If you want training in Cisco, a CCNA is in all probability what you'll need. Cisco training is the way to go for those who need to know all about routers and switches. Routers hook up networks of computers to other computer networks over the internet or dedicated lines.

As routers are connected to networks, it's important to understand how networks function, or you will have difficulties with the program and not be able to do the work. Find a training programme that teaches the basics (CompTIA is a good one) and then move onto CCNA.

Having the skills and knowledge in advance of getting going on the Cisco CCNA is very important. So talk to someone who can fill you in on any gaps you may have.

Charging for examination fees with the course fee then giving it 'Exam Guarantee' status is a popular marketing tool with many companies. Consider the facts:

Certainly it isn't free - you are paying for it - it's just been included in your package price. We all want to pass first time. Taking your exams progressively one by one and funding them one at a time has a marked effect on pass-rates - you revise thoroughly and are aware of the costs involved.

Do your exams at a local pro-metric testing centre and go for the best offer you can find when you're ready. Big margins are made by many companies who get money upfront for exam fees. A number of students don't take them for various reasons and so they pocket the rest. Amazingly, there are training companies who rely on that fact - as that's how they make a lot of their profit. It's worth noting that exam re-takes through training companies with an 'Exam Guarantee' inevitably are heavily regulated. They'll insist that you take mock exams first until you've demonstrated an excellent ability to pass.

Spending hundreds or even thousands extra on 'Exam Guarantees' is remiss - when study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.

The world of information technology is one of the more electrifying and revolutionary industries to be involved in today. To be dealing with leading-edge technology is to do your bit in the gigantic changes that will impact the whole world for generations to come. We're in the very early stages of beginning to get a feel for how technology will influence everything we do. Technology and the web will massively revolutionise how we view and interrelate with the entire world over the next few years.

Let's not forget that on average, the income of a person in the IT sector throughout this country is noticeably better than in other market sectors, therefore you'll be in a good position to gain noticeably more as a trained IT professional, than you'd get in most other industries. It seems there's no end in sight for IT jobs growth in the United Kingdom. The sector continues to grow hugely, and we don't have anywhere near enough qualified skilled IT professionals to fill current job vacancies, so it's not likely that things will be any different for quite some time to come.

Don't get hung-up, as a lot of students can, on the training course itself. Training is not an end in itself; this is about gaining commercial employment. Stay focused on what it is you want to achieve. You could be training for only a year and end up doing a job for a lifetime. Don't make the mistake of opting for what may seem to be an 'interesting' course only to waste your life away with a job you hate!

Get to grips with the income level you aspire to and whether you're an ambitious person or not. This can often control which qualifications you'll need to attain and what you can expect to give industry in return. Always seek guidance and advice from an experienced industry advisor, irrespective of whether you have to pay - it's usually much cheaper and safer to find out at the beginning whether a chosen track will suit, instead of discovering after 2 years that you're doing entirely the wrong thing and have to return to the start of another program.

Some training providers will provide a useful Job Placement Assistance service, to help you into your first commercial role. Don't get overly impressed with this service - it's easy for training companies to make it sound harder than it is. At the end of the day, the massive skills shortage in the United Kingdom is what will enable you to get a job.

Update your CV at the beginning of your training though (advice can be sought on this via your provider). Don't procrastinate and leave it till you've finished your exams. You'll often find that you will get your initial job while you're still a student (even in the early stages). If your course details aren't on your CV (and it's not being looked at by employers) then you're not even going to be known about! The best services to help you land that job are usually independent and specialised local recruitment services. Because they only get paid when they place you, they'll work that much harder to get a result.

Certainly be sure that you don't spend hundreds of hours on your training and studies, just to give up and leave it up to everyone else to secure your first position. Get off your backside and get on with the job. Invest as much focus into securing your first job as it took to get qualified.

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