The old fashioned style of teaching, using textbooks and whiteboards, is often a huge slog for most of us. If this describes you, check out study materials which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. If we can study while utilising as many senses as possible, then we often see hugely increased memory retention as a result.

Study programs now come on CD and DVD discs, where your computer becomes the centre of your learning. Using video-streaming, you can watch instructors demonstrating how to perform the required skill, and then practice yourself - via the interactive virtual lab's. Each company you're contemplating should willingly take you through a few examples of the type of training materials they provide. You should hope for instructor-led videos and a variety of interactive modules.

Opt for physical media such as CD or DVD ROM's every time. You can then avoid all the difficulties of internet connection failure and issues with signal quality.

One crafty way that training companies make more money is by adding exam fees upfront to the cost of a course and then including an 'Exam Guarantee'. This looks like a great idea for the student, but let's just examine it more closely:

Certainly it's not free - you're still footing the bill for it - it's just been wrapped up in the price of the package. People who take each progressive exam, funding them one at a time are much better placed to get through first time. They are mindful of the cost and prepare more appropriately to ensure they are ready.

Look for the very best offer you can when you're ready, and hang on to your cash. You'll then be able to select where you do the examinations - so you can find somewhere local. Is there a good reason to pay interest on a bigger loan than is necessary because you've paid early for exams when you don't need to? A lot of profit is made because training colleges are getting money in early for exam fees - and then cashing in when they're not all taken. Additionally, exam guarantees often have very little value. Most companies won't be prepared to pay again for an exam until you've completely satisfied them that you're ready this time.

With average prices for VUE and Pro-metric tests costing in the region of 112 pounds in this country, it's common sense to fund them one by one. Why splash out often many hundreds of pounds extra at the beginning of your training? Commitment, effort and practice with quality exam preparation systems are the factors that really get you through.

The vendor-neutral worldwide institution CompTIA now offers possibly the most recognised & widely respected independent IT certifications. There are also many other companies, such as the 'ISC2' (shortened from their rather long-winded: 'International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium'!) and 'CWNP' (Certified Wireless Network Professional). Most prominently not surprisingly are Cisco & Microsoft themselves, each offering their own qualification tracks. With the amount of training & career possibilities in this sector, it is prudent to get more personal help and advice from an industry expert before choosing your specific route. With no individually tailored help you could head-off in a wrong direction and squander a lot of money and/or time.

An advisor that doesn't question you thoroughly - it's likely they're actually nothing more than a salesman. If they push a particular product before looking at your personality and experience, then you know you're being sold to. With some work-based experience or some accreditation, you may find that your starting point is now at a different level to a new student. Opening with a basic PC skills module first is often the best way to get into your IT training, but really depends on your level of familiarity with computers.

Only consider learning programmes that'll lead to commercially recognised qualifications. There's a plethora of minor schools proposing unknown 'in-house' certificates which are worthless when you start your job-search. All the major IT organisations like Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco each have internationally renowned proficiency programs. These big-hitters will give some sparkle to your CV.

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