The main factor to have in mind when you are contemplating any sort of I.T. training is what you are looking to obtain from it. Maybe you have employment in mind that requires a number of Computer user skill-sets, or is it that you purely would like to know the way to use the web more widely? On the other hand, there's a chance you're thinking of a full career move into the I.T. sector.

Knowing your end goal is really key to the program that will take you to it. When you are sure about why you want to get trained, you will make an informed choice on the right type to suit your needs. It should also stop you from creating any mistakes through opting for an inappropriate program.

Careers in IT tend to be broken down in to several main groups: 1) Networking, Security & Support, 2) Programming & Software-development, 3) Database Administration and Development and 4) Web-Design, - both creative and technological aspects. Every I.T. group has its own set of proficiency requirements, along with related qualifications at various competency levels. The large amount of accreditations on offer in these areas can be initially off-putting to the new student, but this is why a good careers discussion with an advisor can explain what's appropriate for your personality, objectives & learning-style.

It's quite likely if you're thinking of getting into I.T. from another career that you will want to begin your training course somewhere around these stages. Where exactly will depend on the skill-sets you currently have. We'd advise you explore your ideas on training courses & I.T. careers with an industry expert if you've got more technical ambitions. In fact anyone looking at training to make a professional career move should be open to professional advice before getting started. A lack of preparation can lead to a lot of frustration in the future, & cost considerably more money than it should have!

If Professional IT work is the ultimate goal, you could start your training in IT Support work. Typically, if you are going to deliver software support to users in a corporate environment, the MCDST (Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician) may well be relevant. A program of this nature normally requires around a hundred hrs of study time.

After this, we enter the area of full Professional I.T. accreditation. CompTIA offer the most commonly acknowledged entry to industry examinations (known as 'A+' & 'N+') for networking, hardware support & security. As well as covering the fundamentals of hard-ware and networks, you'll be taught about administration, support, troubleshooting & security. Study time is usually estimated at around 200-250 hrs for both courses, which is often realistically accomplished within 6 months on a part time basis.

Should you merely would like to get a better understanding of how to use your personal computer for simple operations, the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) is the best course for you. It will teach you how to operate the basic elements of 'Windows' (which is the system which runs the majority of personal PCs.) You can also learn about web browsers (so you're able to search on the internet,) and e-mail software (so that you can stay in touch with friends.) You'll also cover the basic principles of word processing plus a bit about what databases and spreadsheets can be useful for.

Moving things on a stage further, you may possibly be looking for more professional instruction to further improve your employment prospects. A competent working expertise in Microsoft Office would be the next logical step. Two industry recognised certification courses are MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist) & 'MCAS' (Microsoft 'Certified Application Specialist'). Whilst the former is based around the MS Office 2003 environment under Windows XP, the latter works with Windows Vista & 'Office' 2007. XP remains most common within business, but Vista may be more useful in the future. Both certification tracks contain their own exams around the important Microsoft Office applications: "Word" (word processing), Excel ('spreadsheets'), 'Access' ('databases') and "Powerpoint" ('presentations'.) These accreditations will demonstrate to an employer how you're effectively qualified to use these packages to their fullest extent.

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