What can a student looking for certified training from Microsoft expect to come across? Obviously, training providers ought to have a number of routes that cover the range of Microsoft authorised training routes. Perhaps you'd like to talk through what you're looking to do with a person who's got industry experience - and if you haven't come to a decision, then have some guidance on what sort of job would be right for you, based on your personality and ability level. Having selected the career path you want, a suitable training program needs to be chosen that's reflects your needs. This can be personally tailored for your requirements.
A successful training program will undoubtedly also offer fully authorised exam preparation systems. Be sure that the practice exams haven't just got questions from the right areas, but also asking them in the exact format that the real exams will phrase them. This completely unsettles people if the phraseology and format is completely different. Mock exams will prove very useful as a tool for logging knowledge into your brain - then when the time comes for you to take the proper exam, you don't get uptight.
Sometimes people are under the impression that the tech college or university route is the way they should go. So why then are commercial certificates slowly and steadily replacing it? As we require increasingly more effective technological know-how, the IT sector has been required to move to the specialised training that can only be obtained from the actual vendors - in other words companies like Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe. Frequently this is at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. Patently, a certain quantity of relevant additional information has to be learned, but essential specialised knowledge in the exact job role gives a commercially trained student a huge edge.
The crux of the matter is this: Recognised IT certifications provide exactly what an employer needs - the title says it all: i.e. I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Windows XP Administration and Configuration'. Consequently companies can look at the particular needs they have and what certifications are needed for the job.
Ignore any salesman that offers any particular course without an in-depth conversation to assess your abilities plus your experience level. Ensure that they have a wide-enough range of products from which they could provide you with what's right for you. Remember, if you have some relevant accreditation or direct-experience, then you will often be able to commence studying further along than someone new to the industry. Commencing with a basic PC skills module first may be the ideal way to commence your IT training, depending on your current skill level.
Many commercial training providers will only offer basic 9am till 6pm support (maybe a little earlier or later on certain days); most won't answer after 8-9pm at the latest and frequently never at the weekends. Many only provide email support (too slow), and phone support is usually just a call-centre that will take the information and email an instructor - who'll call back sometime over the next 1-3 days, when it's convenient to them. This isn't a lot of good if you're stuck with a particular problem and only have certain times available in which to do your studies.
If you look properly, you'll find the very best companies which offer online direct access support 24x7 - even in the middle of the night. Seek out a trainer that gives this level of learning support. As only live 24x7 round-the-clock support gives you the confidence to make it.
A ridiculously large number of organisations only concern themselves with gaining a certificate, and forget the reasons for getting there - which will always be getting the job or career you want. Your focus should start with where you want to get to - don't get hung-up on the training vehicle. You could be training for only a year and end up doing a job for a lifetime. Don't make the mistake of finding what seems like an 'interesting' course only to spend 20 years doing a job you hate!
Prioritise understanding the exact expectations industry will have. Which qualifications they'll want you to gain and how you'll build your experience level. It's also worth spending time considering how far you'd like to get as it may affect your choice of accreditations. Have a chat with someone that has a commercial understanding of the realities faced in the industry, and who can give you a detailed run-down of what tasks are going to make up a typical day for you. Getting to the bottom of all this before you start on any training program has obvious benefits.
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