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In the modern world, support workers who can mend computers and networks, plus give regular solutions to users, are essential in every part of industry. Our requirement for better qualified personnel is growing, as we turn out to be vastly more reliant on PC's in today's environment.
It's important to understand: a training program or a certification isn't what this is about; the career that you want is. Far too many training organisations put too much weight in just the training course. It's common, for example, to thoroughly enjoy one year of training only to end up putting 20 long years into a tiresome job role, simply because you did it without the correct research at the outset.
You also need to know what your attitude is towards career progression and earning potential, and how ambitious you are. You need to know what will be expected of you, what particular exams are required and how to develop your experience. Take guidance from an experienced industry advisor, even if you have to pay a small fee - it's usually much cheaper and safer to find out at the beginning whether your choices are appropriate, rather than realise after two full years that you aren't going to enjoy the job you've chosen and now need to go back to square one.
All programs you're considering should always lead to a properly recognised qualification as an end-result - and not some unimportant 'in-house' printed certificate to hang in your hallway. Only properly recognised certification from companies such as Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco and CompTIA will be useful to a future employer.
How can job security really exist anymore? Here in the UK, where industry can change its mind on a day-to-day basis, it seems increasingly unlikely. Now, we only experience security in a rapidly escalating market, driven forward by work-skills shortages. It's this alone that creates the appropriate conditions for market-security - definitely a more pleasing situation.
Recently, a UK e-Skills analysis showed that 26 percent of all available IT positions haven't been filled due to an appallingly low number of appropriately certified professionals. Showing that for every 4 jobs in existence across computing, there are barely three qualified workers to do them. Fully qualified and commercially accredited new employees are consequently at a complete premium, and it's estimated to remain so for many years to come. It's unlikely if a better time or market conditions is ever likely to exist for obtaining certification in this hugely growing and evolving business.
The perhaps intimidating chore of finding your first role in IT can be made easier by some companies, via a Job Placement Assistance programme. It can happen though that this feature is bigged up too much, because it is genuinely quite straightforward for well qualified and focused men and women to get a job in the IT industry - because companies everywhere are seeking skilled employees.
One important thing though, avoid waiting until you have passed your final exams before getting your CV updated. The day you start training, enter details of your study programme and tell people about it! You may not have got to the stage where you've qualified when you will be offered your first junior support position; however this is not possible if your CV isn't in front of employers. The top companies to help you land that job are most often local IT focused employment agencies. As they're keen to place you to receive their commission, they have more incentive to get on with it.
A constant aggravation for many training course providers is how hard men and women are prepared to study to get top marks in their exams, but how un-prepared they are to work on getting the job they have qualified for. Have confidence - the IT industry needs YOU. |
