A big contender for the top potential problem across all IT training can be attending multi-day workshops. Most certification companies extol the virtues of the 'benefits' of going in to their classes, usually though, they end up as a growing difficulty due to:

- Constant driving back and forth from the centre - normally 100's of miles.

- Asking for frequent time off work - many training companies can only give Mon-Fri workshop availability and link several days together. This is generally difficult for those of us who work for a living, even more so when you add the travel time on.

- Lost holiday days - most working people are given only twenty days of leave annually. If half or more of that is used up by training workshops, that doesn't leave much holiday time left for most student's families.

- Workshops fill up quickly and can sometimes be too big - so they're not personal enough.

- Many students want to study at a somewhat more suitable pace - rather than be dictated to by the rest of the class. Often this can bring about a classic case of 'classroom tension'.

- And let's not ignore the increased financial outlay of arranging transport or bed and breakfast for the night either. This may well run to hundreds and even thousands of pounds extra. Do the maths yourself - you'll get a shock.

- Do you really want any chance of being overlooked for a possible promotion or wage increases just because you're retraining.

- Don't think it's unusual for trainees to hide the fact that they want to raise a question - just due to the reason that they're surrounded by fellow attendees.

- Typically, workshops frequently become nigh on unreachable, where you work or live away for part of the week.

An altogether more elegant solution is to watch a videoed class - having instructor-led teaching on hand at a time that's convenient to you alone. Just imagine... Utilising a notebook PC you're able to work in any location you choose. And live 24x7 support is an online click away if you hit challenges. You could watch and re-watch the learning modules as often as you need to prep for an exam. There's also no need to scribble any notes because the class is available whenever you want it. Even though this doesn't take away all study problems, it definitely reduces stress and eases things. Plus you've got less travel, costs and hassle.

Technology and IT is one of the most stimulating and innovative industries that you could be a part of. To be dealing with leading-edge technology means you're a part of the huge progress shaping life over the next few decades. Society largely thinks that the increase in technology we have experienced is easing off. There is no truth in this at all. There are huge changes to come, and the internet in particular will become an increasingly dominant part of our lives.

If earning a good living is around the top on your wish list, you'll welcome the news that the average salary of a typical IT worker is a lot higher than with other market sectors. With the IT marketplace emerging year on year, one can predict that the need for certified IT specialists will continue to boom for years to come.

Don't put too much store, as can often be the case, on the training process. You're not training for the sake of training; you should be geared towards the actual job at the end of it. You need to remain focused on where you want to go. Students often train for a single year but end up doing the actual job for 10-20 years. Don't make the mistake of opting for what may seem to be a program of interest to you only to waste your life away with an unrewarding career!

Make sure you investigate how you feel about earning potential, career development, plus your level of ambition. You need to know what industry expects from you, what particular qualifications are required and in what way you can develop commercial experience. Talk to an experienced industry professional who knows about the sector you're looking at, and could provide a detailed description of the kind of things you'll be doing on a daily basis. Contemplating this long before starting out on a study course will save you both time and money.

With all the options available, is it any wonder that the majority of career changers balk at what job they will follow. How can most of us possibly understand what is involved in a particular job if we've never been there? Often we don't even know anybody who does that actual job anyway. Often, the key to unlocking this problem in the best manner stems from a deep conversation around several different topics:

- What nature of person you consider yourself to be - what kind of jobs you enjoy doing, plus of course - what you hate to do.

- Is it your desire to achieve an important aspiration - for instance, working for yourself in the near future?

- Where is the salary on a scale of importance - is it of prime importance, or is job satisfaction a lot higher on your priority-list?

- Always think in-depth about the work demanded to achieve their goals.

- You have to take in what is different for each area of training.

To bypass the confusing industry jargon, and reveal the most viable option for your success, have an informal meeting with an industry-experienced advisor; an individual who understands the commercial reality as well as each accreditation.

If an advisor doesn't ask you a lot of questions - it's likely they're really a salesperson. If they wade straight in with a specific product before getting to know your background and current experience level, then it's very likely to be the case. If you have a strong background, or maybe some work-based experience (possibly even some previous certification?) then obviously your starting point will vary from someone who is just starting out. If this is your initial crack at studying to take an IT exam then it may be wise to practice with user-skills and software training first.

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