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Courses in PC Support

January 29th, 2009

These days, many workplaces couldn’t function properly without the help of support workers fixing both computers and networks, while advising users on a day to day basis. The desire for such skilled and qualified members of the workforce is constantly growing, as everywhere we work becomes more and more technologically advanced.

Seeing as the computer market provides some outstanding career possibilities for everyone - what questions do we need to be posing and what elements carry the most importance?

Don’t get hung-up, as can often be the case, on the certification itself. Training is not an end in itself; this is about employment. Begin and continue with the end in mind. It’s a sad fact, but a large percentage of students commence training that sounds great in the prospectus, but which provide the end-result of a job which doesn’t satisfy. Speak to a selection of college graduates and you’ll see where we’re coming from. Stay tuned-in to what you want to achieve, and build your study action-plan from that - avoid getting them back-to-front. Stay focused on the end-goal and ensure that you’re training for something you’ll enjoy for years to come. It’s worth seeking guidance from someone that understands the market you think may suit you, and is able to give you ‘A day in the life of’ type of explanation for each job considered. All of these things are essential because you obviously have to know if this change is right for you.

You should only consider learning programmes that move onto industry approved qualifications. There are far too many trainers promoting unknown ‘in-house’ certificates that are essentially useless when you start your job-search. From an employer’s viewpoint, only top businesses such as Microsoft, Adobe, CompTIA or Cisco (as an example) provide enough commercial weight. Anything less won’t make the grade.

Usually, trainers will provide a big box of books. It’s not a very interesting way to learn and not a very good way of taking things in. Our ability to remember is increased when multiple senses are involved - this has been an accepted fact in expert circles for as long as we can remember. Programs are now found via DVD-ROM discs, where your computer becomes the centre of your learning. Video streaming means you are able to see your instructors showing you how to perform the required skill, with some practice time to follow - via the interactive virtual lab’s. It’s imperative to see the type of training provided by the company you’re considering. You’ll want to see that they include instructor-led video demonstrations with virtual practice-lab’s. Avoid training that is purely online. Physical CD or DVD ROM materials are preferable where offered, so you can use them wherever and whenever you want - and not be totally reliant on a quality and continuous internet connection.

Proper support should never be taken lightly - locate a good company that includes 24×7 access, as anything else will annoy you and definitely hold up your pace and restrict your intake. Try and find training where you can access help at any time of day or night (irrespective of whether it’s the wee hours on Sunday morning!) Ensure you get access directly to professional tutors and not access to a call-in service which takes messages - so you’re waiting for tutors to call you back when it’s convenient for them. World-class organisations offer an internet-based 24×7 facility utilising a variety of support centres across the globe. You will have a simple interface that seamlessly selects the best facility available at any time of day or night: Support when you need it. If you accept anything less than support round-the-clock, you’ll regret it very quickly. You may not need it during the night, but what about weekends, early mornings or even late evenings at some point?

One interesting way that training providers make more money is via an ‘exam inclusive’ package then giving it ‘Exam Guarantee’ status. It looks impressive, but let’s just examine it more closely… You’re paying for it somehow. It’s definitely not free - they’ve simply charged more for the whole training package. Should you seriously need to qualify first go, evidence suggests you must fund each exam as you take it, give it the priority it deserves and apply yourself as required. Doesn’t it make more sense to hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the appropriate time, rather than coughing up months or even a year or two in advance to a training company, and to do it in a local testing office - rather than possibly hours away from your area? Including money in your training package for exam fees (and interest charges if you’re borrowing money) is a false economy. Resist being talked into filling the training company’s account with your hard-earned cash just to give them more interest! A lot bank on the fact that you won’t get round to taking them - then they’ll keep the extra money. Additionally, you should consider what an ‘exam guarantee’ really means. Many training companies won’t be prepared to pay again for an exam until you’ve completely satisfied them that you’re ready this time. With the average price of Pro-metric and VUE examinations coming in at around 112 pounds in the UK, it makes sense to pay as you go. There’s no sense in throwing away maybe a thousand pounds extra at the start of your studies. Consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.

We’re regularly asked to explain why academic qualifications are being overtaken by more commercially accredited qualifications? As we require increasingly more effective technological know-how, industry has moved to the specialised core-skills learning only available through the vendors themselves - for example companies like CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA. This frequently provides reductions in both cost and time. Of course, a reasonable amount of relevant additional information must be learned, but essential specialised knowledge in the areas needed gives a commercially educated student a distinct advantage. It’s rather like the advert: ‘It does what it says on the tin’. The company just needs to know what they need doing and then match up the appropriate exam numbers as a requirement. They’ll know then that all applicants can do what they need.

The world of information technology is one of the more thrilling and changing industries that you can get into right now. Being a member of a team working on breakthroughs in technology means you’re a part of the huge progress affecting everyone who lives in the 21st century. We’re barely beginning to get a handle on what this change will mean to us. The way we communicate and interact with everyone around us will be massively affected by computers and the internet. The standard IT worker in the UK can demonstrate that they earn significantly more than employees on a par outside of IT. Mean average wages are around the top of national league tables. Apparently there is no end in sight for IT industry expansion across Britain. The industry continues to grow rapidly, and as we have a skills gap that means we only typically have three IT workers for every four jobs it’s most unlikely that things will be any different for years to come.

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