You should feel pleased that you’re on the right track! Just ten percent of people enjoy their work and find it stimulating, but vast numbers just go off on one from time to time and that’s it. As you’ve reached this page we can guess that you’ve a personal interest in re-training, so even now you’re ahead of the game. The next step is to get busy to find your direction.

For those thinking of re-training, it’s crucial that you first make a list of your expectations from the position you’re looking to get into. It’s important to discover if things would be a lot better before much time and effort is spent re-directing your life. So much better to look at the destination you’re hoping for, to avoid disappointment:

* Do you operate better working alone or perhaps being around others is an important option?

* Have you given much thought to which area you choose to work in? (With the economic downturn, it’s even more crucial to get it right.)

* After re-training, how long a career do you hope for, and can your chosen industry give you the confidence that will happen?

* Is it important for the course you’re re-training in to be in a market sector where you know you’ll have a job until your pension kicks in?

The biggest industry in the United Kingdom to meet the above criteria is the computer industry, particularly IT. There is a requirement for greater numbers of skilled technicians in this market, – take a look at any jobs website and you will find them yourself. Don’t misunderstand and think it’s all nerdy people sitting in front ofscreens all day – there’s a lot more to it than that. Large numbers of the people in IT are just like you and me, but they enjoy their work and get well paid.

Chat with any knowledgeable consultant and they can normally tell you many terrible tales of how students have been duped by salespeople. Make sure you deal with an industry professional that quizzes you to find out what’s right for you – not for their bank-account! You need to find an ideal starting-point that fits you.

If you’ve got a strong background, or perhaps a bit of real-world experience (some industry qualifications maybe?) then it’s likely your starting level will be very different from someone who is just starting out.

If this is going to be your first crack at studying for an IT examination then you should consider whether to begin with user-skills and software training first.

Getting into your first IT role can be a little easier if you’re offered a Job Placement Assistance service. With the huge shortage of skills in this country today, there isn’t a great need to make too much of this option though. It’s actually not as hard as some people make out to land your first job once you’re well trained and qualified.

Ideally you should have help with your CV and interview techniques though; and we’d recommend everybody to get their CV updated as soon as training commences – don’t wait for when you’re ready to start work.

It can happen that you haven’t even passed your first exam when you will get your initial junior support role; however this isn’t going to happen if your CV isn’t in front of employers.

Most often, an independent and specialised local employment service (who will get paid by the employer when they’ve placed you) is going to give you a better service than a centralised training company’s service. Also of course they should be familiar with local industry and the area better.

In a nutshell, as long as you focus the same level of energy into securing a job as into training, you’re not going to hit many challenges. A number of people strangely invest a great deal of time on their course materials and then just stop once they’ve passed their exams and would appear to think that businesses will just discover them.

If you’re like many of the students we talk to then you’re quite practically minded – the ‘hands-on’ type. If you’re like us, the painful task of reading endless manuals is something you’ll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but it’s not really your thing. You should use video and multimedia based materials if book-based learning really isn’t your style.

Research over recent years has constantly shown that connecting physically with our study, is far more likely to produce long-lasting memories.

The latest audio-visual interactive programs featuring instructor demo’s and practice lab’s beat books hands-down. And they’re far more fun.

Don’t take any chances and look at a small selection of training examples before you make your decision. What you want are video tutorials, instructor demo’s and interactive modules with audio-visual elements.

Many companies provide just online versions of their training packages; and although this is okay the majority of the time, think what will happen if you lose your internet access or you get intermittent problems and speed issues. It’s much safer to rely on DVD or CD discs that will solve that problem.

You should remember: the actual training program or a certification is not what you’re looking for; the job or career you’re training for is. Far too many training organisations place too much importance on the qualification itself.

Don’t let yourself become part of that group who set off on a track that seems ‘fun’ or ‘interesting’ – and end up with a plaque on the wall for a career they’ll never really get any satisfaction from.

Be honest with yourself about earning potential and the level of your ambition. Often, this changes what particular exams will be expected and what’ll be expected of you in your new role.

Seek help from a skilled professional who appreciates the market you’re interested in, and will be able to provide ‘A day in the life of’ outline of what kinds of tasks you’ll be undertaking during your working week. It’s sensible to know if this change is right for you before you commence your studies. There’s little reason in starting to train and then find you’ve gone the wrong way entirely.

(C) 2009. Go to LearningLolly.com for intelligent information on MCSE or MCSA and Web Designer Courses.