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There are four specialist areas of training in a full CompTIA A+ program; you’re considered an A+ achiever when you’ve gained exams for 2 out of 4 subjects. This is the reason that most training providers limit themselves to 2 study areas. In reality to carry out a job effectively, you’ll need the training for all four areas as a lot of employment will demand an awareness of the entire course. Don’t feel pressured to qualify in them all, but it seems common sense that you take tutorials in all 4 subjects.

Once on the CompTIA A+, you will learn how to build, fix, repair and work in antistatic conditions. Diagnostic techniques and fault finding are also on the syllabus, as is remote access.

If you would like to be the person who works in a multi-faceted environment – fixing and supporting networks, build on A+ with Network+, or consider the Microsoft networking route (MCSA – MCSE) as you’ll need a deeper understanding of how networks work.

Getting your first commercial position can feel more straightforward if you’re supported with a Job Placement Assistance program. The fact of the matter is it’s not as hard as some people make out to secure the right work – once you’re trained and certified; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.

Nevertheless, avoid waiting until you’ve finished your training before getting your CV updated. The day you start training, list what you’re working on and get it out there!

It’s not unusual to find that you will be offered your first role whilst still on the course (occasionally right at the beginning). If your CV doesn’t show your latest training profile (and it’s not being looked at by employers) then you won’t even be considered!

Generally, you’ll receive quicker service from a specialised and independent local recruitment service than you’ll experience from any course provider’s employment division, as they will understand the local industry and employment needs.

Just ensure you don’t put hundreds of hours of effort into your studies, and then just stop and leave it up to everyone else to secure your first position. Stop procrastinating and get on with the job. Channel the same focus into finding your first job as you did to gain the skills.

A typical blunder that potential students often succumb to is to focus entirely on getting a qualification, and take their eye off the desired end-result. Schools are brimming over with students that chose an ‘interesting’ course – instead of what would yield an enjoyable career or job.

It’s unfortunate, but thousands of new students begin programs that seem spectacular from the marketing materials, but which provides a job that is of no interest. Try talking to typical college graduates to see what we mean.

Spend some time thinking about how much you want to earn and the level of your ambition. This will influence which precise certifications you’ll need to attain and how much effort you’ll have to give in return.

Before you embark on a study course, trainees are advised to chat over the specific job requirements with an experienced industry advisor, in order to be sure the retraining programme covers all that is required.

Considering how a program is ‘delivered’ to you is often missed by many students. How many stages do they break the program into? What is the order and at what speed is it delivered?

Usually, you’ll join a programme staged over 2 or 3 years and receive a module at a time. This sounds logical on one level, until you consider this:

Maybe the order of study insisted on by the company won’t suit you. It may be difficult to get through every element inside of their particular timetable?

For the perfect solution, you’d ask for every single material to be delivered immediately – giving you them all for the future to come back to – at any time you choose. This also allows you to vary the order in which you move through the program where a more intuitive path can be found.

It’s likely that you’ve always enjoyed practical work – a ‘hands-on’ individual. Typically, the trial of reading reference books and manuals can be just about bared when essential, but you’d hate it. You should use video and multimedia based materials if you’d really rather not use books.

Many studies have proved that memory is aided when we receive multi-sensorial input, and we take action to use what we’ve learned.

The latest home-based training features interactive discs. Instructor-led tutorials will mean you’ll find things easier to remember by way of their teaching and demonstrations. Then you test your knowledge by interacting with the software and practicing yourself.

Make sure to obtain a training material demonstration from any training college. You should ask for expert-led demonstrations, slideshows and virtual practice lab’s for your new skills.

Pick CD and DVD ROM based physical training media every time. This then avoids all the potential pitfalls with broadband ‘downtime’ or slow-speeds.

(C) 2009 Scott Edwards. Navigate to Flash Courses or Click HERE.