Good for you! By reading this you’ve doubtless been pondering on getting re-qualified for a new job – so you’ve already done more than most. A small minority of us are happy and fulfilled in our work, but it’s rare anyone does more than moan. So, why not be one of the few who make a difference in their lives.

We’d politely request that prior to beginning any study program, you run through some things with a mentor who can see the bigger picture and can advise you. Such a person will go through personality profiling with you and help you find your ideal job to train for:

* Is working with other people your thing? Perhaps you like being a team player? Maybe you like to deal with tasks that you can get on with on your own?

* The banks and building sector are not coping well at the moment, so which industry would give you the most options?

* How long a career do you hope to have once retrained, and will the market sector give you the confidence that will happen?

* Do you believe that your industry training course is commercially viable, and will offer the chance to work right up to the time you want to stop?

We ask you to have a good look at Information Technology – there are a larger number of roles than workers to do them, because it’s one of the few choices of career where the sector is growing. In contrast to the opinions of certain people, it isn’t just geeks gazing at their computer screens the whole day (some jobs are like that of course.) The vast majority of roles are done by people like you and me who want to earn a very good living.

The sometimes daunting task of finding your first job can be made easier because some trainers offer a Job Placement Assistance programme. However sometimes too much is made of this feature, for it is actually not that hard for any motivated and trained individual to find a job in this industry – because there’s a great need for qualified personnel.

Bring your CV up to date as soon as possible however – 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.

It’s possible that you won’t have even passed your first exam when you’ll secure your initial junior support role; although this won’t be the case if your CV isn’t in front of employers.

Normally you’ll get quicker results from a specialist locally based employment agency than any training provider’s employment division, because they’ll know local industry and the area better.

A slight frustration of various training course providers is how hard men and women are prepared to study to get top marks in their exams, but how ill-prepared they are to market themselves for the role they have qualified for. Get out there and hustle – you might find it’s fun.

It’s not uncommon for companies to offer inclusive exam guarantees – this always means exams have to be paid for upfront, when you pay for the rest of your course. But before you get taken in by this so-called guarantee, consider this:

They’ve allowed costings for it one way or another. It’s definitely not free – they’ve just worked it into the package price.

It’s everybody’s ambition to qualify on the first attempt. Progressively working through your exams in order and funding them one at a time has a marked effect on pass-rates – you prepare appropriately and are mindful of the investment you’ve made.

Why pay your training course provider up-front for exams? Find the best exam deal or offer when you’re ready, instead of paying any mark-up – and do it locally – rather than possibly hours away from your area.

Huge profits are made by many companies that get money for exam fees in advance. A number of students don’t take them for various reasons and so they pocket the rest. Astoundingly enough, providers exist who depend on students not taking their exams – as that’s very profitable for them.

Re-takes of previously unsuccessful exams via training course providers who offer an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are tightly controlled. You’ll be required to sit pre-tests till you’ve proven conclusively that you can pass.

Spending hundreds or even thousands extra on an ‘Exam Guarantee’ is naive – when consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.

It’s abundantly clear: There really is no such thing as personal job security available anymore; there’s really only industry or business security – a company will let anyone go when it suits the business’ commercial interests.

When we come across growing skills shortfalls together with rising demand of course, we almost always hit upon a fresh type of market-security; where, fuelled by the conditions of constant growth, companies struggle to find the number of people required.

The IT skills deficit across Great Britain currently stands at roughly twenty six percent, as reported by the 2006 e-Skills investigation. Therefore, out of each 4 positions in existence in the computer industry, businesses can only locate certified professionals for three of the four.

Appropriately trained and commercially grounded new staff are consequently at a total premium, and it looks like they will be for a long time.

Without a doubt, now really is a fabulous time to join Information Technology (IT).

A lot of people are under the impression that the school and FE college track is still the most effective. Why then are commercially accredited qualifications becoming more in demand?

Vendor-based training (as it’s known in the industry) is far more effective and specialised. The IT sector has become aware that specialisation is what’s needed to handle a technologically complex world. Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA dominate in this arena.

Patently, a reasonable amount of background knowledge must be taught, but precise specialisation in the particular job function gives a vendor educated person a real head start.

When an employer understands what areas need to be serviced, then all it takes is an advert for the exact skill-set required to meet that need. The syllabuses are set to meet an exact requirement and can’t change from one establishment to the next (like academia frequently can and does).

There is a tidal wave of change washing over technology as we approach the second decade of the 21st century – and it becomes more and more thrilling each day.

We’ve barely started to get a feel for how technology will affect our lives in the future. The internet will massively change how we regard and interrelate with the entire world over the coming years.

And keep in mind that on average, the income of a person in the IT market over Britain as a whole is significantly greater than in other market sectors, therefore you’ll most likely gain much more once qualified in IT, than you’d get in most other industries.

It seems there’s no end in sight for IT growth in Great Britain as a whole. The market sector is continuing to expand enormously, and with the skills shortage of over 26 percent that we’re experiencing, it’s not showing any signs that it will even slow down for decades to come.

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