Networking Retraining Courses - Options

If we didn't have a constant influx of knowledgeable PC and network support staff, industry in Great Britain (as elsewhere) would be likely to grind to a halt. Therefore, there's an on-going demand for technically able people to support systems and users alike. Whilst we are getting growingly dependent on advanced technology, we simultaneously inevitably become more reliant on the technically knowledgeable IT networkers, who ensure the systems function properly.

A lot of training providers only give office hours or extended office hours support; very few go late in the evening or at weekends. Many only provide email support (too slow), and phone support is often to a call-centre which will take the information and email an instructor - who will attempt to call you within 24-48 hrs, when it's convenient to them. This is all next to useless if you're lost and confused and only have certain times available in which to do your studies.

It's possible to find the top providers that provide their students direct-access support at all times - no matter what time of day it is. Don't under any circumstances take less than this. Direct-access round-the-clock support is really your only option with technical learning. Perhaps you don't intend to study during the evenings; usually though, we're working during the provided support period.

Most trainers typically provide mainly work-books and reference manuals. Learning like this is dull and repetitive and not a very good way of achieving retention. Memory is vastly improved with an involvement of all our senses - this has been an accepted fact in expert circles for many years.

The latest audio-visual interactive programs involving demonstration and virtual lab's will turn you off book-based study for ever more. And you'll find them fun and interesting. It's imperative to see the type of training provided by any company that you may want to train through. They have to utilise full motion videos of instructors demonstrating the topic with lab's to practice the skills in.

Go for disc based courseware (On CD or DVD) if possible. You can then avoid all the difficulties of broadband outages, failure and signal quality issues etc.

Validated exam simulation and preparation software is essential - and should definitely be offered by your training provider. Confirm that your practice exams are not just posing the correct questions on the correct subjects, but also asking them in the way the real exams will pose them. It can really throw some trainees if they're met with completely different formats and phraseologies. 'Mock' or practice exams will prove very useful as a tool for logging knowledge into your brain - then when the time comes for you to take the real thing, you don't get phased.

Charging for examinations as an inclusive element of the package price then giving it 'Exam Guarantee' status is common for many companies. But let's examine why they really do it:

We all know that we're ultimately paying for it - it's obviously already been included in the overall figure from the college. It's certainly not free (although some people will believe anything the marketing companies think up these days!) Those who take each progressive exam, paying for them just before taking them are much more likely to pass. They're aware of what they've paid and prepare more appropriately to be up to the task.

Sit the exam as locally as possible and don't pay up-front, but seek out the best deal for you when you're ready. A lot of extra profit is netted by many training colleges that get money upfront for exam fees. A number of students don't take them for various reasons but the company keeps the money. Amazingly, there are companies around who depend on students not taking their exams - as that's very profitable for them. It's worth noting that exam re-takes via companies who offer an 'Exam Guarantee' are tightly controlled. They will insist that you take pre-tests first so you can prove to them you have a good chance of passing.

Splashing out often many hundreds of pounds extra on an 'Exam Guarantee' is naive - when hard work, commitment and the right preparation via exam simulations is actually the key to your success.

Copyright 2009 Jason Kendall. Visit CLICK HERE or New Career Courses.