There are a range of options available for people who’d like to enter the world of IT. To find the right one for you, seek out a training provider that will work with you to identify which job will suit your characteristics, and then run through the details of the job, in order for you to know you’re going to enjoy it. Should you be thinking of upgrading your IT skill-set, perhaps with some Microsoft Office skills, or even becoming an IT professional, your study options are plentiful.
By concentrating on service and delivery, training companies now exist with modern courses that blend the finest training and support for considerably less money than is charged by more out-dated organisations.
One crafty way that training providers make a big mark-up is by charging for exams up-front then giving it ‘Exam Guarantee’ status. This sounds impressive, till you look at the facts:
Patently it isn’t free – you’re still being charged for it – it’s just been included in your package price. It’s everybody’s ambition to qualify on the first attempt. Progressively working through your exams in order and funding them as you go sees you much better placed to get through first time – you revise thoroughly and think carefully about the costs.
Hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the appropriate time, and hang on to your cash. You’ll then be able to select where you sit the exam – so you can choose somewhere closer to home. A lot of questionable training course providers net a great deal of profit through getting in the money for all the exam fees up-front and hoping you won’t see them all through. Many training companies will insist that you take mock exams first and with-hold subsequent exam entries from you until you’ve proven conclusively that you can pass – making an ‘exam guarantee’ just about worthless.
Spending hundreds or even thousands extra on an ‘Exam Guarantee’ is foolish – when consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will get you through.
Of all the important things to consider, one of the most essential is always proper direct-access 24×7 support through dedicated instructors and mentors. It’s an all too common story to find providers that only provide office hours (or extended office hours) support. Avoid those companies which use messaging services ‘out-of-hours’ – with the call-back coming in during standard office hours. It’s not a lot of help when you’ve got study issues and need an answer now.
Keep your eyes open for study programmes that have multiple support offices from around the world. All of them should be combined to provide a single interface and also 24 hours-a-day access, when you need it, without any problems. Find a training company that goes the extra mile. As only 24×7 round-the-clock live support truly delivers for technical programs.
Accredited exam simulation and preparation packages are vital – and should definitely be sought from your training supplier. Steer clear of relying on non-official preparation materials for exams. Their phraseology can be completely unlike authorised versions – and sometimes this can be a real headache when the proper exam time arrives. Always have some simulated exam questions so you can verify your comprehension whenever you need to. Simulated or practice exams add to your knowledge bank – so the real thing isn’t quite as scary.
Students often end up having issues because of a single courseware aspect very rarely considered: The breakdown of the course materials before being sent out to you. You may think that it makes sense (with most training taking 1-3 years for a full commercial certification,) that a training provider will issue a single section at a time, as you complete each part. Although: What would happen if you didn’t finish all the exams at the speed they required? Often the staged order doesn’t come as naturally as some other order of studying might.
In an ideal situation, you’d ask for every single material to be delivered immediately – meaning you’ll have all of them to come back to in the future – at any time you choose. This allows a variation in the order that you complete each objective as and when something more intuitive seems right for you.
Students who consider this area of study are usually quite practically-minded, and won’t enjoy sitting at a desk in class, and slogging through piles of books. If you identify with this, go for more modern interactive training, where learning is video-based. Learning psychology studies show that we remember much more when we receive multi-sensorial input, and we take action to use what we’ve learned.
Learning is now available in disc format, so you can study at your own computer. Video streaming means you can watch instructors demonstrating how it’s all done, and then have a go at it yourself – in an interactive lab. Always insist on a look at some courseware examples from your training provider. The package should contain instructor videos, demonstrations, slide-shows and fully interactive skills-lab’s.
It is generally unwise to opt for on-line only training. Connection quality and reliability varies hugely across most broadband providers, ensure that you have access to disc based courseware (On CD or DVD).