There are a total of 2 specialist training sectors in the overall A+ programme, of which you need to pass both for your A+ qualification. Alongside being taught about the ins and outs of building and maintaining computers, students on an A+ training course will be shown how to work in antistatic conditions, how to fault find, to diagnose and to remotely access problems. If you're considering being a man or woman who works in a multi-faceted environment - fixing and supporting networks, you'll need to add CompTIA Network+, or follow the Microsoft route - MCP's, MCSA or MCSE to give you a wider knowledge of how networks work.

Potential trainees eager to begin a career in IT generally aren't sure what path is best, or even which sector to build their qualifications around. Consequently, if you've got no background in the IT market, how could you possibly know what someone in a particular field fills their day with? Let alone decide on what certification program would be most appropriate for a successful result. Reflection on many points is vital if you want to uncover the right answers:

* The sort of person you think yourself to be - the tasks that you really enjoy, and conversely - what makes you unhappy.

* Is your focus to get qualified because of a particular raison d'etre - for example, are you pushing to work from home (working for yourself?)?

* Is your income higher on your priority-list than some other areas.

* Because there are so many ways to train in the IT industry - there's a need to pick up some background information on what differentiates them.

* Having a cold, hard look into the effort, commitment and time you'll make available.

At the end of the day, your only chance of covering these is by means of a long chat with someone who through years of experience will provide solid advice.

Lately, do you find yourself questioning your job security? For most people, this only rears its head when we experience a knock-back. But in today's marketplace, the reality is that our job security doesn't really exist anymore, for most of us. Security only exists now in a swiftly increasing marketplace, driven by work-skills shortages. It's this shortage that creates the right environment for market-security - a much more desirable situation.

The 2006 United Kingdom e-Skills investigation showed that twenty six percent of IT jobs haven't been filled mainly due to a huge deficit of trained staff. Accordingly, for each four job positions in existence around the computer industry, organisations can only find enough qualified individuals for 3 of them. Highly taught and commercially educated new professionals are consequently at a resounding premium, and it looks like they will be for much longer. Actually, retraining in Information Technology over the next year or two is probably the finest career move you'll ever make.

Working on the cutting-edge of new technology gives you the best job satisfaction ever. You're involved with shaping the next few decades. Many people are of the opinion that the revolution in technology we have experienced is lowering its pace. Nothing could be further from the truth. Terrific advances are ahead of us, and the internet significantly is going to dominate how we conduct our lives.

And it's worth remembering that on average, the income of a person in the IT industry across the UK is significantly better than average salaries nationally, which means you will more than likely receive considerably more with professional IT knowledge, than you'd expect to earn elsewhere. Due to the technological sector increasing nationally and internationally, the chances are that demand for certified IT professionals will flourish for years to come.

Many trainers have a handy Job Placement Assistance service, to help you get your first job. However sometimes people are too impressed with this facility, for it's really not that difficult for well qualified and focused men and women to find a job in IT - because there's a great need for qualified personnel.

You would ideally have help with your CV and interview techniques though; also we would encourage everyone to bring their CV up to date as soon as they start a course - don't procrastinate and leave it for when you're ready to start work. A good number of junior support jobs are offered to students who are still studying and have still to get qualified. At least this will get you on your way. Generally, you'll receive quicker results from a specialised and independent local recruitment service than you'll get from a course provider's national service, because they will understand the local industry and employment needs.

A regular grievance for some course providers is how hard men and women are prepared to study to get qualified, but how ill-prepared they are to market themselves for the position they're qualified for. Don't falter at the last fence.

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