You should only consider study paths that'll progress to commercially acknowledged certifications. There are loads of small companies suggesting their own 'in-house' certificates which are worthless when it comes to finding a job. The main industry leaders like Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA all have nationally approved proficiency programs. Huge conglomerates such as these can make sure you stand out at interview.

Ask almost any expert advisor and you'll be surprised by their many terrible tales of students who've been conned by dodgy salespeople. Ensure you only ever work with an experienced professional who digs deep to find out what's right for you - not for their pay-packet! You must establish an ideal starting-point that fits you. An important point to note is that, if you've had any relevant previous certification, then you will often be able to start at a different point than a student who's starting from scratch. If this is going to be your first attempt at IT study then you may want to begin with a user-skills course first.

Your training program should always include the latest Microsoft (or relevant organisation's) authorised exam preparation packages. Because most examining boards for IT tend to be American, it's essential to understand how exam questions will be phrased and formatted. You can't practice properly by just understanding random questions - they have to be in the same format as the actual exams. Simulations and practice exams can be very useful in helping you build your confidence - so when it comes to taking your actual exams, you don't get uptight.

Sometimes people assume that the school and FE college system is still the most effective. Why then are commercially accredited qualifications becoming more popular with employers? With a growing demand for specific technological expertise, industry has of necessity moved to specialist courses that can only be obtained from the actual vendors - namely companies such as CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA. Frequently this is at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. They do this through concentrating on the skills that are really needed (together with a proportionate degree of related knowledge,) rather than spending months and years on the background 'padding' that degrees in computing can often find themselves doing - to pad out the syllabus.

It's a bit like the TV advert: 'It does what it says on the label'. All an employer has to do is know what they're looking for, and then match up the appropriate exam numbers as a requirement. Then they're assured that a potential employee can do exactly what's required.

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