Good for you! As you’re reading this article you’re probably toying with the idea of learning new skills to change career - that puts you way ahead of the crowd. Very few of us are pleased to go to work each day, but no action is ever taken. You could be a member of the few who take responsibility for their future.
We suggest that you discuss your ideas first - find someone who knows the industry; a guide who can really get to know you and find the best job role for you, and offer only the career tracks which will get you there:
* Do you like to be around others at work? Are you better with new people or those you know well? Or are you better with things that only you know how to deal with?
* What do you require from your chosen industry? (If it’s stability you’re after, you might think twice about banks or the building industry right now.)
* Is this the final time you plan to retrain, and based on that, will your chosen career path offer that choice?
* Do you believe that your industry training course is commercially viable, and will provide the facility to be employed until your pension kicks in?
A predominant industry in the UK that fulfils the above criteria is the IT sector. There is a requirement for greater numbers of skilled technicians in this market, simply have a look at a local job site and you’ll discover what we mean. However, it’s not only geeky nerds gazing towards theirscreens all the time - it’s much more diverse than that. Most of employees in this sector are people of average intelligence, with jobs they enjoy and better than average salaries.
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As the UK computing industry provides such an array of excellent career development possibilities for everyone - what questions do we need to pose and what areas are important to consider?
Starting with the idea that it’s good to find the area of most interest first and foremost, before we can chew over which career training meets that requirement, how are we supposed to find the right path? Because in the absence of any commercial skills in computing, in what way could we know what any job actually involves? Usually, the way to come at this quandary in the best manner stems from a deep conversation around several areas:
* Personalities play a significant part - what gets you ‘up and running’, and what are the things that ruin your day.
* What is the time-frame for the training process?
* What priority do you place on travelling time and locality vs salary?
* Because there are so many different sectors to gain certifications for in the IT industry - you’ll need to achieve a solid grounding on what separates them.
* You’ll also need to think hard about the amount of time and effort you’re going to invest in gaining your certifications.
In all honesty, the only way to investigate these matters will be via a meeting with an advisor who has a background in the IT industry (and specifically it’s commercial requirements.)
Proper support is incredibly important - find a program that provides 24×7 direct access, as not opting for this kind of support could put a damper on the speed you move through things. You’ll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and phone support is often to a call-centre which will just take down the issue and email it over to their technical team - who will attempt to call you within 24-48 hrs, at a time suitable for them. This is no good if you’re sitting there confused over an issue and have a one hour time-slot in which to study.
Be on the lookout for providers that incorporate three or four individual support centres active in different time-zones. Each one should be integrated to offer a simple interface together with 24×7 access, when it suits you, without any problems. Don’t under any circumstances take a lower level of service. Online 24×7 support is the only kind to make the grade when it comes to technical courses. Maybe burning the midnight-oil is not your thing; often though, we’re at work during the provided support period.
The old fashioned style of teaching, using textbooks and whiteboards, is often a huge slog for most of us. If this describes you, find training programs which feature interactive and multimedia modules. Memory is vastly improved when multiple senses are involved - experts have been clear on this for many years.
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Top of the range study programs now offer interactive CD and DVD ROM’s. By watching and listening to instructors on video tutorials you’ll find things easier to remember via their teaching and demonstrations. You can then test yourself by practicing and interacting with the software. Make sure to obtain a demonstration of the study materials from the school that you’re considering. You should ask for instructor videos, demonstrations, slide-shows and interactive labs where you get to practice.
It doesn’t make sense to choose training that is only available online. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from your average broadband company, make sure you get CD or DVD ROM based materials.
An important area that is sometimes not even considered by people weighing up a particular programme is that of ‘training segmentation’. This is essentially the method used to break up the program for timed release to you, which can make a dramatic difference to the point you end up at. Typically, you’ll join a programme staged over 2 or 3 years and receive a module at a time. This may seem sensible until you think about these factors: It’s not unusual for trainees to realise that their training company’s usual training route isn’t as suitable as another. Sometimes, a different order of study is more expedient. And what if you don’t get to the end at the pace they expect?
An ideal situation would be to have every piece of your study pack sent to you immediately; every single thing! Then, nothing can hinder your progress.
Charging for examinations with the course fee and offering an ‘Exam Guarantee’ is popular with a good many training companies. However, let’s consider what’s really going on:
Thankfully, today we are a little more ‘marketing-savvy’ - and usually we cotton on to the fact that we’re actually paying for it (it’s not a freebie because they like us so much!) Should you seriously need to get a first time pass, then the most successful route is to avoid exam guarantees and pay when entering exams, focus on it intently and apply yourself as required.
Hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the time, and keep hold of your own money. In addition, it’s then your choice where to take your exam - so you can choose somewhere closer to home. Considerable numbers of unscrupulous training providers make a great deal of profit because they’re getting in the money for exam fees early and hoping either that you won’t take them, or it will be a long time before you do. It’s worth noting that exam re-takes with companies with an ‘Exam Guarantee’ inevitably are heavily regulated. They’ll insist that you take mock exams first till you’ve proven conclusively that you can pass.
VUE and Prometric examinations are around 112 pounds in Britain at the time of writing. What’s the point of paying huge charges for ‘Exam Guarantees’ (often covertly rolled into the cost of the course) - when a quality course, support and consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.
Several companies offer a Job Placement Assistance program, to assist your search for your first position. The fact of the matter is it isn’t a complex operation to land employment - as long as you’ve got the necessary skills and qualifications; employers in this country need your skills.
One important thing though, don’t wait till you’ve completed your exams before updating your CV. As soon as you start a course, enter details of your study programme and tell people about it! You’ll often find that you’ll secure your initial job whilst you’re still studying (even when you’ve just left first base). If your CV doesn’t say what you’re learning (and it hasn’t been posted on jobsites) then you’re not even going to be known about! You can usually expect quicker service from a specialist independent regional employment service than you’ll get from a training course provider’s centralised service, because they’ll know local industry and the area better.
Do be sure that you don’t conscientiously work through your course materials, then call a halt and leave it in the hands of the gods to land you a job. Take responsibility for yourself and make your own enquiries. Channel the same focus into finding your first job as it took to get qualified.
Sometimes, people don’t understand what information technology can do for us. It’s ground-breaking, exciting, and means you’re doing your bit in the gigantic wave of technology that will affect us all over the next generation. Computing technology and communication on the web will noticeably change the direction of our lives over future years; incredibly so.
Let’s not forget that the average salary in the IT market over Britain as a whole is noticeably better than average salaries nationally, which means you will be in a good position to earn a lot more as an IT specialist, than you could reasonably hope to achieve elsewhere. The good news is there is no end in sight for IT sector growth in Great Britain as a whole. The sector continues to grow enormously, and as we have a skills gap that means we only typically have three IT workers for every four jobs it’s highly unlikely that things will be any different for the significant future.