Due to the vast selection of IT courses to choose from, take the time to seek out a training provider that will offer guidance on the right one for you. Professional companies will talk thoroughly through the various career options that could be right for you, in advance of recommending a training program that will give you the knowledge you need. There are courses covering Microsoft User Skills to career courses in Networking, Programming, Databases and Web Design. There is a huge amount of choice and so it's probably best to chat to an industry expert before you confirm the course you want: it would be awful to start the wrong training for a job you'd actually hate!

Currently, there are a variety of user-friendly and competitively priced courses around that can supply you with all you require.

Watch out that all exams you're considering doing will be recognised by employers and are bang up to date. 'In-house' exams and the certificates they come with are not normally useful in gaining employment. Only properly recognised examinations from companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe and CompTIA will have any meaning to employers.

Searching for your first position in IT can feel more straightforward with the help of a Job Placement Assistance program. At the end of the day it's not as hard as some people make out to land your first job - as long as you've got the necessary skills and qualifications; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.

Get your CV updated straight-away though - look to your training company for advice on how to do this. Don't put it off until you've qualified. It's possible that you won't have even got to the exam time when you will be offered your first junior support position; yet this is not possible if your CV isn't in front of employers. In many cases, an independent and specialised local employment agency (who will get paid commission to place you) will be more pro-active than a sector of a centralised training facility. Also of course they should be familiar with the local industry and employment needs.

In a nutshell, as long as you put the same commitment into getting your first IT position as into training, you won't find it too challenging. A number of trainees bizarrely conscientiously work through their course materials and just give up once qualified and seem to expect employers to find them.

We can't make a big enough deal out of this point: Always get full 24x7 support from professional instructors. Later, you'll kick yourself if you don't follow this rule rigidly. Look for training where you can receive help at any time you choose (no matter if it's in the middle of the night on a weekend!) You want direct access to tutors, and not access to a call-in service which takes messages - so you're parked in a queue of others waiting to be called back at a convenient time for them.

It's possible to find professional companies who offer online direct access support at all times - even in the middle of the night. You can't afford to accept less than you need and deserve. Direct-access round-the-clock support is the only kind to make the grade for computer-based learning. It's possible you don't intend to study late evenings; but for most of us, we're out at work at the time when most support is available.

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