Networking Career Retraining - Thoughts

In the UK today, many workplaces couldn't function properly if it weren't for support workers solving problems with networks and computers, while recommending solutions to users each and every day. The world's desire for such skilled and qualified people is constantly growing, as everywhere we work becomes progressively more technologically advanced.

Some commercial training providers only give office hours or extended office hours support; most won't answer after 8-9pm at the latest and frequently never at the weekends.

some companies only provide email support (slow), and telephone support is usually to a call-centre that will chat nicely with you for 5 minutes to ask what the issue is and then simply send an email to an instructor - who will attempt to call you within 24-48 hrs, when it's convenient to them. This is all next to useless if you're lost and confused and only have certain times available in which to do your studies.

Be on the lookout for study programmes that have multiple support offices active in different time-zones. Each one should be integrated to provide a single interface and also round-the-clock access, when you need it, with no fuss.

Always pick a trainer that cares. Only true live 24×7 support provides the necessary backup.

Most trainers typically provide mainly work-books and reference manuals. Obviously, this isn't much fun and not a very good way of achieving retention.

Our ability to remember is increased with an involvement of all our senses - educational experts have expounded on this for decades now.

Learning is now available on CD and DVD discs, so everything is learned directly from your own PC. Utilising the latest video technology, you will be able to see the instructor presenting exactly how something is done, and then have a go at it yourself - via the interactive virtual lab's.

You'll definitely want a training material demonstration from your training provider. You should ask for instructor videos, demonstrations, slide-shows and fully interactive skills-lab's.

Many companies provide training that is purely available online; and although this is okay the majority of the time, think what will happen if your access to the internet is broken or you get a slow connection speed. It is usually safer to have DVD or CD discs that don't suffer from these broadband issues.

A capable and professional advisor (as opposed to a salesman) will ask questions and seek to comprehend your current level of ability and experience. There is no other way of understanding your study start-point.

Often, the training start-point for a person with a little experience can be massively different to the student with none.

Where this will be your first attempt at IT study then it may be wise to cut your teeth on user-skills and software training first.

Watch out that all exams you're studying for are recognised by industry and are bang up to date. The 'in-house' certifications provided by many companies are often meaningless.

From an employer's viewpoint, only the major heavyweights like Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA (as an example) will open the right doors. Anything less won't make the grade.

(C) Jason Kendall. Hop over to LearningLolly.com for intelligent career advice. CLICK HERE or www.learninglolly.com.