Anybody thinking about training for the IT industry will notice the huge amount of choices available to them. Prior to getting started, seek out a company that has advisors, so you can be educated on the career your new knowledge will help you to get. You could uncover employment opportunities you didn't know about.

Pick out training for user skills like Microsoft Office packages, or take a career track and specialise. User-friendly courses will help you achieve the goals you set yourself.

By utilising modern training techniques and keeping costs to a minimum, you will start to see a new kind of training company supplying a better brand of teaching and assistance for hundreds of pounds less.

What is the reason why qualifications from colleges and universities are less in demand than the more commercial certifications?

With university education costs increasing year on year, along with the industry's general opinion that vendor-based training most often has much more commercial relevance, there's been a dramatic increase in Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA based training courses that provide key skills to an employee for considerably less.

The training is effectively done by honing in on the skill-sets required (together with a proportionate degree of associated knowledge,) as opposed to covering masses of the background 'extras' that computer Science Degrees can often find themselves doing - to pad out the syllabus.

It's a bit like the TV advert: 'It does what it says on the tin'. The company just needs to know what they're looking for, and then advertise for someone with the specific certification. Then they're assured that a potential employee can do exactly what's required.

Several companies will provide a useful Job Placement Assistance program, to assist your search for your first position. The fact of the matter is it's not as difficult as you may be led to believe to land the right work - as long as you've got the necessary skills and qualifications; the growing UK skills shortage sees to that.

Advice and support about getting interviews and your CV might be provided (if it isn't, consult one of our sites). Be sure to you update that dusty old CV today - don't wait until you've finished your exams!

Being considered a 'maybe' is more than not being known. Often junior jobs are got by trainees (sometimes when they've only just got going.)

If you don't want to travel too far to work, then it's quite likely that a specialist locally based employment agency may be more appropriate than some national concern, due to the fact that they are much more inclined to have insider knowledge of local employment needs.

Not inconsiderable numbers of people, apparently, are prepared to study their hearts out (for years sometimes), and just give up when it comes to trying to get their first job. Introduce yourself... Do everything you can to get yourself known. Good jobs don't just knock on your door.

Always expect an accredited exam preparation programme as part of your course package.

Due to the fact that the majority of examining boards for IT are American, you need to become familiar with their phraseology. You can't practice properly by simply answering any old technical questions - it's essential that you can cope with them in the proper exam format.

Always request some practice exams so you can test your comprehension along the way. Mock exams prepare you properly - then you won't be quite so nervous at the actual exam.

Beware of putting too much emphasis, as many people do, on the training course itself. Training is not an end in itself; this is about employment. Focus on the end-goal.

It's a sad fact, but thousands of new students begin programs that seem marvellous in the sales literature, but which gets us a career that is of no interest. Talk to many college graduates for examples.

You'll want to understand the expectations of your industry. What exams you'll need and how you'll build your experience level. It's also worth spending time assessing how far you think you'll want to build your skill-set as it will control your selection of accreditations.

Seek out help from an experienced industry advisor who appreciates the market you're interested in, and who can give you 'A typical day in the life of' understanding of what you'll actually be doing with each working day. It just makes sense to understand whether or not this is right for you long before your course begins. There's really no reason in starting your training and then find you've taken the wrong route.