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CompTIA Network Plus Retraining In The UK 2009

April 29th, 2009

In the fast-paced world we live in, support workers who can fix computers and networks, and give constant advice to users, are indispensable in every sector of industry. Whilst we’re all becoming progressively beholden to computers and networks, we in turn find ourselves increasingly more reliant upon the skilled and qualified network engineers, who ensure the systems function properly.

How are we supposed to go about making an informed decision then? With so many opportunities, we have to know where we should be looking - and of course, what to actually be searching for.

A typical blunder that many potential students make is to focus entirely on getting a qualification, rather than starting with the desired end-result. Schools are stacked to the hilt with unaware students who chose a course based on what sounded good - in place of something that could gain them the job they want. Don’t let yourself become part of the group that choose a course that sounds really ‘interesting’ and ‘fun’ - and end up with a certification for a career they’ll never really get any satisfaction from.

Take time to understand what your attitude is towards career progression and earning potential, and if you’re ambitious or not. It’s vital to know what the role will demand of you, what accreditations are required and where you’ll pick-up experience from. We advise all students to talk with an experienced industry advisor before deciding on their study programme. This gives some measure of assurance that it features what is required for the chosen career path.

There is no way of over emphasising this: It’s essential to obtain proper 24×7 round-the-clock instructor support. You will have so many problems later if you don’t heed this. Beware of institutions that use ‘out-of-hours’ messaging systems - where you’ll get called back during normal office hours. This is no use if you’re stuck and want support there and then.

It’s possible to find the top providers who give students online direct access support all the time - including evenings, nights and weekends. Always pick a trainer that gives this level of learning support. Because only round-the-clock 24×7 support provides the necessary backup.

We’d hazard a guess that you probably enjoy fairly practical work - the ‘hands-on’ personality type. If you’re like us, the world of book-reading and classrooms can be just about bared when essential, but it’s not ideal. You should use video and multimedia based materials if book-based learning really isn’t your style. Years of research and study has time and time again confirmed that connecting physically with our study, will more likely produce memories that are deeper and longer-lasting.

Search for a course where you’re provided with an array of CD and DVD based materials - you’ll learn by watching video tutorials and demonstrations, and then have the opportunity to fine-tune your skills in fully interactive practice sessions. It makes sense to see some of the typical study materials provided before you hand over your cheque. The minimum you should expect would be video tutorials, instructor demo’s and a variety of audio-visual and interactive sections.

It’s usually bad advice to choose training that is only available online. Connection quality and reliability varies hugely across your average broadband company, ensure that you have access to disc based courseware (On CD or DVD).

Many certification companies are still using the rather old-fashioned idea of classroom lessons. Very often portrayed as a huge benefit, if you talk to a student who has had to attend a few, you’ll most likely hear about many or all of these issues:

* Loads of travelling - many trips and quite often hundreds of miles each time.

* Getting time off work - typical colleges can only give Mon-Fri workshop availability and often group days together in a clump. If you’re working then this can be difficult, even more so when travel time is included.

* Annual leave lost - many working people only have 20 days holiday. If over half of it is swallowed up by training classes, vacation time is going to be quite short for the student.

* Training events fill up fast and can sometimes be too big - so they’re not personal enough.

* You may prefer to move at a slower or quicker pace than the rest of the class. This can create a classic case of ‘classroom tension’.

* The growing costs associated with travel - driving or taking public transport to the training centre and of course several days bed and breakfast can mount up with each visit. If you only assumed 5-10 classes costing around 35 pounds for one over-night room, plus a petrol cost of 40 pounds and food at 15 pounds, that equates to four to nine hundred pounds of add-on cost.

* The majority of attendees want their studies to remain private thus avoiding all come-back from their current employer.

* It’s very common for people to hide the fact that they want to raise a question - purely because they’re amongst other classmates.

* For students working away from home occasionally, it’s a fact of life that events are now very hard to attend - and yet, the money has already been paid.

Many students discover a more flexible approach is to exploit pre-made lessons at the location of your choice - taking them when it’s convenient to you - not some other person. You can train wherever you want. If you have a laptop, why not catch a bit of sunshine outside as you work. Any difficulties and utilise the 24×7 Support. Modules and lessons can be repeated whenever you feel you need to - repetition aids memory. And you’ll never have to write notes again - it’s all provided. The final outcome: Reduced stress, more money in the bank, and travelling is removed.

How can job security honestly exist anymore? In the UK for instance, with businesses changing their mind at alarming speeds, there doesn’t seem much chance. It’s possible though to locate security at market-level, by digging for areas in high demand, together with a shortage of skilled staff.

The computer industry skills-gap around the UK clocks in at roughly twenty six percent, as reported by the 2006 e-Skills survey. This shows that for every 4 jobs that exist in Information Technology (IT), we’ve only got three properly trained pro’s to fulfil that role. This worrying fact clearly demonstrates the requirement for more properly certified computing professionals in the country. It’s unlikely if a better time or market state of affairs will exist for gaining qualification for this rapidly emerging and developing business.

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