Good for you! Reading this subject matter suggests you're contemplating your career, and if it's new career training you're deliberating over you've even now progressed more than most. It's a frightening thought that hardly any of us would say we are satisfied and happy at work - yet most won't do a thing about it. Why don't you break free and make a start - don't you think you deserve it.

When looking at training, it's vital that you have in mind your requirements from the job you'd like to train for. You need to know that the grass actually is greener before much time and effort is spent re-directing your life. So much better to look at the end goal first, to make the right judgements:

* Do you operate better working alone or perhaps being around others is vital for your sanity?

* What criteria do you have with regard to the sector of industry you'll be employed in?

* Is it important that this should be the only time you will need more qualifications?

* Do you want your training course to be in an area where you know your chances of gainful employment are high up to retirement age?

When listing your options, it's relevant that one of your key sectors is IT - everyone knows that it's on the grow. IT isn't all techie people lost in their computer screens constantly - of course some IT jobs demand that, but the majority of roles are filled with people like you and me who get on very well.

We're regularly asked to explain why traditional degrees are being overtaken by more commercial certificates? As we require increasingly more effective technological know-how, the IT sector has of necessity moved to specific, honed-in training that the vendors themselves supply - namely companies such as Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe. This often comes in at a fraction of the cost and time. Obviously, an appropriate quantity of relevant additional information must be covered, but essential specialised knowledge in the particular job function gives a vendor trained person a real head start.

The bottom line is: Commercial IT certifications provide exactly what an employer needs - everything they need to know is in the title: i.e. I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Windows XP Administration and Configuration'. So an employer can look at the particular needs they have and which qualifications are needed for the job.

One of the most important things to insist on has to be proper direct-access 24x7 support through dedicated instructors and mentors. Far too often we see trainers who only seem to want to help while they're in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends. Beware of institutions which use messaging services 'out-of-hours' - with your call-back scheduled for standard office hours. This is useless when you're stuck and need help now.

We recommend looking for colleges that utilise many support facilities around the globe in several time-zones. Each one should be integrated to provide a single interface and also round-the-clock access, when you need it, with the minimum of hassle. If you opt for less than direct-access 24x7 support, you'll quickly find yourself regretting it. It may be that you don't use it throughout the night, but consider weekends, early mornings or late evenings.

Getting your first commercial position is often made easier with a Job Placement Assistance program. However sometimes this feature is bigged up too much, because it's really not that difficult for any focused and well taught person to find a job in the IT environment - because there's a great need for skilled employees.

Get your CV updated straight-away though - look to your training company for advice on how to do this. Don't put it off for when you're ready to start work. Getting onto the 'maybe' pile of CV's is more than not being regarded at all. Many junior support jobs are offered to trainees (sometimes when they've only just got going.) The most reliable organisations to help get you placed are normally specialist locally based employment services. As they're keen to place you to receive their commission, they have more incentive to get on with it.

Certainly make sure you don't spend hundreds of hours on your training and studies, just to give up and leave it in the hands of the gods to find you a job. Take responsibility for yourself and get on with the job. Channel as much time and energy into securing the right position as you did to gain the skills.

How the program is actually delivered to you is usually ignored by most students. How is the courseware broken down? What is the specific order and how fast does each element come? Usually, you'll enrol on a course that takes between and 1 and 3 years and get sent one module each time you pass an exam. This sounds logical on one level, until you consider this: What could you expect if you didn't actually complete every module at the required speed? Sometimes their preference of study order doesn't come as naturally as another different route may.

Ideally, you'd get ALL the training materials right at the beginning - enabling you to have them all to come back to at any time in the future - whenever it suits you. You can also vary the order in which you move through the program if you find another route more intuitive.

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