It's really great that you've made it this far! Only one in ten folks claim contentment with their job, but most of us just go off on one from time to time and do nothing. As you've reached this page it's probable that you've a personal interest in re-training, so even now you're ahead of the game. Now you just need to discover where you want to go and get going.
Before we even think about specific training programs, discuss your thoughts with an industry expert who can help you sort out which area will be right for you. An advisor who will take time to ask questions about your likes and dislikes, and discover what type of job will be right for you:
* Do you want to interact with other people? If you say yes, are you a team player or do you want to meet lots of new people? Maybe you'd rather be left alone to get on with things?
* Do you have a preference which sector you choose to work in? (In this economy, it's more important than ever to be selective.)
* Is this the final time you plan to retrain, and if so, do you suppose your new career will service that need?
* Would you like your training course to be in an area where you know you'll have a job until retirement?
We request you to consider the computer industry - there are increasingly more roles than people to do them, because it's one of the few choices of career where the market sector is growing. In contrast to what some people believe, it isn't just geeks staring at their computers the whole time (though naturally some jobs are like that.) The majority of jobs are occupied by people like you and me who like receiving larger than average salaries.
If your advisor doesn't question you thoroughly - the likelihood is they're actually nothing more than a salesman. If they're pushing towards a particular product before looking at your personality and current experience level, then it's very likely to be the case. With a little live experience or certification, you may find that your starting point is very different to someone completely new. If you're a student embarking on IT studies from scratch, it can be useful to ease in gradually, starting with a user-skills course first. This can be built into most types of training.
A subtle way that colleges make extra profits is by charging for exams up-front and then including an 'Exam Guarantee'. This looks like a great idea for the student, but let's just examine it more closely:
It's very clear we're still paying for it - it's obviously already been included in the full cost of the package supplied by the training company. It's certainly not free (although some people will believe anything the marketing companies think up these days!) People who take each progressive exam, paying as they go are much better placed to get through first time. They are mindful of what they've paid and take the necessary steps to be ready for the task.
Find the best exam deal or offer available when you take the exam, and avoid college mark-up fees. You'll also be able to choose where to sit the exam - so you can find somewhere local. A lot of questionable training companies secure huge amounts of money because they're charging for examinations upfront and hoping that you won't take them all. The majority of companies will require you to do mock exams and not allow you to re-take an exam until you've proven conclusively that you can pass - which actually leaves you with no guarantee at all.
Average exam fees were 112 pounds or thereabouts twelve months or so ago via UK VUE or Prometric centres. So what's the point of paying maybe a thousand pounds extra to have 'Exam Guarantees', when common sense dictates that the responsible approach is consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software.
An area that's often missed by potential students mulling over a new direction is that of 'training segmentation'. Essentially, this is the breakdown of the materials for drop-shipping to you, which can make a dramatic difference to what you end up with. Students often think it makes sense (when study may take one to three years for a full commercial certification,) for many training providers to send out one section at a time, as you pass each element. Although: Sometimes the steps or stages offered by the provider doesn't suit. What if you find it hard to complete all the modules inside their defined time-scales?
The very best situation would see you getting all the training materials delivered to you right at the start; the complete package! This prevents any future issues from rising that will affect your capacity to get everything done.
Lately, do you find yourself questioning the security of your job? Typically, this issue only becomes a talking point when we experience a knock-back. However, The cold truth is that job security is a thing of the past, for all but the most lucky of us. Security only exists now through a quickly growing marketplace, driven by work-skills shortages. It's this shortage that creates just the right conditions for a secure marketplace - a more attractive situation all round.
Taking a look at the IT industry, the most recent e-Skills survey highlighted a 26 percent deficit in trained staff. Showing that for every 4 jobs that are available throughout the computer industry, we've only got three properly trained pro's to perform that task. This disturbing fact highlights an urgent requirement for more appropriately qualified Information Technology professionals in the United Kingdom. While the market is increasing at such a speed, could there honestly be a better market worth looking at as a retraining vehicle.
(C) 2009 Jason Kendall. Go to Career Skills Advice or Career Change Job.
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