UK IT Support Training - Options

Well Done! As you're reading this article we guess you must be considering getting re-qualified for a new job - so already you've made a start. Only one in ten of us are happy and fulfilled in our work, but no action is ever taken. So, why not be one of the few who actually do something about it.

We recommend you seek advice first - find someone who knows the industry; someone who'll give you career advice based on what works best for you, and work out what courses which will get you there:

* Is having company at work important to you? Is it meeting new people or being part of a team? Perhaps you prefer not to be disturbed and enjoy responsibilities that only you know how to deal with?

* The building trade and the banking industry are not coping well these days, so which industry will answer your needs?

* When you've done all your re-training, would you like your new abilities to serve you till you retire?

* Will the information you learn give you the chance to find the work you're looking for, and stay employable until sixty five?

The largest sector in the UK to tick all of the above boxes is the IT sector. There's a demand for more skilled staff in IT, simply have a look at a local jobsite and you'll see for yourself. However, it's not all techie people looking at their computerscreens the whole time - there are loads more jobs than that. Large numbers of staff in the computer industry are just like the rest of us, with well paid and stimulating jobs.

Locating job security nowadays is problematic. Companies often throw us from the workplace at a moment's notice - whenever it suits. We could however reveal security at market-level, by looking for high demand areas, tied with shortages of trained staff.

Taking a look at the computer industry, a key e-Skills study showed a twenty six percent deficit in trained staff. Basically, we only have the national capacity to fill 3 out of 4 positions in IT. Acquiring in-depth commercial computer qualification is correspondingly a quick route to achieve a long-lasting and gratifying career. With the market developing at such a rate, it's unlikely there's any better area of industry worth considering for retraining.

Those that are drawn to this type of work are often very practical, and don't always take well to classrooms, and slogging through piles of books. If this is putting you off studying, go for more modern interactive training, where learning is video-based. Where possible, if we can get all of our senses involved in our learning, then we often see hugely increased memory retention as a result.

Fully interactive motion videos involving demonstration and virtual lab's will forever turn you away from traditional book study. And you'll actually enjoy doing them. It makes sense to see a small selection of training examples before you sign on the dotted line. Always insist on instructor-led video demonstrations and interactive modules with audio-visual elements.

You should avoid purely online training. Physical CD or DVD ROM materials are preferable where available, enabling them to be used at your convenience - and not be totally reliant on your broadband being 'up' 100 percent of the time.

A proficient and professional advisor (vs a salesman) will ask questions and seek to comprehend your current situation. This is paramount to working out your study start-point. With a little work-based experience or qualifications, you may find that your starting point is not the same as someone new to the industry. Where this will be your opening crack at studying to take an IT exam then you should consider whether to begin with a user-skills course first.

It's essential to have the very latest Microsoft (or Cisco, CompTIA etc.) authorised exam preparation and simulation materials. Ensure that the practice exams are not just posing the correct questions on the correct subjects, but also asking them in the exact format that the real exams will pose them. It really messes up trainees if the questions are phrased in unfamiliar formats. A way to build self-confidence is if you verify your depth of understanding by doing quizzes and practice exams to get you ready for the actual exam.

(C) Jason Kendall 2009. Go to Click HERE or Adult Careers Advice.

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