As you’ve arrived here then it’s likely that you’d like to enter the world of computers and the MCSE has reared its head, or you could already be in IT and you know that you can’t get any further without a qualification such as MCSE.
Be sure you check that your provider is definitely teaching with the latest Microsoft level. Many students have come unstuck when they realise they’ve been learning from an out-of-date syllabus which will require an up-date. Watch out for training colleges who’re simply out to sell something. Realise that buying a course for an MCSE is much like purchasing a vehicle. They are not all equal; some are comfortable and reliable, whilst others will constantly let you down. A good company will spend time understanding your needs to make sure a course is right for you. With those who have confidence in their programs, you’ll be able to see a sample of what you’re getting before buying anything.
So if the IT industry provides such an array of extraordinary career prospects for us all – then what kind of questions should we be raising and which areas are most important?
Any advisor who doesn’t ask you a lot of questions – the likelihood is they’re actually nothing more than a salesman. If they push a particular product before looking at your personality and experience, then it’s definitely the case. Remember, if you’ve got any previous certification, then it’s not unreasonable to expect to commence studying further along than someone new to the industry. Opening with a foundation course first may be the ideal way to start into your computer studies, depending on your current skill level.
At the top of your shopping list for a training program should be 24×7 round-the-clock support with expert mentors and instructors. Far too often we see trainers who only seem to want to help while they’re in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends. Never buy training that only supports trainees through a message system when it’s outside of usual working hours. Colleges will defend this with all kinds of excuses. But, no matter how they put it – support is needed when it’s needed – not as-and-when it’s suitable for their staff.
The most successful trainers incorporate three or four individual support centres active in different time-zones. Online access provides the interactive interface to provide a seamless experience, irrespective of the time you login, help is at hand, avoiding all the delays and problems. Don’t compromise when it comes to your support. Most would-be IT professionals who can’t get going properly, are in that situation because of a lack of support.
Students who consider this area of study often have a very practical outlook on work, and don’t always take well to classrooms, and endless reading of dry academic textbooks. If you identify with this, use multimedia, interactive learning, where you can learn everything on-screen. Many years of research has constantly verified that getting into our studies physically, is far more likely to produce long-lasting memories.
The latest audio-visual interactive programs featuring instructor demo’s and practice lab’s will forever turn you away from traditional book study. And you’ll find them fun and interesting. Every company that you look at must be able to demonstrate samples of their training materials. You should hope for instructor-led videos and a variety of interactive modules.
Plump for CD and DVD ROM based physical training media every time. Thus avoiding all the issues associated with broadband ‘downtime’ or slow-speeds.
Most people don’t even think to ask about a vitally important element – the way their training provider divides up the courseware elements, and into how many separate packages. Often, you will purchase a course requiring 1-3 years study and receive a module at a time. It seems to make sense on one level, but consider these issues: Students often discover that their training company’s ’standard’ path of training isn’t ideal for them. It’s often the case that a different order of study is more expedient. Could it cause problems if you don’t get everything done within their exact timetable?
In a perfect world, you want ALL the study materials up-front – giving you them all to come back to in the future – as and when you want. This allows a variation in the order that you complete each objective where a more intuitive path can be found.
Charging for exam fees up-front then giving it ‘Exam Guarantee’ status is a common method with many training course providers. Consider the facts:
You’re paying for it ultimately. It’s definitely not free – they’ve just worked it into the package price. Qualifying on the first ‘go’ is what everyone wants to do. Entering examinations one by one and funding them one at a time makes it far more likely you’ll pass first time – you put the effort in and are aware of the costs involved.
Shouldn’t you be looking to go for the best offer at the time, not to pay the fees marked up by a training company, and to take it closer to home – rather than possibly hours away from your area? Buying a course that includes payments for examination fees (and interest charges if you’re borrowing money) is madness. Resist being talked into filling the training company’s account with additional funds just to give them more interest! A lot bank on the fact that you won’t get round to taking them – so they get to keep the extra funds. It’s worth noting, with most ‘Exam Guarantees’ – the company decides when you can re-take the exam. Subsequent exam attempts are only authorised at the company’s say so.
With average Prometric and VUE tests costing in the region of 112 pounds in this country, the most cost-effective way to cover the cost is by paying when you need them. Not to fork out thousands extra in up-front costs. A commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools are actually the key to your success.
Finding your first job in the industry sometimes feels easier to handle with the help of a Job Placement Assistance program. Often, people are too impressed with this facility, as it is actually not that hard for well qualified and focused men and women to land work in IT – because companies everywhere are seeking trained staff.
CV and Interview advice and support may be available (if it isn’t, consult one of our sites). It’s essential that you work on your old CV right away – not when you’re ready to start work! You might not even have got to the exam time when you will get your initial junior support position; however this is not possible unless you’ve posted your CV on job sites. If it’s important to you to find work near your home, then you may well find that a specialist locally based employment agency may be of more use than some national concern, for they’re far more likely to be familiar with local employment needs.
Many men and women, apparently, are prepared to study their hearts out (sometimes for years), and then just stop instead of looking for their first job. Introduce yourself… Make an effort to let employers know about you. Good jobs don’t just knock on your door.
At times people don’t comprehend what information technology is all about. It is stimulating, innovative, and means you’re a part of the huge progress of technology that will impact the whole world for generations to come. Technology, computers and interaction on the internet is going to dramatically shape our lifestyles over future years; remarkably so.
And keep in mind that typical remuneration in the IT industry over Britain as a whole is considerably more than average salaries nationally, so you’ll be in a good position to receive a lot more once qualified in IT, than you’d expect to earn elsewhere. Excitingly, there’s no easing up for IT jobs growth in Great Britain as a whole. The market sector continues to grow hugely, and as we have a skills gap that means we only typically have three IT workers for every four jobs it’s most unlikely that there’ll be any kind of easing off for a good while yet.
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