It's likely that you've always enjoyed practical work - the 'hands-on' type. If you're anything like us, the trial of reading reference books and manuals can be just about bared when essential, but you really wouldn't enjoy it. Check out video-based multimedia instruction if books just don't do it for you. Studies in learning psychology have shown that much more of what we learn in remembered when we use all our senses, and we put into practice what we've been studying.

Interactive audio-visual materials involving demonstration and virtual lab's will turn you off book-based study for ever more. And you'll find them fun and interesting. It would be silly not to view examples of the courseware provided before you hand over your cheque. Always insist on video tutorials, instructor demo's and audio-visual elements backed up by interactive lab's.

It's folly to choose training that is only available online. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from most broadband providers, you should always obtain physical media such as CD or DVD ROM's.

Locating job security nowadays is problematic. Businesses often throw us from the workforce with very little notice - whenever it suits. We can however discover security at the market sector level, by looking for areas of high demand, together with shortages of trained staff.

The Information Technology (IT) skills-gap around Great Britain is standing at approx 26 percent, as reported by the 2006 e-Skills investigation. Alternatively, you could say, this clearly demonstrates that the United Kingdom can only locate 3 trained people for every 4 jobs in existence at the moment. Achieving full commercial Information Technology accreditation is accordingly a fast-track to succeed in a continuing as well as worthwhile career. No better time or market circumstances will exist for acquiring training in this hugely growing and developing sector.

Sometimes men and women assume that the school and FE college system is still the best way into IT. So why then are commercial certificates beginning to overtake it? With a growing demand for specific technological expertise, industry has had to move to specific, honed-in training only available through the vendors themselves - that is companies such as CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA. This usually turns out to involve less time and financial outlay. Essentially, only required knowledge is taught. It's slightly more broad than that, but the principle remains that students need to master the precisely demanded skill-sets (including a degree of required background) - without attempting to cover a bit about all sorts of other things (as academia often does).

When it comes down to the nitty-gritty: Recognised IT certifications let employers know exactly what you're capable of - the title is a complete giveaway: as an example - I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Designing Security for a Windows 2003 Network'. Therefore employers can look at the particular needs they have and which qualifications are required to fulfil that.

Many trainers have a handy Job Placement Assistance facility, to help you into your first commercial role. The need for this feature can be bigged up out of proportion though - it's easy for training companies to overplay it. At the end of the day, the massive skills shortage in the UK is what will make you attractive to employers.

You would ideally have help with your CV and interview techniques though; and we'd recommend any student to bring their CV up to date as soon as training commences - don't wait for when you're ready to start work. Having the possibility of an interview is far better than not even being known about. Many junior jobs are given to students (who've only just left first base.) If you'd like to keep travelling time and costs to a minimum, then you'll often find that a local (but specialised) recruitment consultancy can generally be more appropriate than the trainer's recruitment division, as they're going to be familiar with local employment needs.

Do ensure you don't invest a great deal of time on your training course, and then just stop and leave it in the hands of the gods to find you a job. Stop procrastinating and get out there. Channel the same resource into securing your new role as it took to get qualified.

We need to make this very clear: You absolutely must have proper 24x7 instructor support. Later, you'll kick yourself if you let this one slide. You'll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and telephone support is usually to a call-centre which will take the information and email an instructor - who will call back over the next day or so (assuming you're there), when it's convenient to them. This is not a lot of use if you're lost and confused and have a one hour time-slot in which to study.

Top training providers utilise an online access round-the-clock facility combining multiple support operations throughout multiple time-zones. You will have a simple environment that switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres at any time of day or night: Support when it's needed. Don't ever make the mistake of taking second best when you're looking for the right support service. The majority of students that can't get going properly, would have had a different experience if they'd got the right support package in the first place.

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