Web Design Courses In Your Own Home (020609)
Should you be considering getting into a web design team, studying Adobe Dreamweaver is a fundamental criteria for getting in-demand qualifications acknowledged around the world. The full Adobe Web Creative Suite additionally should be understood comprehensively. This will introduce you to Action Script and Flash, amongst others, and will prepare you for the Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) or Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) qualification.
The building of a website is only the beginning of the skills needed though - to drive traffic to the site, maintain its content, and work on dynamic sites that are database driven, you will have to learn additional programming skills, for example HTML and PHP, and database engines like MySQL. A good web designer will additionally gain a practical knowledge of Search Engine Optimisation and E Commerce.
There is a tidal wave of change about to hit technology as we approach the second decade of the 21st century - and the industry becomes more ground-breaking every year. We are really only just starting to comprehend how all this change will affect us. The way we communicate and interact with everyone around us will be massively affected by technology and the internet.
Should lifestyle be around the top on your wish list, then you'll be pleasantly surprised to hear that the regular income for IT employees in general is noticeably greater than salaries in the rest of the economy. Due to the technological sector developing at an unprecedented rate, it's looking good that demand for certified IT specialists will remain buoyant for the significant future.
So, which questions do we need to pose to arrive at the understanding necessary? As it's evident there are many pretty unparalleled possibilities for us all to chew over.
Don't put too much store, as a lot of students can, on the certification itself. You're not training for the sake of training; you should be geared towards the actual job at the end of it. You need to remain focused on where you want to go. You may train for one year and then end up doing the job for 20 years. Don't make the mistake of opting for what may seem to be an 'interesting' training program and then spend decades in a job you hate!
Spend some time thinking about how much you want to earn and the level of your ambition. Usually, this will point the way to which particular exams you'll need to attain and what'll be expected of you in your new role. Look for help from a skilled advisor who has commercial knowledge of your chosen market-place, and who can give you 'A day in the life of' understanding of what you'll actually be doing during your working week. It's good sense to know if this change is right for you well before you start on any retraining programme. What's the reason in beginning your training and then find you've taken the wrong route.
The classroom style of learning we remember from school, involving piles of reference textbooks, is an up-hill struggle for the majority of us. If this describes you, find training programs which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. Recent studies into the way we learn shows that much more of what we learn in remembered when we involve as many senses as possible, and we get physically involved with the study process.
Start a study-program in which you'll get a host of CD or DVD ROM's - you'll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, followed by the chance to use virtual lab's to practice your new skills. It's wise to view some examples of the kind of training materials you'll be using before you sign the purchase order. The minimum you should expect would be videoed instructor demonstrations and a variety of audio-visual and interactive sections.
Seek out CD and DVD ROM based physical training media in all circumstances. You can then avoid all the difficulties of broadband outages, failure and signal quality issues etc.
One thing you must always insist on is 24x7 round-the-clock support from dedicated instructors and mentors. Too many companies only seem to want to help while they're in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends. You'll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and phone support is usually just a call-centre which will make some notes and then email an advisor - who'll call back sometime over the next 1-3 days, when it's convenient to them. This is no good if you're lost and confused and only have certain times available in which to do your studies.
World-class organisations provide an online 24 hours-a-day system pulling in several support offices from around the world. You will be provided with a simple environment which accesses the most appropriate office at any time of day or night: Support on demand. If you opt for less than support round-the-clock, you'll quickly find yourself regretting it. You may not need it during late nights, but consider weekends, early mornings or late evenings.
We're often asked why traditional academic studies are now falling behind more qualifications from the commercial sector? As demand increases for knowledge about more and more complex technology, industry has of necessity moved to specific, honed-in training only available through the vendors themselves - for example companies like Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA. Frequently this is at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. Of course, a necessary portion of associated knowledge has to be taught, but core specifics in the particular job function gives a vendor educated student a huge edge.
Assuming a company knows what they're looking for, then they simply need to advertise for the particular skill-set required. Syllabuses are set to meet an exact requirement and don't change between schools (in the way that degree courses can).
Adding in the cost of exam fees up-front then giving it 'Exam Guarantee' status is popular with many training course providers. But look at the facts:
Patently it's not free - you're still paying for it - the cost has just been rolled into the whole training package. People who take exams one at a time, paying as they go are in a much stronger position to qualify at the first attempt. They're mindful of what they've paid and so are more inclined to be ready for the task.
Isn't it in your interests to hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you're ready, instead of paying a premium to a training company, and to do it in a local testing office - rather than possibly hours away from your area? A great deal of money is secured by many training colleges that get money for exam fees in advance. A number of students don't take them for various reasons and so they pocket the rest. Surprising as it sounds, there are providers that depend on students not taking their exams - as that's very profitable for them. Also, exam guarantees often have very little value. The majority of organisations won't be prepared to pay for re-takes until you're able to demonstrate an excellent mock pass rate.
Exams taken at local centres are in the region of 112 pounds in the United Kingdom today. Why pay exorbitant 'Exam Guarantee' fees (often hidden in the cost) - when a quality course, support and study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.
Getting into your first IT role can be a little easier with the help of a Job Placement Assistance service. Don't get overly impressed with this service - it isn't unusual for companies marketing departments to overstate it's need. In reality, the huge shortage of staff in Britain is why employers will be interested in you.
Whatever you do, don't wait till you have qualified before bringing your CV up to date. As soon as you start a course, mark down what you're doing and place it on jobsites! Various junior support jobs have been bagged by trainees who are still learning and haven't even passed a single exam yet. This will at the very least get you into the 'maybe' pile of CV's - rather than the 'No' pile. You can usually expect better performance from a specialist independent regional employment service than you'll get from a training provider's employment division, as they'll know the area better.
Certainly make sure you don't spend hundreds of hours on your training and studies, just to give up and leave it up to everyone else to find you a job. Stop procrastinating and start looking for yourself. Put the same time and energy into landing a good job as you did to get trained.
The building of a website is only the beginning of the skills needed though - to drive traffic to the site, maintain its content, and work on dynamic sites that are database driven, you will have to learn additional programming skills, for example HTML and PHP, and database engines like MySQL. A good web designer will additionally gain a practical knowledge of Search Engine Optimisation and E Commerce.
There is a tidal wave of change about to hit technology as we approach the second decade of the 21st century - and the industry becomes more ground-breaking every year. We are really only just starting to comprehend how all this change will affect us. The way we communicate and interact with everyone around us will be massively affected by technology and the internet.
Should lifestyle be around the top on your wish list, then you'll be pleasantly surprised to hear that the regular income for IT employees in general is noticeably greater than salaries in the rest of the economy. Due to the technological sector developing at an unprecedented rate, it's looking good that demand for certified IT specialists will remain buoyant for the significant future.
So, which questions do we need to pose to arrive at the understanding necessary? As it's evident there are many pretty unparalleled possibilities for us all to chew over.
Don't put too much store, as a lot of students can, on the certification itself. You're not training for the sake of training; you should be geared towards the actual job at the end of it. You need to remain focused on where you want to go. You may train for one year and then end up doing the job for 20 years. Don't make the mistake of opting for what may seem to be an 'interesting' training program and then spend decades in a job you hate!
Spend some time thinking about how much you want to earn and the level of your ambition. Usually, this will point the way to which particular exams you'll need to attain and what'll be expected of you in your new role. Look for help from a skilled advisor who has commercial knowledge of your chosen market-place, and who can give you 'A day in the life of' understanding of what you'll actually be doing during your working week. It's good sense to know if this change is right for you well before you start on any retraining programme. What's the reason in beginning your training and then find you've taken the wrong route.
The classroom style of learning we remember from school, involving piles of reference textbooks, is an up-hill struggle for the majority of us. If this describes you, find training programs which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. Recent studies into the way we learn shows that much more of what we learn in remembered when we involve as many senses as possible, and we get physically involved with the study process.
Start a study-program in which you'll get a host of CD or DVD ROM's - you'll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, followed by the chance to use virtual lab's to practice your new skills. It's wise to view some examples of the kind of training materials you'll be using before you sign the purchase order. The minimum you should expect would be videoed instructor demonstrations and a variety of audio-visual and interactive sections.
Seek out CD and DVD ROM based physical training media in all circumstances. You can then avoid all the difficulties of broadband outages, failure and signal quality issues etc.
One thing you must always insist on is 24x7 round-the-clock support from dedicated instructors and mentors. Too many companies only seem to want to help while they're in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends. You'll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and phone support is usually just a call-centre which will make some notes and then email an advisor - who'll call back sometime over the next 1-3 days, when it's convenient to them. This is no good if you're lost and confused and only have certain times available in which to do your studies.
World-class organisations provide an online 24 hours-a-day system pulling in several support offices from around the world. You will be provided with a simple environment which accesses the most appropriate office at any time of day or night: Support on demand. If you opt for less than support round-the-clock, you'll quickly find yourself regretting it. You may not need it during late nights, but consider weekends, early mornings or late evenings.
We're often asked why traditional academic studies are now falling behind more qualifications from the commercial sector? As demand increases for knowledge about more and more complex technology, industry has of necessity moved to specific, honed-in training only available through the vendors themselves - for example companies like Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA. Frequently this is at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. Of course, a necessary portion of associated knowledge has to be taught, but core specifics in the particular job function gives a vendor educated student a huge edge.
Assuming a company knows what they're looking for, then they simply need to advertise for the particular skill-set required. Syllabuses are set to meet an exact requirement and don't change between schools (in the way that degree courses can).
Adding in the cost of exam fees up-front then giving it 'Exam Guarantee' status is popular with many training course providers. But look at the facts:
Patently it's not free - you're still paying for it - the cost has just been rolled into the whole training package. People who take exams one at a time, paying as they go are in a much stronger position to qualify at the first attempt. They're mindful of what they've paid and so are more inclined to be ready for the task.
Isn't it in your interests to hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you're ready, instead of paying a premium to a training company, and to do it in a local testing office - rather than possibly hours away from your area? A great deal of money is secured by many training colleges that get money for exam fees in advance. A number of students don't take them for various reasons and so they pocket the rest. Surprising as it sounds, there are providers that depend on students not taking their exams - as that's very profitable for them. Also, exam guarantees often have very little value. The majority of organisations won't be prepared to pay for re-takes until you're able to demonstrate an excellent mock pass rate.
Exams taken at local centres are in the region of 112 pounds in the United Kingdom today. Why pay exorbitant 'Exam Guarantee' fees (often hidden in the cost) - when a quality course, support and study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.
Getting into your first IT role can be a little easier with the help of a Job Placement Assistance service. Don't get overly impressed with this service - it isn't unusual for companies marketing departments to overstate it's need. In reality, the huge shortage of staff in Britain is why employers will be interested in you.
Whatever you do, don't wait till you have qualified before bringing your CV up to date. As soon as you start a course, mark down what you're doing and place it on jobsites! Various junior support jobs have been bagged by trainees who are still learning and haven't even passed a single exam yet. This will at the very least get you into the 'maybe' pile of CV's - rather than the 'No' pile. You can usually expect better performance from a specialist independent regional employment service than you'll get from a training provider's employment division, as they'll know the area better.
Certainly make sure you don't spend hundreds of hours on your training and studies, just to give up and leave it up to everyone else to find you a job. Stop procrastinating and start looking for yourself. Put the same time and energy into landing a good job as you did to get trained.
About the Author:
After 2 Decades in IT, Jason Kendall has focused himself on computer training consultancy in the UK. To investigate Dreamweaver CS3 Training, visit LearningLolly Adobe CS3 Training.