When you decide upon a computer course or training it is vital that the certification you will gain falls in line with the working world. Additionally, you should make sure that the program will suit you, your personality and abilities. There's a massive choice with these courses - right from office user skills up to training courses for programmers, networkers, web designers etc. Take advice before you dive in - talk to an advisor with knowledge of the market sector. Somebody who you trust to select the right career path for you - that's both relevant to industry and something you'll enjoy.

By maximising state-of-the-art training techniques and abolishing out-dated approaches, you will start to see a new kind of training company offering a better quality of training and mentoring for hundreds of pounds less.

It's clear nowadays: There's absolutely no individual job security anymore; there's really only market or business security - any company is likely to fire a solitary member of staff if it meets their commercial interests. In actuality, security now only emerges through a rapidly increasing marketplace, fuelled by a shortage of trained workers. It's this shortage that creates the right setting for a secure marketplace - a much more desirable situation.

The computing Industry skills shortfall around Great Britain clocks in at approximately 26 percent, as shown by the 2006 e-Skills study. Showing that for every four jobs that exist throughout computing, we have only 3 certified professionals to do them. Accomplishing the appropriate commercial computing accreditation is correspondingly a quick route to realise a long-term as well as worthwhile living. As the Information Technology market is expanding at such a speed, is there any other area of industry worth looking at for a new career.

Without a doubt, the computing market provides outstanding prospects. But, to arm ourselves with the correct information, what kind of questions should we ask, and what are the most important factors?

Frequently, a typical IT hopeful has no idea where to start with Information Technology, or even what sector they should be considering getting trained in. Scanning lists of IT career possibilities is a complete waste of time. Most of us don't really appreciate what our next-door neighbours do at work each day - so we're in the dark as to the ins and outs of a particular IT career. Contemplation on many areas is imperative when you need to uncover the right answers:

* The kind of individual you are - the tasks that you really enjoy, and don't forget - what don't you like doing.

* Do you want to get certified because of a specific motive - e.g. is it your goal to work based at home (self-employment?)?

* Is the money you make further up on your list of priorities than anything else.

* Always think in-depth about the time expected to gain all the necessary accreditation.

* You should also think long and hard about the level of commitment you're going to invest in gaining your certifications.

At the end of the day, the best way of investigating all this is by means of a long chat with an advisor who through years of experience will lead you to the correct decision.

Usually, trainers will provide a bunch of books and manuals. This can be very boring and isn't the best way to go about taking things in. Our ability to remember is increased when all our senses are brought into the mix - learning experts have been saying this for decades now.

Top of the range study programs now offer interactive discs. Through instructor-led video classes you'll learn your subject through the expert demonstrations. Then it's time to test your knowledge by practicing and interacting with the software. Make sure to obtain a study material demo' from the training company. The materials should incorporate instructor videos, demonstrations, slide-shows and lab's for you to practice your skills in.

It's unwise to select online only courseware. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from your average broadband company, make sure you get CD or DVD ROM based materials.

It's quite a normal occurrence for students not to check on something of absolutely vital importance - the way their training provider actually breaks down and delivers the courseware sections, and into what particular chunks. Typically, you will join a program requiring 1-3 years study and receive a module at a time. This sounds logical on one level, until you consider this: Often, the staged breakdown insisted on by the company won't suit you. It may be difficult to get through every element inside of their particular timetable?

Put simply, the perfect answer is to obtain their recommendation on the best possible order of study, but get all the study materials at the start. You're then in possession of everything should you not complete it as fast as they'd like.

Training support for students is an absolute must - locate a good company providing 24x7 full access, as anything less will not satisfy and will also hamper your progress. You'll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and so-called telephone support is normally just routed to a call-centre who will take the information and email an instructor - who will then call back sometime over the next 24hrs, at a time suitable for them. This isn't a lot of good if you're stuck and can't continue and only have a specific time you can study.

As long as you look hard, you will find the top providers who provide their students direct-access support all the time - no matter what time of day it is. If you fail to get yourself support round-the-clock, you'll quickly find yourself regretting it. You may avoid using the support throughout the night, but what about weekends, early mornings or even late evenings at some point.

Consider the following facts very carefully if you believe the marketing blurb about examination guarantees seems like a good idea:

It's become essential these days that we tend to be a little more 'marketing-savvy' - and generally we realise that of course it is something we're paying for - they're not just being charitable and doling out freebies! It's well known in the industry that if a student pays for each examination, one after the other, the chances are they're going to qualify each time - since they're aware of their investment in themselves and so will prepare more thoroughly.

Do the examinations as locally as possible and find the best deal for you at the time. Considerable numbers of questionable training course providers net huge amounts of money because they're asking for exams at the start of the course and banking on the fact that many won't be taken. You should fully understand that re-takes via companies with an 'Exam Guarantee' are tightly controlled. They'll insist that you take mock exams first till you've proven conclusively that you can pass.

Spending hundreds or even thousands extra on 'Exam Guarantees' is foolish - when consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.

All programs you're considering should always lead to a fully recognised major exam as an end-goal - definitely not some 'in-house' piece of paper. All the major IT organisations like Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA each have internationally renowned skills programmes. These big-hitters will make sure you're employable.