Watch out that all qualifications you're studying for will be recognised by employers and are the most recent versions. Training companies own certificates are usually worthless. If the accreditation doesn't feature a major player like Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA, then chances are it won't be commercially viable - because no-one will recognise it.

We can guess that you've always enjoyed practical work - the 'hands-on' personality type. If you're anything like us, the world of book-reading and classrooms would be considered as a last resort, but it's not really your thing. You should use video and multimedia based materials if learning from books is not your thing. Recent studies into the way we learn shows that much more of what we learn in remembered when all our senses are involved, and we put into practice what we've been studying.

Programs are now found in disc format, so everything is learned directly from your own PC. Video streaming means you can sit back and watch the teachers showing you precisely how something is done, with some practice time to follow - via the interactive virtual lab's. It's imperative to see the type of training provided by your chosen company. It's essential they incorporate full motion videos of instructors demonstrating the topic with lab's to practice the skills in.

Purely on-line training should be avoided. Always choose CD or DVD based study materials where obtainable, so that you have access at all times - it's not wise to be held hostage to your broadband being 'up' 100 percent of the time.

The perhaps intimidating chore of finding your first IT job can be made easier by some companies, via a Job Placement Assistance service. Because of the huge need for more IT skills in Britain at the moment, there isn't a great need to become overly impressed with this service however. It isn't so complicated as you might think to land a job once you're properly qualified.

Whatever you do, don't procrastinate and wait until you have qualified before getting your CV updated. As soon as you start studying, mark down what you're doing and tell people about it! Quite frequently, you'll land your first position while still studying (sometimes when you've only just got going). If you haven't updated your CV to say what you're studying (and it hasn't been posted on jobsites) then you don't stand a chance! Generally, a local IT focused recruitment consultant or service (who will get paid commission to place you) should get better results than any sector of a centralised training facility. It also stands to reason that they'll be familiar with the local area and commercial needs.

In a nutshell, as long as you put the same commitment into getting your first IT position as into training, you won't find it too challenging. Some men and women strangely spend hundreds of hours on their learning program and then call a halt once qualified and seem to suppose that interviewers know they're there.

Both of the exams have quite recently been subject to a 2009 upgrade in-line with the company's work towards 'ISO' standardisation. The previous A+ (version 2006/2007) examinations which were categorised with the '600' pre-fix are being retired internationally through 2010. In the UK, they cease being offered on 31.08.2010. Because both these, and the new '700' examinations are now allowed to be taken in Prometric & 'Vue' test-centres, it makes sense to study the '700' exams now, & avoid having to certify again later. CompTIA A+ Essentials and 'CompTIA' 'A+' Practical Application are the new exam titles (220-701 and 220-702 respectively). The most crucial changes were a total restructuring of the previous four examinations in to just two examinations, & the inclusion of some coverage on newer relevant technologies. Formerly, the 'A+' was broken into four examinations: 1 essential and 3 'elective' specialisations. As the industry has progressed, the know-how from all four exams is actually deemed crucial, and so has been fine-tuned in to two compulsory exams. Anybody who has formerly achieved the 600 examination can bring their qualification up to date by taking an upgrade examination - 'BR-003'. Further training will almost certainly end up being necessary, particularly for many who just initially studied for 2 of the 4 'electives'. The newly created subject areas will undoubtedly need some extra study.

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