If you're aiming to progress a career in I.T., start by developing some networking knowledge. You need to understand just how PC's function and communicate with each other before you can consider anything else. If you have decent user skills, you'll find training programs like 'CompTIA's A+' and 'Network+' will give you an ideal grounding to begin your career. We have extensive information about these training programs on the web pages dedicated to CompTIA.

Progressing from here you can look at the MS 'MCSA'/'MCSE' or perhaps the 'Cisco' 'CCNA'/'CCNP', based on whether you're more interested in the 'hardware' or 'software' side of things. However, it must be said that a comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft networks is pretty much essential for the majority of network environments, simply because of MS's dominance in this field. Once again, each of these certifications are discussed in-depth on their respective pages within this website.

However, you might choose to remain on the vendor-neutral route with more 'CompTIA' qualification (e.g. Linux+ , Server+ & Security+ ) or even try your hand at the wire-less ('Wi-Fi') side of things by taking the CWNP/CWNA.

Technology and IT is amongst the most electrifying and revolutionary industries that you could be a part of. To be working on the cutting-edge of technology puts you at the fore-front of developments that will affect us all over the next generation. It's a common misapprehension that the technological advancement that's been a familiar part of our recent lives is slowing down. This couldn't be more wrong. Terrific advances are ahead of us, and the internet in particular will be the most effective tool in our lives.

And it's worth remembering that on average, the income of a person in the IT sector in the United Kingdom is a lot greater than the national average salary, so in general you'll most likely receive noticeably more as an IT specialist, than you could reasonably hope to achieve elsewhere. As the IT industry keeps growing at an unprecedented rate, it's likely that the requirement for well trained and qualified IT technicians will continue to boom for a good while yet.

If you're like many of the students we talk to then you've always enjoyed practical work - a 'hands-on' type. If you're anything like us, the painful task of reading endless manuals can be just about bared when essential, but you really wouldn't enjoy it. Check out video-based multimedia instruction if book-based learning really isn't your style. If we can utilise all of our senses into our learning, then the results are usually dramatically better.

Top of the range study programs now offer interactive CD and DVD ROM's. Instructor-led tutorials will mean you'll take everything in via the expert demonstrations. You can then test yourself by interacting with the software and practicing yourself. It's imperative to see the type of training provided by any company that you may want to train through. They have to utilise video demo's and interactive elements such as practice lab's.

Go for actual CD or DVD ROM's every time. This then avoids all the potential pitfalls with internet connection failure and issues with signal quality.

Don't accept anything less than an accredited exam preparation programme included in the package you choose. Ensure that the practice exams haven't just got questions on the right subjects, but ask them in the way the real exams will structure them. This really messes up trainees if they're met with completely different formats and phraseologies. It's a good idea to have some simulated exam questions in order to check your knowledge at any point. Mock exams help to build your confidence - so you won't be quite so nervous at the actual exam.

One of the latest areas in this particular field is Digital Forensics. We might connect forensics with TV shows such as CSI (Crime Scene Investigation). There may well however be a bit less glamour to the real work compared to that carried out by the characters on television! But for many people, it offers a highly interesting and rewarding career in technology based analysis. The process being to gather & evaluate digital footprints, to deliver evidence either in a criminal investigation or a civil enquiry.

Alongside Security and Computer Forensics the to some extent new profession of Ethical Hacking is developing. These are certifications provided by the EC-Council that teach more advanced candidates the darker principles of hacking - but with the intention of using these abilities to safeguard & increase the security of a system, rather than damage it.

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