Just ten percent of adults in this country are happy with what they do for a living. The vast majority of course won't do a thing. The fact that you're reading this surely tells us that you've realised change must come.
We'd recommend that before you start any individual training program, you run through some things with a mentor who knows the industry and can make recommendations. They can assess your personality and help you find your ideal job to train for:
* Do you see yourself dealing with people? Would that be with a small 'tightly-knit' team or with many new people? Possibly operating on your own in a task-based situation could suit you better?
* Which criteria's are important to you with regard to the industry you'll be employed in?
* Should this be the only time you'll have to retrain?
* Do you believe that your chosen retraining can help you find employment, and will offer the chance to keep you in work until retirement?
When listing your options, it's relevant that you don't overlook the IT industry - it's no secret that it's developing all the time. IT isn't all techie geeks gazing at their PC's the whole time - naturally those roles do exist, but the majority of roles are done by people like you and me who get on very well.
An all too common mistake that many potential students make is to look for the actual course to take, instead of focusing on where they want to get to. Training academies are full of unaware students who chose a course based on what sounded good - instead of what would yield an enjoyable career or job. Students often train for a single year but end up doing the actual job for 10-20 years. Ensure you avoid the fatal error of finding what seems like a program of interest to you only to waste your life away with something you don't even enjoy!
Prioritise understanding what expectations industry may have of you. Which particular certifications they will want you to have and how you'll go about getting some commercial experience. Spend some time setting guidelines as to how far you reckon you're going to want to progress your career as it will often affect your choice of accreditations. Your likely to need help from a professional who knows the commercial realities of the market you think may suit you, and is able to give you 'A day in the life of' outline of what you actually do on the job. All of these things are of paramount importance because you obviously have to know if you're going down the right road.
What is the reason why traditional degrees are less in demand than the more commercial qualifications? The IT sector is now aware that to learn the appropriate commercial skills, official accreditation from such organisations as Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe most often has much more specialised relevance - saving time and money. University courses, for example, can often get caught up in a lot of loosely associated study - and much too wide a syllabus. Students are then held back from learning the core essentials in sufficient depth.
When an employer is aware what areas need to be serviced, then they just need to look for the particular skill-set required. The syllabuses are all based on the same criteria and can't change from one establishment to the next (in the way that degree courses can).
A subtle way that training providers make a lot more is via an 'exam inclusive' package then giving it 'Exam Guarantee' status. It looks like a good deal, until you think it through:
Obviously it isn't free - you're still footing the bill for it - it's just been included in your package price. People who take each progressive exam, funding them as they go are much more likely to pass. They are aware of what they've paid and so are more inclined to ensure they are ready.
Look for the very best offer you can at the time, and save having to find the money early. In addition, it's then your choice where to sit the exam - so you can choose somewhere closer to home. Why tie up your cash (or borrow more than you need) for exam fees when you didn't need to? A lot of profit is made by companies charging all their exam fees up-front - and hoping either that you won't take them, or it will be a long time before you do. In addition to this, exam guarantees often have very little value. Many training companies won't pay again for an exam until you can prove to them you're ready to pass.
VUE and Prometric examinations are currently clocking in at an average of 112 pounds in the United Kingdom today. What's the point of paying huge fees for 'exam guarantees' (often covertly rolled into the cost of the course) - when the best course materials, the right level of support and a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools are actually the key to your success.
A valuable training course package should have fully authorised simulation materials and exam preparation packages. Steer clear of relying on unauthorised exam preparation questions. Their phraseology is sometimes startlingly different - and sometimes this can be a real headache in the actual examination. Simulated exams can be invaluable as a resource to you - so much so, that at the proper exam, you will be much more relaxed.
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