Be the Best You Can Be

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Computer and network support staff are ever more sought after in the United Kingdom, as organisations have come to depend on their technical advice and ability to fix and repair. Whereupon we’re all becoming massively more dependent on our PC’s, we simultaneously emerge as more dependent on the commercially qualified IT networkers, who keep the systems going.

Finding job security nowadays is problematic. Businesses will drop us from the workforce at a moment’s notice - as and when it suits them. When we come across increasing skills deficits and rising demand though, we generally locate a fresh type of security in the marketplace; driven by conditions of continuous growth, employers find it hard to locate the number of people required.

Using the computing business for instance, the 2006 e-Skills analysis highlighted a national skills shortage throughout the United Kingdom of around 26 percent. Therefore, out of each 4 positions in existence across Information Technology (IT), employers can only source certified professionals for 3 of the 4. Appropriately qualified and commercially accredited new staff are consequently at an absolute premium, and it seems it will continue to be so for many years to come. It would be hard to imagine if a better time or market circumstances is ever likely to exist for obtaining certification in this hugely expanding and budding market.

So, what questions should we be asking if we’re to take in the understanding we want? As it looks like there are some pretty superb prospects for everyone to mull over.

A fatal Faux-Pas that students everywhere can make is to choose a career based on a course, rather than starting with the end result they want to achieve. Colleges are stacked to the hilt with direction-less students that chose an ‘interesting’ course - rather than what would get them the job they want. You may train for one year and then end up doing a job for a lifetime. Don’t make the mistake of taking what may be an ‘interesting’ course and then spend decades in a job you hate!

Be honest with yourself about how much you want to earn and whether you’re an ambitious person or not. Often, this changes which particular qualifications will be expected and what’ll be expected of you in your new role. Chat with a skilled advisor who has a commercial understanding of the realities faced in the industry, and could provide an in-depth explanation of what tasks are going to make up a typical day for you. Researching these areas before commencement of any training path makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?

Training support for students is an absolute must - ensure you track down something that includes 24×7 access, as not obtaining this level of support will severely impede your ability to learn. Avoid those companies who use messaging services ‘out-of-hours’ - with your call-back scheduled for standard office hours. This is useless when you’re stuck and could do with an answer during your scheduled study period.

Keep your eyes open for training schools that have multiple support offices around the globe in several time-zones. These should be integrated to provide a single interface together with 24×7 access, when it’s convenient for you, without any problems. Never make do with a lower level of service. 24×7 support is the only kind to make the grade with technical training. It’s possible you don’t intend to study late evenings; but for the majority of us however, we’re out at work at the time when most support is available.

Traditional teaching in classrooms, using textbooks and whiteboards, is usually pretty hard going. If this sounds like you, find training programs that are multimedia based. Where possible, if we can involve all our senses in the learning process, then the results are usually dramatically better.

Learning is now available in disc format, so everything is learned directly from your own PC. Utilising the latest video technology, you are able to see your instructors showing you how something is done, followed by your chance to practice - via the interactive virtual lab’s. You really need to look at courseware examples from any company that you may want to train through. You’ll want to see that they include video, demonstrations and various interactive elements.

It’s usually bad advice to choose training that is only available online. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from most broadband providers, make sure you get actual CD or DVD ROM’s.

Many men and women assume that the traditional school, college or university path is still the best way into IT. So why is commercial certification beginning to overtake it? With an ever-increasing technical demand on resources, the IT sector has been required to move to specialist courses only available through the vendors themselves - namely companies such as Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA. This usually turns out to involve less time and financial outlay. They do this by focusing on the actual skills required (along with a relevant amount of background knowledge,) as opposed to spending months and years on the background ‘extras’ that computer Science Degrees can get bogged down in - to fill a three or four year course.

Imagine if you were an employer - and you required somebody who had very specific skills. What’s the simplest way to find the right person: Trawl through reams of different degrees and college qualifications from various applicants, asking for course details and which vocational skills they’ve acquired, or choose particular accreditations that perfectly fit your needs, and then choose your interviewees based around that. You’ll then be able to concentrate on getting a feel for the person at interview - rather than on the depth of their technical knowledge.

It’s essential to have an accredited exam preparation programme as part of your training package. Due to the fact that many examination boards in IT tend to be American, it’s essential to understand how exam questions will be phrased and formatted. It’s not sufficient simply understanding random questions - they must be in an exam format that exactly replicates the real thing. It’s a good idea to ask for exam preparation tools in order to check your understanding at any point. Mock exams will help to boost your attitude - then you’re much more at ease with the real thing.

The sometimes daunting task of getting your first computer related job is often made easier by some companies, via a Job Placement Assistance programme. But don’t place too much emphasis on it - it’s quite easy for eager sales people to make it sound harder than it is. At the end of the day, the massive skills shortage in Britain is the reason you’ll find a job.

Nevertheless, don’t procrastinate and wait until you have qualified before updating your CV. Right at the beginning of your training, list what you’re working on and place it on jobsites! You might not even have passed your first exam when you will be offered your first junior support job; but this won’t be the case unless your CV is with employers. You’ll normally experience quicker service from a specialist independent regional employment service than any training company’s employment division, because they’ll know the area better.

A common grievance of a number of training course providers is how hard people are prepared to study to get qualified, but how un-prepared that student is to get the role they’re trained for. Get out there and hustle - you might find it’s fun.