Games Review Blog

In today’s high speed society, support workers who have the ability to solve problems with networks and PC’s, and give ongoing help to users, are hugely valuable in all sections of the business environment. Because of the daunting complexities of technology, growing numbers of IT professionals are needed to look after the various different areas we rely on.

Potential trainees eager to start a career in IT often aren’t sure which direction to consider, let alone which area to get qualified in. Perusing lists of IT career possibilities is next to useless. Surely, most of us have no concept what our own family members do for a living – let alone understand the ins and outs of a particular IT career. Ultimately, a well-informed choice only comes via a methodical analysis covering many altering criteria:

* What hobbies you have and enjoy – often these show the areas will provide a happy working life.

* Is your focus to obtain training for a specific motive – for example, are you looking at working at home (self-employment possibly?)?

* Does salary have a higher place on your list of priorities than anything else.

* When taking into account all that Information Technology covers, it’s obvious you’ll need to be able to see what’s different.

* It’s wise to spend some time thinking about the amount of time and effort you’ll put into your training.

Ultimately, your only chance of understanding everything necessary is from an in-depth discussion with an advisor who through years of experience will lead you to the correct decision.

Many people question why traditional academic studies are now falling behind more commercial certificates? As demand increases for knowledge about more and more complex technology, industry has moved to the specialised core-skills learning that can only be obtained from the actual vendors – for example companies such as Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA. Often this saves time and money for the student. Vendor training works by honing in on the skills that are really needed (alongside a relevant amount of related knowledge,) instead of spending months and years on the background ‘padding’ that degree courses are prone to get tied up in (to fill up a syllabus or course).

As long as an employer understands what they’re looking for, then they just need to look for someone with a specific qualification. The syllabuses are set to exacting standards and can’t change from one establishment to the next (in the way that degree courses can).

Any program that you’re going to undertake should always lead to a nationally (or globally) recognised qualification as an end-result – not a useless ‘in-house’ piece of paper. To an employer, only the top companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA (for example) will get you short-listed. Anything less just won’t hit the right spot.

One interesting way that course providers make more money is through up-front charges for exams and then including an ‘Exam Guarantee’. This looks like a great idea for the student, till you look at the facts:

You’re paying for it ultimately. It certainly isn’t free – it’s just been rolled into the price of the whole package. People who take each progressive exam, paying as they go are in a much stronger position to qualify at the first attempt. They are mindful of the cost and revise more thoroughly to ensure they are ready.

Shouldn’t you be looking to not pay up-front, but at the appropriate time, instead of paying a premium to the college, and to do it in a local testing office – rather than possibly hours away from your area? Including money in your training package for exam fees (which also includes interest if you’ve taken out a loan) is a false economy. Don’t line companies bank accounts with extra money of yours simply to help their cash-flow! Many will hope you don’t even take them all – but they won’t refund the cash. It’s worth noting, in the majority of cases of ‘exam guarantees’ – you are not in control of when you can do your re-takes. You’ll have to prove conclusively that you can pass before they’ll pay for another exam.

Exam fees averaged 112 pounds or thereabouts twelve months or so ago via local VUE or Pro-metric centres throughout the country. So why pay hundreds or thousands of pounds extra for ‘an Exam Guarantee’, when any student knows that the responsible approach is consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software.

A ridiculously large number of organisations only concern themselves with gaining a certificate, and avoid focusing on the reasons for getting there – which is of course employment. You should always begin with where you want to get to – don’t get hung-up on the training vehicle. Never let yourself become part of that group who set off on a track that sounds really ‘interesting’ and ‘fun’ – only to end up with a qualification for a job they hate.

Make sure you investigate how you feel about earning potential and career progression, and whether you intend to be quite ambitious. It makes sense to understand what industry expects from you, what accreditations they want you to have and in what way you can develop commercial experience. Always seek guidance and advice from an experienced advisor, even if there’s a fee involved – it’s usually much cheaper and safer to discover early on whether something is going to suit and interest you, instead of finding out following two years of study that the job you’ve chosen is not for you and have to return to the start of another program.