Should you be doing a search for training tracks certified by Microsoft, you'll obviously be expecting training providers to supply a wide selection of some of the top learning programmes on the market today. Maybe you'd choose to talk to industry experts, who could help you sort out which job role would be right for you, and what sort of duties are appropriate for someone with your character and ability. Having selected the area you want to get into, your next search is for a suitable training program customised to your needs. The standard of teaching should leave no room for complaints.
A successful training program will undoubtedly also offer fully authorised exam preparation systems. Be sure that the practice exams haven't just got questions from the right areas, but also asking them in the exact format that the real exams will phrase them. This completely unsettles people if the phraseology and format is completely different. Mock exams will prove very useful as a tool for logging knowledge into your brain - then when the time comes for you to take the proper exam, you don't get uptight.
Commercial certification is now, undoubtedly, taking over from the older academic routes into the industry - so why is this happening? Industry now recognises that for an understanding of the relevant skills, proper accreditation from such organisations as Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA is far more effective and specialised - saving time and money. Many degrees, for example, clog up the training with a great deal of loosely associated study - with a syllabus that's far too wide. This holds a student back from learning the core essentials in sufficient depth.
The crux of the matter is this: Recognised IT certifications provide exactly what an employer needs - the title says it all: i.e. I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Windows XP Administration and Configuration'. Consequently companies can look at the particular needs they have and what certifications are needed for the job.
Get rid of the typical salesman that just tells you what course you should do without a thorough investigation so as to understand your abilities as well as level of experience. They should be able to select from a wide-enough range of products so they're actually equipped to provide you with what's right for you. It's worth remembering, if you have some relevant previous certification, then it's not unreasonable to expect to pick-up at a different starting-point to a student who's starting from scratch. If you're a new trainee beginning IT exams and training anew, it can be useful to start out slowly, beginning with a user-skills course first. This is often offered with most accreditation programs.
Many commercial training providers will only offer basic 9am till 6pm support (maybe a little earlier or later on certain days); most won't answer after 8-9pm at the latest and frequently never at the weekends. Many only provide email support (too slow), and phone support is usually just a call-centre that will take the information and email an instructor - who'll call back sometime over the next 1-3 days, when it's convenient to them. This isn't a lot of good if you're stuck with a particular problem and only have certain times available in which to do your studies.
If you look properly, you'll find the very best companies which offer online direct access support 24x7 - even in the middle of the night. Seek out a trainer that gives this level of learning support. As only live 24x7 round-the-clock support gives you the confidence to make it.
Of course: the training course or a certification is not the ultimate goal; a job that you want is. Far too many training organisations place too much importance on the certificate itself. Don't be one of the unfortunate masses that choose a course which looks like it could be fun - and get to the final hurdle of an accreditation for something they'll never enjoy.
You need to keep your eye on where you want to go, and create a learning-plan from that - don't do it the other way round. Stay focused on the end-goal and ensure that you're training for an end-result you'll still be enjoying many years from now. Chat with an experienced professional that has a background in the industry you're considering, and who'll explain to you a detailed run-down of the kind of things you'll be doing on a daily basis. Establishing this before beginning a learning program will save you both time and money.
A successful training program will undoubtedly also offer fully authorised exam preparation systems. Be sure that the practice exams haven't just got questions from the right areas, but also asking them in the exact format that the real exams will phrase them. This completely unsettles people if the phraseology and format is completely different. Mock exams will prove very useful as a tool for logging knowledge into your brain - then when the time comes for you to take the proper exam, you don't get uptight.
Commercial certification is now, undoubtedly, taking over from the older academic routes into the industry - so why is this happening? Industry now recognises that for an understanding of the relevant skills, proper accreditation from such organisations as Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA is far more effective and specialised - saving time and money. Many degrees, for example, clog up the training with a great deal of loosely associated study - with a syllabus that's far too wide. This holds a student back from learning the core essentials in sufficient depth.
The crux of the matter is this: Recognised IT certifications provide exactly what an employer needs - the title says it all: i.e. I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Windows XP Administration and Configuration'. Consequently companies can look at the particular needs they have and what certifications are needed for the job.
Get rid of the typical salesman that just tells you what course you should do without a thorough investigation so as to understand your abilities as well as level of experience. They should be able to select from a wide-enough range of products so they're actually equipped to provide you with what's right for you. It's worth remembering, if you have some relevant previous certification, then it's not unreasonable to expect to pick-up at a different starting-point to a student who's starting from scratch. If you're a new trainee beginning IT exams and training anew, it can be useful to start out slowly, beginning with a user-skills course first. This is often offered with most accreditation programs.
Many commercial training providers will only offer basic 9am till 6pm support (maybe a little earlier or later on certain days); most won't answer after 8-9pm at the latest and frequently never at the weekends. Many only provide email support (too slow), and phone support is usually just a call-centre that will take the information and email an instructor - who'll call back sometime over the next 1-3 days, when it's convenient to them. This isn't a lot of good if you're stuck with a particular problem and only have certain times available in which to do your studies.
If you look properly, you'll find the very best companies which offer online direct access support 24x7 - even in the middle of the night. Seek out a trainer that gives this level of learning support. As only live 24x7 round-the-clock support gives you the confidence to make it.
Of course: the training course or a certification is not the ultimate goal; a job that you want is. Far too many training organisations place too much importance on the certificate itself. Don't be one of the unfortunate masses that choose a course which looks like it could be fun - and get to the final hurdle of an accreditation for something they'll never enjoy.
You need to keep your eye on where you want to go, and create a learning-plan from that - don't do it the other way round. Stay focused on the end-goal and ensure that you're training for an end-result you'll still be enjoying many years from now. Chat with an experienced professional that has a background in the industry you're considering, and who'll explain to you a detailed run-down of the kind of things you'll be doing on a daily basis. Establishing this before beginning a learning program will save you both time and money.
About the Author:
(C) Jason Kendall. Navigate to LearningLolly.com for logical career advice on Learning C and Programming Courses.
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