Network and computer support technicians are ever more sought after in this country, as businesses have come to depend on their technical advice and capacity to solve problems. Industry’s need for more technically qualified people grows, as we turn out to be ever more dependent on computers in the twenty first century.
Most training companies will only offer office hours or extended office hours support; not many go late into the evening (after 8-9pm) or cover weekends properly.
Email support is too slow, and telephone support is usually to a call-centre that will chat nicely with you for 5 minutes to ask what the issue is and then simply send an email to an instructor - who’ll call back sometime over the next 1-3 days, at a time suitable for them. This is no good if you’re lost and confused and only have a specific time you can study.
It’s possible to find professional training packages that offer online direct access support all the time - at any time of day or night.
Never compromise when you’re looking for the right support service. The majority of would-be IT professionals that throw in the towel, are in that situation because of support (or the lack of).
Of course: the actual training program or an accreditation is not what you’re looking for; a job you’re training for is. Many trainers unfortunately place too much importance on the qualification itself.
Students often train for a single year but end up doing the actual job for 10-20 years. Don’t make the error of opting for what may seem to be an ‘interesting’ course and then spend decades in a job you don’t like!
Make sure you investigate your feelings on earning potential and career progression, and how ambitious you are. It’s vital to know what the role will demand of you, what particular exams are needed and how you’ll gain real-world experience.
Talk to someone that understands the work you’re contemplating, and who can give you a detailed description of what you’re going to be doing in that job. Contemplating this well before you start on any learning course will prevent a lot of wasted time and effort.
Qualifications from the commercial sector are now, most definitely, already replacing the traditional academic paths into the IT industry - but why is this?
Corporate based study (in industry terminology) is most often much more specialised. The IT sector is aware that specialisation is essential to service the demands of an increasingly more technical commercial environment. CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA are the big boys in this field.
This is done through honing in on the actual skills required (along with a proportionate degree of background knowledge,) instead of covering masses of the background detail and ‘fluff’ that computer Science Degrees can often find themselves doing - to pad out the syllabus.
When it comes down to the nitty-gritty: Recognised IT certifications provide exactly what an employer needs - everything they need to know is in the title: as an example - I am a ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ in ‘Windows XP Administration and Configuration’. Therefore an employer can look at the particular needs they have and which qualifications are required to perform the job.
Getting into your first IT role is often made easier with a Job Placement Assistance facility. Ultimately it isn’t so complicated as you might think to get employment - once you’re trained and certified; employers in this country need your skills.
Get your CV updated straight-away though - look to your training company for advice on how to do this. Don’t procrastinate and leave it for when you’re ready to start work.
Getting onto the ‘maybe’ pile of CV’s is more than not being known. Many junior jobs are got by students (sometimes when they’ve only just got going.)
Generally, you’ll receive better performance from an independent and specialised local recruitment consultancy than you’ll get from a course provider’s employment division, because they’ll know the local area and commercial needs better.
In a nutshell, as long as you put the same commitment into landing your first job as into training, you won’t find it too challenging. Some people inexplicably invest a great deal of time on their training and studies and do nothing more once qualified and appear to be under the impression that jobs will come to them.
(C) 2009 - S. Edwards. Go to AdultRetrainingCourses.co.uk/eadreco.html or Computer Courses Online.
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