Trainees looking at this market are usually quite practically-minded, and aren't really suited to the classroom environment, and endless reading of dry academic textbooks. If this is putting you off studying, try the newer style of interactive study, where learning is video-based. Where we can utilise all of our senses into our learning, our results will often be quite spectacular.

Search for a course where you'll get a host of CD and DVD based materials - you'll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, and be able to practice your skills in interactive lab's. It's very important to see courseware examples from the company you're considering. Be sure that they contain full motion videos of instructors demonstrating the topic with lab's to practice the skills in.

You should avoid purely online training. You want physical CD/DVD ROM course materials where possible, so you can use them wherever and whenever you want - and not be totally reliant on a good broadband connection all the time.

A expert and professional consultant (vs a salesperson) will talk through your abilities and experience. This is vital for working out the point at which you need to start your studies. It's worth remembering, if you have some relevant qualifications that are related, then you will often be able to pick-up at a different starting-point to a trainee with no history to speak of. Starting with a basic PC skills course first will sometimes be the most effective way to get up and running on your IT studies, depending on your current skill level.

'Exam Guarantees' are often bundled with training offers - inevitably that means paying for the exams at the very beginning of your studies. Before you jump at a course with such a promise, why not be aware of the facts:

It's become essential these days that we have to be a little more 'marketing-savvy' - and most of us cotton on to the fact that we are actually being charged for it (it isn't free or out of the goodness of their hearts!) Trainees who take each progressive exam, funding them one at a time are in a much stronger position to qualify at the first attempt. They're thoughtful of their investment and prepare more appropriately to be up to the task.

Look for the very best offer you can when you take the exam, and save having to find the money early. You'll also be able to choose where to sit the exam - so you can choose somewhere closer to home. A lot of extra profit is secured by a significant number of organisations that take the exam money up-front. For quite legitimate reasons, a number of students don't get to do their exams but the company keeps the money. Astoundingly enough, providers exist that depend on students not taking their exams - as that's where a lot of their profit comes from. Re-takes of previously unsuccessful exams via organisations who offer an 'Exam Guarantee' are monitored with tight restrictions. They will insist that you take pre-tests first to make sure they think you're going to pass.

Due to typical VUE and Prometric tests coming in at around 112 pounds in the UK, by far the best option is to pay for them as you take them. Why splash out often many hundreds of pounds extra at the beginning of your training? Consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.

Trainees hoping to get a career in IT usually have no idea of which path is best, or what area to achieve their certification in. How likely is it for us to understand the day-to-day realities of any IT job when we haven't done that before? Most likely we have never met anyone who does that actual job anyway. Generally, the way to deal with this predicament correctly stems from a deep talk over a variety of topics:

- The kind of individual you consider yourself to be - what tasks do you enjoy doing, plus of course - what you hate to do.

- Are you driven to obtain training due to a specific reason - for example, are you pushing to work from home (being your own boss?)?

- Does salary have a higher place on your priority-scale than anything else.

- Understanding what the main IT areas and sectors are - and what makes them different.

- What effort, commitment and time you'll have available to commit obtaining your certification.

To completely side-step the barrage of jargon, and uncover the most viable option for your success, have an informal chat with an industry-experienced advisor; an individual that appreciates and can explain the commercial realities and of course the accreditations.

Commercially accredited qualifications are now, without a doubt, taking over from the older academic routes into IT - so why is this happening? With a growing demand for specific technological expertise, industry has moved to specific, honed-in training only available through the vendors themselves - that is companies such as Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA. Frequently this is at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. Obviously, an appropriate degree of background detail has to be covered, but essential specialised knowledge in the particular job function gives a vendor educated student a massive advantage.

The crux of the matter is this: Accredited IT qualifications provide exactly what an employer needs - everything they need to know is in the title: for example, I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Windows XP Administration and Configuration'. So an employer can look at their needs and which qualifications will be suitable to deal with those needs.

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