If you only assumed a basic 5-10 classes costing 35 pounds for a single over-night room, plus forty pounds for petrol and 15.00 for food, that equates to four to nine hundred pounds of add-on cost. * Is it worth the possibility of being side-stepped for advancement or wage increases while you’re training. * Raising questions in the presence of other class-mates can make us feel nervous. Ever avoided asking a question because you didn’t want to appear stupid? * For students working away from home occasionally, you face the added difficulty that events can often become difficult to get to – unfortunately however, they’ve been paid for in advance. It really does make more sense to be taught at your convenience – not your training provider’s – and exploit videos of instructors with interactive virtual-lab’s. Any time you get a problem, logon to the 24×7 support facility (that should come with any technical program.) Keep in mind, if your PC is a notebook PC, you could study in breaks at work. It doesn’t matter how regularly you would like to re-take a quiz or test, on-screen instructors are never going to run out of patience! Also, because of this, you can say goodbye to note-taking. It’s already there for you. The final result: Reduced stress and hassle, saved money, and absolutely no travelling.

As your research has brought you here then it’s likely that either you want to get into networking and an MCSE certificate appeals to you, or you’re currently an IT professional and it’s apparent that you need a qualification such as MCSE. When researching training colleges, steer clear of those that compromise their offerings by not providing the latest Microsoft level. Over time, this will mean the student has to pay much more because they’ve been taught from an out-of-date syllabus which will require an up-date almost immediately. A company’s mission statement should primarily be on the best thing for their clients, and they should care greatly about students needs. Studying isn’t just about the certification – the process should be all about assisting you in working on the most suitable route for you. One area often overlooked by people weighing up a particular programme is ‘training segmentation’. Essentially, this is how the program is broken down into parts for drop-shipping to you, which vastly changes what you end up with. The majority of training companies will set up some sort of program spread over 1-3 years, and send out each piece as you complete each section or exam. On the surface this seems reasonable – until you consider the following: With thought, many trainees understand that the trainer’s standard order of study is not what they would prefer. Sometimes, a different order of study is more expedient. Perhaps you don’t make it at the pace they expect? Ideally, you want everything at the start – so you’ll have them all for the future to come back to – at any time you choose. You can also vary the order in which you complete each objective where a more intuitive path can be found. A number of men and women are under the impression that the school and FE college track is still the best way into IT. Why then is commercial certification beginning to overtake it? The IT sector now recognises that for mastery of skill sets for commercial use, proper accreditation from the likes of Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe most often has much more specialised relevance – at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. Typically, the learning just focuses on what’s actually required. It’s slightly more broad than that, but the most important function is always to master the precisely demanded skill-sets (along with a certain amount of crucial background) – without attempting to cover a bit about all sorts of other things (as universities often do). The crux of the matter is this: Accredited IT qualifications give employers exactly what they’re looking for – it says what you do in the title: as an example – I am a ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ in ‘Planning and Maintaining a Windows 2003 Infrastructure’. So an employer can look at the particular needs they have and which qualifications are needed for the job. Some training providers will provide a useful Job Placement Assistance program, designed to steer you into your first job. At the end of the day it’s not as hard as some people make out to land your first job – as long as you’ve got the necessary skills and qualifications; because there’s still a great need for IT skills in the UK today. However, what is relevant is to have CV and Interview advice and support though; additionally, we would recommend any student to bring their CV up to date the day they start training – don’t put it off until you’ve graduated or passed any exams. A good number of junior support jobs have been bagged by people who are still learning and have yet to take their exams. At least this will get you on your way. The most reliable organisations to help get you placed are usually specialised and independent recruitment consultants. As they’re keen to place you to receive their commission, they have more incentive to get on with it. A good number of students, apparently, are prepared to study their hearts out (for years sometimes), only to give up at the first hurdle when attempting to secure a job. Sell yourself… Make an effort to get in front of employers. Don’t think a job’s just going to jump out in front of you. Usually, trainers will provide mainly work-books and reference manuals. This can be very boring and not really conducive to taking things in. Memory is vastly improved when we use multiple senses – learning experts have been saying this for years now. Courses are now available in the form of CD and DVD ROM’s, where everything is taught on your PC. Video streaming means you can watch instructors demonstrating how something is done, and then have a go at it yourself – in a virtual lab environment. All companies should willingly take you through some examples of the type of training materials they provide. Make sure you encounter videos of instructor-led classes and many interactive sections. Avoiding training that is delivered purely online is generally a good idea. Physical CD or DVD ROM materials are preferable where available, as you need to be able to use them whenever it’s convenient for you – and not be totally reliant on a quality and continuous internet connection. Sometimes, individuals don’t really get what IT is doing for all of us. It’s electrifying, revolutionary, and puts you at the fore-front of developments in technology that will affect us all over the next generation. Technological changes and connections via the internet will dramatically affect our lives over the coming years; overwhelmingly so. The regular IT man or woman across the UK will also get considerably more money than fellow workers in other market sectors. Mean average salaries are hard to beat nationally. It seems there is no easing up for IT sector growth in the United Kingdom. The market is still growing hugely, and we don’t have anywhere near enough qualified skilled IT professionals to fill current job vacancies, so it’s most unlikely that this will change significantly for a good while yet.

Currently in the UK, most companies would struggle were it not for support workers solving problems with PC’s and networks, while giving advice to users on a regular basis each week. Industry’s need for better skilled and qualified individuals multiplies, as we become ever more dependent on PC’s in the twenty first century. Commencing with the idea that we have to choose the job we want to do first and foremost, before we’re even able to consider which training program meets that requirement, how are we supposed to find the correct route? As having no commercial skills in computing, how could any of us know what a particular job actually consists of? The key to answering this question properly flows from a full chat, covering several areas: * Which type of person you consider yourself to be – the tasks that you really enjoy, and don’t forget – what you definitely don’t enjoy. * Is it your desire to reach a closely held goal – like working for yourself sometime soon?* How highly do you rate salary – is it the most important thing, or does job satisfaction rate a lot higher on the scale of your priorities? * Considering all that computing encapsulates, you really need to be able to absorb what is different.* It’s wise to spend some time thinking about what kind of effort and commitment that you will set aside for the accreditation program. In all honesty, it’s obvious that the only real way to gain help on these matters tends to be through a good talk with an advisor or professional that has a background in the IT industry (and more importantly the commercial needs and requirements.) Many people question why academic qualifications are less in demand than the more commercial certifications? Key company training (in industry terminology) is far more specialised and product-specific. Industry has become aware that such specialised knowledge is essential to handle a technically advancing workplace. Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe are the dominant players. Of course, a necessary portion of closely linked knowledge needs to be covered, but focused specialised knowledge in the exact job role gives a commercially educated student a massive advantage. In simple terms: Accredited IT qualifications let employers know exactly what you’re capable of – the title is a complete giveaway: for example, I am a ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ in ‘Planning and Maintaining a Windows 2003 Infrastructure’. Therefore companies can identify just what their needs are and which qualifications will be suitable to deal with those needs. Any program that you’re going to undertake must provide a nationally (or globally) recognised exam at the finale – and not some unimportant ‘in-house’ piece of paper. Unless your qualification is issued by a major player like Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA or Adobe, then chances are it will be commercially useless – as it’ll be an unknown commodity. Far too many companies only concern themselves with gaining a certificate, and forget why you’re doing this – which is of course employment. Always begin with the end goal – don’t make the vehicle more important than the destination. It’s possible, in many cases, to thoroughly enjoy one year of training but end up spending 10 or 20 years in a tiresome job role, entirely because you stumbled into it without some decent due-diligence at the beginning. Be honest with yourself about how much you want to earn and what level of ambition fits you. This will influence which precise qualifications will be expected and what you can expect to give industry in return. Talk to a professional advisor that knows about the sector you’re looking at, and who can give you a detailed run-down of the kind of things you’ll be doing on a daily basis. Establishing this before starting out on a study program will prevent a lot of wasted time and effort.