A expert and practiced advisor (vs a salesman) will want to thoroughly discuss your current experience level and abilities. This is useful for calculating the point at which you need to start your studies. Don't forget, if you've got any accreditation or direct-experience, then you may be able to start at a different point than a trainee with no history to speak of. Starting with a foundation module first may be the ideal way to get into your computer studies, depending on your current skill level.

Does job security honestly exist anymore? Here in the UK, where industry can change its mind whenever it suits, we'd question whether it does. When we come across growing skills shortfalls coupled with increasing demand of course, we often discover a newer brand of security in the marketplace; as fuelled by the constant growth conditions, businesses struggle to find enough staff.

The 2006 United Kingdom e-Skills survey demonstrated that twenty six percent of all available IT positions haven't been filled as an upshot of a huge deficit of appropriately certified professionals. To put it another way, this highlights that the country can only locate three qualified staff for every 4 jobs that are available now. This fundamental notion clearly demonstrates an urgent requirement for more technically qualified computing professionals throughout the country. In reality, gaining new qualifications in IT during the next year or two is probably the greatest career direction you could choose.

A lot of people are under the impression that the traditional school, college or university track is still the best way into IT. Why then is commercial certification becoming more in demand? The IT sector now acknowledges that for an understanding of the relevant skills, certified accreditation supplied for example by CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA most often has much more specialised relevance - for much less time and money. Clearly, a reasonable portion of associated information has to be taught, but core specifics in the exact job role gives a commercially educated person a massive advantage.

In simple terms: Accredited IT qualifications let employers know exactly what you're capable of - everything they need to know is in the title: for example, I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Designing Security for a Windows 2003 Network'. So employers can look at their needs and what certifications are required to fulfil that.

If you're like many of the students we talk to then you're a practical sort of person - the 'hands-on' individual. Usually, the unfortunate chore of reading reference guides is something you'll make yourself do if you have to, but you really wouldn't enjoy it. So look for on-screen interactive learning packages if books just don't do it for you. Our ability to remember is increased with an involvement of all our senses - learning experts have been saying this for decades now.

Modern training can now be done at home via interactive CD and DVD ROM's. By watching and listening to instructors on video tutorials you'll find things easier to remember by way of their teaching and demonstrations. Then you test your knowledge by using practice-lab's. Each company you're contemplating should be able to show you some samples of their courseware. Expect video tutorials, instructor led classes and interactive areas to practice in.

It's folly to select online only courseware. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from most broadband providers, it makes sense to have disc based courseware (On CD or DVD).

Any program that you're going to undertake must provide a commercially valid exam at the finale - not some little 'in-house' piece of paper. From the perspective of an employer, only the big-boys like Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA (to give some examples) will get you into the interview seat. Nothing else will cut the mustard.

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