Choosing a study program that fulfils the needs of industry is very important in this day and age. In addition, it’s also necessary to select a course that you will get on well with, that suits your personality and abilities.
You can learn anything from Microsoft User Skills to Web Design, Databases, Programming and Networking. There’s a lot to choose from and so you’ll probably need to discuss your requirements with an industry expert prior to making your choice: it would be awful to learn about a subject for an area that you don’t enjoy!
There are now many versions of simple to follow and well priced courses to be had that will give you everything you need.
We can guess that you’re a practical sort of person – a ‘hands-on’ personality type. Usually, the trial of reading reference books and manuals is something you’ll make yourself do if you have to, but it’s not really your thing. So look for on-screen interactive learning packages if book-based learning really isn’t your style.
Studies have constantly confirmed that an ‘involved’ approach to study, where we utilise all our senses, is much more conducive to long-term memory.
Find a course where you’ll receive a library of CD or DVD ROM’s – you’ll be learning from instructor videos and demo’s, followed by the chance to hone your abilities through virtual lab’s.
It’s wise to view some examples of the kind of training materials you’ll be using before you hand over your cheque. The minimum you should expect would be video tutorials, instructor demo’s and audio-visual elements backed up by interactive lab’s.
It is generally unwise to select online only courseware. With highly variable reliability and quality from the ISP (internet service provider) market, you should always obtain physical media such as CD or DVD ROM’s.
Don’t accept anything less than the latest Microsoft (or any other key organisation’s) accredited exam simulation and preparation packages.
Due to the fact that a lot of IT examining boards are from the USA, you need to become familiar with their phraseology. It isn’t good enough simply going through the right questions – they need to be in the proper exam format.
Obviously, it’s very important to know that you’re absolutely ready for your actual certification exam prior to doing it. Practicing mock-up exams will help to boost your attitude and will avoid you getting frustrated with unsuccessful attempts at exams.
Every program under consideration must provide a widely recognised exam as an end-goal – not a useless ‘in-house’ plaque for your wall.
Unless the accreditation comes from a big-hitter like Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco, then it’s likely it could have been a waste of time and effort – because it won’t give an employer any directly-useable skills.
Speak with a skilled consultant and you’ll be surprised by their many terrible tales of salespeople ripping-off unsuspecting students. Only deal with a professional advisor that asks lots of questions to find out what’s appropriate to you – not for their paycheque! You must establish an ideal starting-point that fits you.
Remember, if you’ve had any relevant work-experience or certification, then you may be able to begin at a different level to a student who’s starting from scratch.
Starting with a foundation module first may be the ideal way to get up and running on your IT training, but depends on your skill level.
Written by Scott Edwards. Try HTML Certification or www.computertrainingcollege.co.uk .
