It’s really great that you’ve made it this far! Just ten percent of people are happy and satisfied by their jobs, but a huge number complain to each other and take no action. Because you’ve done research we can guess that you’re giving retraining some thought, so you’ve already stood out from the crowd. The next step is to research and follow-through.
We’d strongly advise that prior to beginning any study program, you run through some things with a mentor who is familiar with the working environment and can advise you. Such a person will go through personality profiling with you and assist in finding the right role for you:
* Is collaborating with others important to you? Would you prefer to work with a small team or with a lot of new people? Perhaps working alone in a task-based situation would be more your thing?
* What do you need from the area of industry you choose? (If it’s stability you’re after, you might think twice about banks or the building industry right now.)
* Once you’ve trained, how many years work do anticipate working, and can your chosen industry provide you with that possibility?
* Would it be useful for the course you’re re-training in to be in an area where you believe your chances of gainful employment are high up to retirement age?
We would advise you to find out more about the IT industry – there are increasingly more jobs than workers to do them, and it’s one of the few choices of career where the market sector is on the grow. Despite what some people believe, IT isn’t all techie people gazing at their computer screens the whole day (though those jobs exist.) The vast majority of roles are done by people like you and me who want to earn a very good living.
Training support for students is an absolute must – find a program offering 24×7 direct access to instructors, as anything less will not satisfy and will also hamper your progress.
Locate training schools with help available at any time you choose (no matter if it’s in the middle of the night on a weekend!) Ensure you get 24×7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not simply some messaging service that means you’re waiting for tutors to call you back at a convenient time for them.
The best trainers incorporate three or four individual support centres around the globe in several time-zones. They use an online interactive interface to join them all seamlessly, any time of the day or night, help is just seconds away, without any contact issues or hassle.
Find a trainer that is worth purchasing from. Only true round-the-clock 24×7 support provides the necessary backup.
Commercial certification is now, undoubtedly, beginning to replace the more academic tracks into IT – why then is this happening?
Accreditation-based training (as it’s known in the industry) is far more specialised and product-specific. Industry has become aware that such specialised knowledge is necessary to cope with a technologically complex workplace. CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA are the key players in this arena.
Of course, a reasonable amount of relevant additional information has to be covered, but essential specialisation in the areas needed gives a vendor trained person a distinct advantage.
As long as an employer understands what areas they need covered, then they just need to look for the exact skill-set required to meet that need. Syllabuses are all based on the same criteria and aren’t allowed to deviate (as academic syllabuses often do).
Accredited exam simulation and preparation software is crucial – and must be offered by your training supplier.
Due to the fact that many IT examination boards are American, you’ll need to be used to the correct phraseology. You can’t practice properly by merely going through the right questions – they must be in an exam format that exactly replicates the real thing.
‘Mock’ or practice exams will prove invaluable as a resource to you – so when it comes to taking your actual exams, you will be much more relaxed.
Starting with the understanding that it’s good to home-in on the job we want to do first and foremost, before we can even mull over what development program would meet that requirement, how are we supposed to find the right direction?
I mean, without any experience in the IT market, how could you possibly know what someone in a particular field spends their day doing? Let alone arrive at what accreditation path will be most suitable for a successful result.
Achieving the right choice only comes via a thorough examination across many shifting areas:
* Personality factors plus what interests you – the sort of working tasks you enjoy or dislike.
* Why you want to consider stepping into Information Technology – is it to conquer some personal goal like self-employment for instance.
* What are your thoughts on job satisfaction vs salary?
* With so many different sectors to gain certifications for in computing – you will have to achieve some key facts on what separates them.
* Having a good look at the level of commitment, time and effort you can give.
In these situations, your only option to gain help on these matters tends to be through a good talk with someone that has experience of computing (and chiefly it’s commercial needs and requirements.)
(C) Jason Kendall. Go to LearningLolly.com for great information on CompTIA Courses and Computer Courses.
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