Good for you! Reading this subject matter suggests you’re pondering over your options, and if it’s re-training you’re considering then you’ve already got further than most. Are you aware that a small minority of us would say we are contented at work – but the majority will take no corrective action. Why not stand out from the crowd and do something – you have the rest of your life to enjoy it.
Prior to considering individual courses, look for an advisor who will be able to guide you on what to look for. A person who will ask questions about your likes and dislikes, and find out the best career for you to work towards:
* Do you like to work collaborating with people? Is that as part of a team or with many new people? It could be working by yourself with your own methodology may be your preference?
* What ideas are fundamentally important with regard to the sector of industry you’ll be employed in?
* Is it important that this should be a one off time that you will need more qualifications?
* Do you think being qualified will give you the opportunity to get a good job, and remain in employment until you wish to retire?
Don’t overlook the IT sector, that will be time well spent – it’s one of the only market sectors still on the grow in this country and overseas. Another benefit is that remuneration packages are much better than most.
Being a part of progressive developments in new technology is about as exciting as it can get. You personally play your part in creating a future for us all. Computing technology and communication via the internet will dramatically shape our lifestyles in the future; remarkably so.
The typical IT man or woman across the UK can demonstrate that they earn considerably more money than equivalent professionals in another industry. Mean average remuneration packages are around the top of national league tables. It’s no secret that there is a great nationwide demand for trained and qualified IT technicians. In addition, as growth in the industry shows little sign of contracting, it is likely this pattern will continue for the significant future.
Be under no illusions, the computer sector provides outstanding potential. Yet, to fully investigate, what questions do we need to raise, and what are the sectors we need to investigate?
A capable and professional consultant (in contrast with a salesperson) will want to thoroughly discuss your current level of ability and experience. This is paramount to understanding your study start-point. Occasionally, the training inception point for a person with experience is substantially dissimilar to someone without. Working through a user skills program first can be the best way to get into your computer programme, depending on your current skill level.
Training support for students is an absolute must – locate a good company providing 24×7 full access, as anything else will annoy you and definitely put a damper on the speed you move through things. Avoid, like the plague, any organisations that use ‘out-of-hours’ messaging systems – where an advisor will call back during office hours. It’s no use when you’re stuck on a problem and could do with an answer during your scheduled study period.
Keep your eyes open for study programmes that use several support centres active in different time-zones. Every one of them needs to be seamlessly combined to give a single entry point and round-the-clock access, when you want it, without any problems. Never ever take second best when you’re looking for the right support service. Many IT hopefuls that give up, are in that situation because they didn’t get the support necessary for them.
We’d hazard a guess that you probably enjoy fairly practical work – a ‘hands-on’ personality type. If you’re anything like us, the unfortunate chore of reading reference guides is something you’ll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but it doesn’t suit your way of doing things. Consider interactive, multimedia study if you’d really rather not use books. If we can get all of our senses involved in our learning, our results will often be quite spectacular.
Start a study-program in which you’re provided with an array of DVD-ROM’s – you’ll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, with the facility to fine-tune your skills in fully interactive practice sessions. It makes sense to see some of the typical study materials provided before you purchase a course. The minimum you should expect would be instructor demonstrations, video tutorials and audio-visual elements backed up by interactive lab’s.
It’s unwise to go for purely on-line training. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from most broadband providers, you should always obtain CD or DVD ROM based materials.
An important area that is sometimes not even considered by new students mulling over a new direction is that of ‘training segmentation’. This is essentially the breakdown of the materials to be delivered to you, which vastly changes how you end up. Training companies will normally offer 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: What if there are reasons why you can’t finish each and every exam? Maybe the prescribed order won’t suit you? Without any fault on your part, you might take a little longer and therefore not end up with all the modules.
For maximum flexibility and safety, it’s normal for most trainees to request that all their modules (now paid for) are posted to them in one go, with nothing held back. It’s then up to you in what order and how fast or slow you’d like to work.
‘Exam Guarantees’ are often bundled with training offers – this always means exams have to be paid for upfront, at the start of your training. But before you get taken in by guaranteed exams, look at the following:
Patently it’s not free – you’re still paying for it – the cost has just been rolled into the whole training package. Those who take each progressive exam, funding them as they go are much better placed to get through first time. They are mindful of their investment and revise more thoroughly to be ready for the task.
Why pay the training college up-front for exams? Find the best exam deal or offer when you take the exam, don’t pay mark-ups – and sit exams more locally – not at somewhere of their bidding. Is there a good reason to pay interest on a bigger loan than is necessary because you’ve paid early for examination fees when there’s absolutely nothing that says you have to? A great deal of money is secured by training companies charging upfront for all their exams – and then cashing in when they’re not all taken. Re-takes of previously unsuccessful exams through training course providers who offer an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are always heavily controlled. They will insist that you take pre-tests first so you can prove to them you have a good chance of passing.
Exams taken at local centres are approximately 112 pounds in the United Kingdom today. Why spend so much more on fees for ‘exam guarantees’ (often covertly rolled into the cost of the course) – when a quality course, support and exam preparation systems and a dose of commitment and effort are what’s required.
A service offered by some training providers is job placement assistance. The service is put in place to assist your search for your first position. Because of the massive shortage of skills in Great Britain today, it’s not too important to become overly impressed with this service however. It really won’t be that difficult to find the right work once you’re trained and certified.
Advice and support about getting interviews and your CV may be available (alternatively, check out one of our sites for help). It’s essential that you work on your old CV right away – don’t wait until you’ve finished your exams! It’s possible that you won’t have even taken your exams when you land your first junior support job; however this isn’t going to happen if your CV isn’t in front of employers. Normally you’ll get better results from a specialist independent regional employment service than any course provider’s centralised service, because they will understand the local industry and employment needs.
Not inconsiderable numbers of men and women, so it seems, are prepared to study their hearts out (sometimes for years), and just give up when it comes to finding a job. Market yourself… Do everything you can to let employers know about you. Don’t think a job’s just going to jump out in front of you.
