An effective training package should also offer accredited exam simulation and preparation packages. Sometimes people can get thrown by trying to prepare themselves with questions that don't come from the authorised examining boards. Quite often, the question formats and phraseology is startlingly different and it's vital that you know this. A way to build self-confidence is if you analyse whether you're learning enough through tests and practice in simulated exam environments prior to taking the real thing.

Commercial certification is now, undoubtedly, taking over from the more academic tracks into the industry - but why is this? Industry is of the opinion that for mastery of skill sets for commercial use, the right accreditation from the likes of Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe is far more effective and specialised - for much less time and money. In a nutshell, only required knowledge is taught. Actually, it's not quite as pared down as that, but the principle remains that students need to cover the precise skills needed (alongside some required background) - without overdoing the detail in all sorts of other things (as degree courses are known to do).

It's rather like the advert: 'It does what it says on the label'. All an employer has to do is know where they have gaps, and then advertise for someone with the specific certification. That way they can be sure they're interviewing applicants who can do the job.

How can job security really exist anywhere now? In a marketplace like the UK, with businesses changing their mind whenever it suits, there doesn't seem much chance. When we come across increasing skills shortfalls together with increasing demand though, we generally discover a newer brand of security in the marketplace; driven forward by the constant growth conditions, companies struggle to find the number of people required.

Taking a look at the computer business, a recent e-Skills analysis highlighted a 26 percent shortage in trained professionals. To explain it in a different way, this shows that the country can only find three qualified staff for each four job positions in existence currently. This disturbing certainty clearly demonstrates the requirement for more technically certified IT professionals throughout the country. In reality, seeking in-depth commercial IT training as you progress through the coming years is probably the safest career move you'll ever make.

Many training companies have a handy Job Placement Assistance service, to help you get your first job. Because of the massive skills shortage in the United Kingdom at the moment, it's not necessary to get too caught up in this feature though. It's not as difficult as you may be led to believe to land a job as long as you're correctly trained and certified.

Having said that, it's important to have help and assistance with preparing a CV and getting interviews though; additionally, we would recommend any student to work on polishing up their CV as soon as training commences - don't put it off until you've graduated or passed any exams. Many junior support roles are offered to students who are in the process of training and haven't got any qualifications yet. At least this will get you on your way. Generally, a local IT focused employment agency (who will get paid by the employer when they've placed you) is going to give you a better service than a division of a training company. In addition, they will no doubt be familiar with the area and local employers better.

Essentially, if you put as much hard work into finding a position as into studying, you won't have any problems. Some people bizarrely put hundreds of hours into their training course and just give up once certified and would appear to think that businesses will just discover them.

Students hoping to start a career in IT often don't know which path to follow, or even which market to achieve their certification in. Because without any solid background in Information Technology, how can most of us know what anyone doing a particular job actually does? Usually, the way to come at this problem in the best manner flows from a full discussion of a number of areas:

- What hobbies you have and enjoy - often these highlight what things will give you the most reward.

- Are you hoping to get certified for a precise reason - i.e. do you aim to work based from home (being your own boss?)?

- Is your income higher on your wish list than other factors.

- Many students don't properly consider the level of commitment involved to get fully certified.

- You have to appreciate the differences between the myriad of training options.

For the majority of us, getting to the bottom of so much data needs a long talk with an experienced pro that can investigate each area with you. And not just the accreditations - but also the commercial expectations and needs also.

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