Spiritual Action

If it's Cisco training you're after, but you haven't worked with network switches or routers, you should first attempt the Cisco CCNA qualification. This will provide you with knowledge and skills to work with routers. The world wide web is built up of many routers, and national or international corporations with multiple departments and sites also need routers to connect their computer networks.

Jobs that use this type of knowledge mean the chances are you'll work for large companies that are spread out geographically but need to keep in touch. Or, you may move on to joining an internet service provider. Both types of jobs command good salaries.

Qualifying up to the CCNA level is all you need at this stage - don't be cajoled into attempting your CCNP yet. Once you've got a few years experience behind you, you will have a feel for if CCNP is something you want to do. Should that be the case, you'll have a much better chance of succeeding - because you'll have so much more experience.

In most cases, your everyday student really has no clue how they should get into a computing career, or what sector to focus their retraining program on.

Therefore, if you've got no know-how of IT in the workplace, how are you equipped to know what some particular IT person spends their day doing? How can you possibly choose what accreditation path would be most appropriate for you to get there.

Consideration of the following issues is imperative when you want to dig down the right solution that will work for you:

* Your individual personality and what you're interested in - which work-related things you like and dislike.

* What time-frame are you looking at for the retraining?

* Is your income higher on your priority-list than other requirements.

* Considering all that the IT industry encompasses, it's obvious you'll need to be able to take in the differences.

* Our advice is to think deeply about any sacrifices you'll need to make, as well as what commitment and time you're going to invest in your training.

To completely side-step the industry jargon, and reveal the best route for you, have an informal chat with an experienced professional; an individual that understands the commercial reality whilst covering each qualification.

A valuable training package will also include wholly authorised exam preparation systems.

Students regularly can be thrown off course by going through practice questions that don't come from official boards. It's not uncommon that the way questions are phrased can be quite different and you should be prepared for this.

'Mock' or practice exams are enormously valuable as a resource to you - so when it comes to taking your actual exams, you won't be worried.

Have you recently questioned how safe your job is? Normally, this isn't an issue until something dramatic happens to shake us. However, the reality is that true job security has gone the way of the dodo, for nearly everyone now.

It's possible though to hit upon market-level security, by searching for areas that have high demand, mixed with work-skill shortages.

The Information Technology (IT) skills shortfall around the country currently stands at approx twenty six percent, as shown by the 2006 e-Skills investigation. This shows that for every 4 jobs that are available in IT, there are only 3 trained people to fulfil that role.

Gaining full commercial computing certification is correspondingly an effective route to realise a continuing and worthwhile career.

As the Information Technology market is expanding at the speed it is, there really isn't any other sector worth considering for a new future.

One useful service offered by some training providers is a Job Placement Assistance program. The service is put in place to help you find your first job in the industry. At the end of the day it's not as hard as some people make out to land your first job - assuming you're well trained and qualified; the growing UK skills shortage sees to that.

CV and Interview advice and support may be available (if it isn't, consult one of our sites). Make sure you bring your CV right up to date immediately - don't leave it till you pass the exams!

Being considered a 'maybe' is more than not being regarded at all. Often junior support roles are given to students in the early stages of their course.

The best services to help you find a job are usually specialist locally based employment services. As they will get paid by the employer when they've placed you, they have the necessary incentive to try that bit harder.

Do make sure you don't put hundreds of hours of effort into your studies, and then do nothing more and expect somebody else to secure your first position. Get off your backside and make your own enquiries. Channel the same energy and enthusiasm into finding your new role as it took to pass the exams.

Many people question why academic qualifications are now falling behind more commercial qualifications?

With fees and living expenses for university students spiralling out of control, alongside the industry's recognition that accreditation-based training is often far more commercially relevant, we've seen a big surge in CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA accredited training routes that educate students at a fraction of the cost and time involved.

Obviously, a necessary portion of background information has to be learned, but focused specialisation in the particular job function gives a vendor educated person a distinct advantage.

If an employer is aware what they're looking for, then all it takes is an advert for the exact skill-set required to meet that need. Commercial syllabuses are set to exacting standards and don't change between schools (in the way that degree courses can).