Network and computer support staff are constantly in demand in the UK, as organisations rely heavily upon their knowledge and capacity to solve proble...
Network and computer support staff are constantly in demand in the UK, as organisations rely heavily upon their knowledge and capacity to solve problems. The requirement for those individuals is constantly growing,
as everything becomes vastly more reliant on computers.
Speak with almost any expert consultant and they can normally tell you many worrying experiences of students who've been sold completely the wrong course for them. Ensure you only ever work with an experienced professional that digs deep to find out what's right for you - not for their pay-packet! It's very important to locate an ideal starting-point that fits you. If you've got any live experience or certification, your starting-point of learning is different from a beginner. If you're a new trainee beginning IT exams and training from scratch, you might like to avoid jumping in at the deep-end, starting with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first. Usually this is packaged with most accreditation programs.
Students who consider this area of study can be very practical by nature, and aren't really suited to the classroom environment, and slogging through piles of books. If this is putting you off studying, try the newer style of interactive study, where you can learn everything on-screen. Studies have repeatedly verified that getting into our studies physically, is much more conducive to long-term memory.
Locate a program where you'll receive a selection of CD or DVD ROM's - you'll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, and be able to hone your abilities through virtual lab's. It's very important to see the type of training provided by the company you're considering. Be sure that they contain full motion videos of instructors demonstrating the topic with lab's to practice the skills in.
It's unwise to select online only courseware. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from your average broadband company, ensure that you have access to disc based courseware (On CD or DVD).
Beware of putting too much emphasis, as can often be the case, on the training process. Your training isn't about getting a plaque on your wall; you're training to become commercially employable. Focus on the end-goal. Don't let yourself become one of those unfortunate students who choose a training program that sounds really 'interesting' and 'fun' - and end up with a certification for a career they'll never really get any satisfaction from.
You also need to know your feelings on career progression and earning potential, and how ambitious you are. You should understand what the role will demand of you, which certifications will be required and where you'll pick-up experience from. Seek guidance and advice from a professional advisor, even if you have to pay a small fee - it's considerably cheaper and safer to discover early on whether your choices are appropriate, instead of finding out after 2 years that the job you've chosen is not for you and have to return to the start of another program.
Many trainers supply a practical Job Placement Assistance program, to help you into your first commercial role. Ultimately it isn't a complex operation to land employment - as long as you've got the necessary skills and qualifications; the growing UK skills shortage sees to that.
However, what is relevant is to have help and assistance with preparing a CV and getting interviews though; additionally, we would recommend everyone to work on polishing up their CV as soon as they start a course - don't delay for when you're ready to start work. It's possible that you won't have even qualified when you will be offered your first junior support position; although this won't be the case unless your CV is with employers. You'll normally experience better performance from a specialist locally based employment agency than you'll experience from any course provider's centralised service, as they will understand the local industry and employment needs.
Just make sure you don't put hundreds of hours of effort into your studies, only to stop and expect somebody else to sort out your employment. Stand up for yourself and get out there. Invest as much resource into finding your new role as it took to pass the exams.
