Currently in the UK, commercial institutions could not function efficiently without the help of support workers mending PC's and networks, while making recommendations to users each and every day. Because our society becomes growingly dependent on our PC's, we simultaneously find ourselves increasingly more reliant upon the commercially qualified IT networkers, who ensure the systems function properly.
With all the options available, does it really shock us that a large percentage of newcomers to the industry don't really understand the best career path they could be successful with.
How likely is it for us to understand the many facets of a particular career when we've never done it? We normally don't know someone who works in that sector anyway.
To attack this, a discussion is necessary, covering many different aspects:
* Which type of person you are - which things you really enjoy, and on the other side of the coin - what you hate to do.
* For what reasons you're stepping into computing - it could be you're looking to achieve a life-long goal like being self-employed maybe.
* Where is the salary on a scale of importance - is it the most important thing, or is job satisfaction a lot higher on the priority-scale?
* Often, trainees don't consider the work expected to achieve their goals.
* The level of commitment and effort you'll have available to spend on obtaining your certification.
The bottom line is, the only real way of covering these is through an in-depth discussion with an experienced advisor who through years of experience will give you the information required.
Don't accept anything less than the current Microsoft (or relevant organisation's) authorised exam preparation packages.
Some students can get thrown by practicing questions for their exams that don't come from official sources. It's not uncommon that the phraseology is unfamiliar and you need to be ready for this.
Mock exams will prove very useful for confidence building - so when it comes to taking the real thing, you don't get phased.
Get rid of a salesperson who just tells you what course you should do without a thorough investigation to assess your abilities as well as level of experience. Make sure they can draw from a expansive product range so they're able to give you a program that suits you..
Of course, if you've had any relevant previous certification, then you can sometimes expect to begin at a different level to a trainee with no history to speak of.
For students starting IT studies and exams as a new venture, it's often a good idea to avoid jumping in at the deep-end, beginning with some basic user skills first. This can be built into most training packages.
Adding in the cost of exams up-front and offering an 'Exam Guarantee' is a popular marketing tool with a number of training colleges. However, let's consider what's really going on:
Patently it's not free - you're still coughing up for it - the cost has just been rolled into the whole training package.
People who take each progressive exam, funding them one at a time are in a much stronger position to qualify at the first attempt. They're conscious of their investment and so are more inclined to ensure they are ready.
Isn't it outrageous to have to pay the training course provider up-front for exam fees? Find the best deal you can when you take the exam, instead of paying a premium - and do it in a local testing centre - rather than in some remote place.
Why borrow the money or pay in advance (plus interest of course) on examination fees when there's absolutely nothing that says you have to? Huge profits are made because training colleges are getting money in early for exam fees - and then cashing in when they're not all taken.
It's also worth noting that 'Exam Guarantees' often aren't worth the paper they're written on. Most companies won't pay for re-takes until you have demonstrated conclusively that you won't fail again.
The cost of exams was approximately 112 pounds twelve months or so ago when taken at Prometric or VUE centres around the United Kingdom. So what's the point of paying maybe a thousand pounds extra to have 'Exam Guarantees', when it's no secret that the most successful method is a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools.
Commercial qualifications are now, without a doubt, starting to replace the older academic routes into IT - so why is this the case?
The IT sector now recognises that to learn the appropriate commercial skills, the right accreditation from such organisations as Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe most often has much more specialised relevance - for much less time and money.
Clearly, an appropriate degree of associated information has to be learned, but core specialisation in the areas needed gives a commercially trained person a distinct advantage.
If an employer understands what they're looking for, then they just need to look for someone with a specific qualification. Syllabuses are set to exacting standards and aren't allowed to deviate (as academic syllabuses often do).
With all the options available, does it really shock us that a large percentage of newcomers to the industry don't really understand the best career path they could be successful with.
How likely is it for us to understand the many facets of a particular career when we've never done it? We normally don't know someone who works in that sector anyway.
To attack this, a discussion is necessary, covering many different aspects:
* Which type of person you are - which things you really enjoy, and on the other side of the coin - what you hate to do.
* For what reasons you're stepping into computing - it could be you're looking to achieve a life-long goal like being self-employed maybe.
* Where is the salary on a scale of importance - is it the most important thing, or is job satisfaction a lot higher on the priority-scale?
* Often, trainees don't consider the work expected to achieve their goals.
* The level of commitment and effort you'll have available to spend on obtaining your certification.
The bottom line is, the only real way of covering these is through an in-depth discussion with an experienced advisor who through years of experience will give you the information required.
Don't accept anything less than the current Microsoft (or relevant organisation's) authorised exam preparation packages.
Some students can get thrown by practicing questions for their exams that don't come from official sources. It's not uncommon that the phraseology is unfamiliar and you need to be ready for this.
Mock exams will prove very useful for confidence building - so when it comes to taking the real thing, you don't get phased.
Get rid of a salesperson who just tells you what course you should do without a thorough investigation to assess your abilities as well as level of experience. Make sure they can draw from a expansive product range so they're able to give you a program that suits you..
Of course, if you've had any relevant previous certification, then you can sometimes expect to begin at a different level to a trainee with no history to speak of.
For students starting IT studies and exams as a new venture, it's often a good idea to avoid jumping in at the deep-end, beginning with some basic user skills first. This can be built into most training packages.
Adding in the cost of exams up-front and offering an 'Exam Guarantee' is a popular marketing tool with a number of training colleges. However, let's consider what's really going on:
Patently it's not free - you're still coughing up for it - the cost has just been rolled into the whole training package.
People who take each progressive exam, funding them one at a time are in a much stronger position to qualify at the first attempt. They're conscious of their investment and so are more inclined to ensure they are ready.
Isn't it outrageous to have to pay the training course provider up-front for exam fees? Find the best deal you can when you take the exam, instead of paying a premium - and do it in a local testing centre - rather than in some remote place.
Why borrow the money or pay in advance (plus interest of course) on examination fees when there's absolutely nothing that says you have to? Huge profits are made because training colleges are getting money in early for exam fees - and then cashing in when they're not all taken.
It's also worth noting that 'Exam Guarantees' often aren't worth the paper they're written on. Most companies won't pay for re-takes until you have demonstrated conclusively that you won't fail again.
The cost of exams was approximately 112 pounds twelve months or so ago when taken at Prometric or VUE centres around the United Kingdom. So what's the point of paying maybe a thousand pounds extra to have 'Exam Guarantees', when it's no secret that the most successful method is a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools.
Commercial qualifications are now, without a doubt, starting to replace the older academic routes into IT - so why is this the case?
The IT sector now recognises that to learn the appropriate commercial skills, the right accreditation from such organisations as Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe most often has much more specialised relevance - for much less time and money.
Clearly, an appropriate degree of associated information has to be learned, but core specialisation in the areas needed gives a commercially trained person a distinct advantage.
If an employer understands what they're looking for, then they just need to look for someone with a specific qualification. Syllabuses are set to exacting standards and aren't allowed to deviate (as academic syllabuses often do).
About the Author:
(C) Jason Kendall. Go to LearningLolly.com for excellent ideas on IT Training Course and Comptia Network+ Certification.
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