It’s really great that you’ve already got this far! A fraction of the population enjoy their work and find it stimulating, but vast numbers just go off on one from time to time and do nothing. Because you’ve done research it’s likely that you’ve a personal interest in re-training, so even now you’re ahead of the game. Take your time now to find out more and then take action.
It’s advisable to get some help before you start – find an industry expert; an advisor who can discover your ideal job, and then show you the career tracks that will suit you:
* Do you want to interact with other people? If so, do you want a team or is meeting new people important to you? Maybe you’d rather be left alone to get on with things?
* Have you given much thought to which sector you choose to work in? (With the economic downturn, it’s even more crucial to be selective.)
* Having completed your retraining, would you like your skills to take you through to retirement?
* Do you want your retraining to be in a market sector where you believe your chances of gainful employment are high until retirement?
We would strongly recommend that your number one choice is the IT sector – everyone knows that it’s on the grow. It’s not all nerdy people looking at computer screens constantly – of course some IT jobs demand that, but the majority of roles are done by ordinary people who get on very well.
We can guess that you’re a practical sort of person – the ‘hands-on’ person. If you’re anything like us, the trial of reading reference books and manuals can be just about bared when essential, but it’s not ideal. Check out video-based multimedia instruction if you’d really rather not use books.
Years of research and study has always demonstrated that an ‘involved’ approach to study, where we utilise all our senses, will more likely produce memories that are deeper and longer-lasting.
Locate a program where you’ll receive a selection of CD and DVD based materials – you’ll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, and then have the opportunity to use virtual lab’s to practice your new skills.
It would be silly not to view examples of the courseware provided before you hand over your cheque. What you want are instructor-led video demonstrations and interactive audio-visual sections with practice modules.
Avoid training that is purely online. You want physical CD/DVD ROM course materials where obtainable, enabling them to be used at your convenience – you don’t want to be reliant on a quality and continuous internet connection.
The area most overlooked by those considering a training program is that of ‘training segmentation’. Essentially, this is how the program is broken down into parts for timed release to you, which can make a dramatic difference to how you end up.
Many think it logical (when study may take one to three years to pass all the required exams,) for a training company to release the courseware in stages, as you achieve each exam pass. Although:
What would their reaction be if you find it difficult to do each element at the proposed pace? Sometimes their preference of study order doesn’t come as naturally as some other structure would for you.
Put simply, the very best answer is to have a copy of their prescribed order of study, but make sure you have all of your learning modules right from the beginning. You then have everything if you don’t manage to finish inside of their required time-scales.
Trainees eager to start an Information Technology career often have no idea of which route to consider, or which area to get qualified in.
Since having no commercial skills in the IT industry, in what way could we be expected to understand what any job actually involves?
The key to answering this dilemma correctly stems from an in-depth conversation around several areas:
* The sort of individual you reckon you are – the tasks that you enjoy doing, and on the other side of the coin – what you definitely don’t enjoy.
* Do you hope to accomplish a specific objective – like becoming self-employed in the near future?
* How important is salary to you – is it the most important thing, or is job satisfaction a little higher on your list of priorities?
* Understanding what typical career areas and markets are – plus how they’re different to each other.
* The level of commitment and effort you’ll have available to set aside for getting qualified.
To be honest, it’s obvious that the only real way to gain help on these areas will be via a meeting with an experienced advisor that has a background in IT (as well as the commercial needs.)
Far too many companies only concern themselves with gaining a certificate, and completely miss what you actually need – getting yourself a new job or career. Always begin with where you want to get to – don’t make the vehicle more important than the destination.
Never let yourself become one of the unfortunate masses who choose a training program that on the surface appears interesting – only to end up with a qualification for something they’ll never enjoy.
Stay focused on what it is you’re trying to achieve, and build your study action-plan from that – don’t do it back-to-front. Keep on track and begin studying for a job you’ll still be enjoying many years from now.
It’s worth seeking help from a professional that can best explain the industry you think may suit you, and is able to give you ‘A day in the life of’ type of explanation for that career-path. These things are incredibly important because you need to know whether or not you’ve chosen correctly.
(C) 2009 – S. Edwards. Try Ecommerce Web Site Design or www.AdultCareerChange.co.uk/ACCK.html.