Network and computer support technicians are more and more in demand in the United Kingdom, as organisations rely heavily upon their
knowledge and skills. Because we become progressively dependent on technology, we simultaneously find ourselves increasingly more reliant
upon the skilled and qualified network engineers, who keep the systems going.

Don’t accept anything less than accredited simulation materials and an exam preparation system as part of your course package. Confirm that
the mock exams are not only asking questions in the right areas, but ask them in the same way that the proper exam will ask them. It completely unsettles trainees if the questions are phrased in unfamiliar formats. ‘Mock’ or practice exams are invaluable for confidence building – so when it comes to taking your actual exams, you will be much more relaxed.

So, why ought we to be looking at commercial qualifications instead of more traditional academic qualifications gained through schools, colleges or universities? As demand increases for knowledge about more and more complex technology, the IT sector has of necessity moved to the specialised training that the vendors themselves supply – in other words companies like Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA. Frequently this is at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. Essentially, only that which is required is learned. It’s not quite as straightforward as that, but principally the objective has to be to concentrate on the fundamentally important skill-sets (including a degree of required background) – without attempting to cover a bit about every other area (as academia often does).

When it comes down to the nitty-gritty: Accredited IT qualifications provide exactly what an employer needs – everything they need to know is in the title: i.e. I am a ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ in ‘Designing Security for a Windows 2003 Network’. Therefore an employer can look at their needs and what certifications are required to fulfil that.

Talk to a specialised advisor and they can normally tell you many awful tales of students who’ve been sold completely the wrong course for them. Stick to an experienced industry advisor who quizzes you to find out what’s appropriate to you – not for their pay-packet! You must establish the right starting point of study for you. Quite often, the starting point of study for a person with a little experience is often hugely different to someone without. Starting with a user skills program first is often the best way to start into your IT program, depending on your skill level at the moment.

A ridiculously large number of organisations are all about the certification, and completely miss what you actually need – which is a commercial career or job. Always begin with the end in mind – too many people focus on the journey. Never let yourself become part of that group who set off on a track which looks like it could be fun – and end up with a certification for an unrewarding career path.

You’ll want to understand the expectations of your industry. Which precise exams they will want you to have and how you’ll go about getting some commercial experience. It’s also worth spending time setting guidelines as to how far you think you’ll want to go as it will force you to choose a particular set of exams. Before setting out on a study program, it makes sense to chat over specific job requirements with a skilled advisor, in order to be sure the retraining programme covers all the necessary elements.