Congratulations! Reading this subject matter means you’re likely to be wondering about where you’re going, and if you’re considering retraining you’ve already done more than the majority of people will. It’s a frightening thought that a small minority of us describe ourselves as fulfilled in our working life – yet the vast majority of us will do absolutely nothing about it. We implore you to be different and take action – think about how you could enjoy Monday mornings.
Before embarking on a course, look for some advice – find an industry expert; someone who’ll give you career advice based on what works best for you, and analyse the courses which are appropriate for you:
* Are you hoping to be involved with others in the workplace? Would you prefer to work with a small team or with a lot of new people? Possibly operating on your own in isolation would be more your thing?
* Are you thinking carefully about which sector you maybe could work in? (In this economy, it’s even more crucial to choose carefully.)
* Is this the last time you envisage re-training, and if it is, do you suppose your new career will service that need?
* Do you have niggles with regard to your chances of finding new employment, and being gainfully employed right up to retirement?
The largest sector in the United Kingdom to meet the above criteria is the computer industry, particularly IT. There’s a shortage of qualified workers in the industry, simply have a look at a local jobs website and there’ll be a long list. Don’t let people tell you it’s all nerdy people gazing towards theirscreens all day – there are loads more jobs than that. Most of the people in IT are just like the rest of us, with well paid and stimulating jobs.
What is the reason why traditional degrees are less in demand than the more qualifications from the commercial sector?
With fees and living expenses for university students becoming a tall order for many, plus the industry’s growing opinion that vendor-based training most often has much more commercial relevance, there’s been a large rise in Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA based training courses that create knowledgeable employees at a fraction of the cost and time involved.
Of course, a reasonable degree of background information must be taught, but essential specialisation in the exact job role gives a vendor educated person a massive advantage.
If an employer knows what work they need doing, then they simply need to advertise for someone with a specific qualification. The syllabuses are set to exacting standards and aren’t allowed to deviate (in the way that degree courses can).
You have to make sure that all your exams are current and commercially required – don’t bother with courses which end up with a useless in-house certificate or plaque.
If your certification doesn’t come from a major player like Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA, then chances are it won’t be commercially viable – because no-one will recognise it.
Students who consider this area of study are usually quite practically-minded, and don’t really enjoy classrooms, and poring through books and manuals. If this is putting you off studying, go for more modern interactive training, where everything is presented via full motion video.
Long-term memory is enhanced when all our senses are brought into the mix – this has been an accepted fact in expert circles for many years.
Study programs now come via DVD-ROM discs, where your computer becomes the centre of your learning. Using video-streaming, you can watch instructors demonstrating how to do something, and then have a go at it yourself – in an interactive lab.
It’s wise to view a small selection of training examples before you purchase a course. What you want are instructor demonstrations, video tutorials and interactive modules with audio-visual elements.
Many companies provide just online versions of their training packages; and while this is acceptable much of the time, imagine the problems if internet access is lost or you get intermittent problems and speed issues. It’s much safer to rely on actual CD or DVD ROMs that removes the issue entirely.
Consider the following points in detail if you’re inclined to think the sales ploy of ‘guaranteeing’ exams sounds like a benefit to the student:
We all know that we’re ultimately paying for it – it’s quite obvious to see that it’s been added into the overall price charged by the college. It’s definitely not free – don’t think these companies are so generous with their money!
Evidence shows that if students pay for their relevant examinations, at the time of taking them, there’s a much better chance they’ll pass every time – since they’ll think of what they’ve paid and therefore will put more effort into their preparation.
Take your exams as locally as possible and don’t pay up-front, but seek out the best deal for you when you’re ready.
What’s the point in paying early for exam fees when you don’t need to? A great deal of money is made by companies getting paid upfront for exams – and banking on the fact that many won’t be taken.
Re-takes of previously unsuccessful exams via organisations who offer an ‘Exam Guarantee’ inevitably are heavily regulated. They’ll insist that you take mock exams first to make sure they think you’re going to pass.
Exam fees averaged 112 pounds or thereabouts last year when taken at local VUE or Pro-metric centres throughout the country. So what’s the point of paying maybe a thousand pounds extra to have ‘an Exam Guarantee’, when common sense dictates that the most successful method is a regular, committed, study programme, with an accredited exam preparation system.
Copyright 2010 S. Edwards. Pop over to Microsoft Online Training or www.RetrainingCourses.co.uk/trecourse.html.
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