In the modern world, support workers who have the ability to fix networks and PC's, along with giving constant help to users, are essential in all areas of the business environment. With the increasingly daunting complexities of technology, greater numbers of trained staff are being sought to dedicate themselves to the smooth operation of functions we need to be sure will work effectively.

One area often overlooked by people weighing up a particular programme is 'training segmentation'. Basically, this means the breakdown of the materials to be delivered to you, which completely controls how you end up. Normally, you'll join a programme staged over 2 or 3 years and get sent one module each time you pass an exam. This sounds logical on one level, until you consider this: What if you find the order pushed by the company's salespeople doesn't suit all of us. It may be difficult to get through each and every section at the speed required?

An ideal situation would be to have every piece of your study pack delivered to you right at the start; the entire package! This prevents any future issues from rising that will affect your capability of finishing.

Of all the important things to consider, one of the most essential is always proper direct-access 24x7 support from professional mentors and instructors. Far too often we see trainers who will only offer a basic 9am till 6pm support period (maybe later on certain days) with very little availability over the weekend. Be wary of any training providers which use 'out-of-hours' call-centres - with the call-back coming in during office hours. This is no use if you're stuck and need an answer now.

We recommend looking for providers that use several support centres from around the world. These should be integrated to enable simple one-stop access and also 24x7 access, when it suits you, with the minimum of hassle. Don't under any circumstances take a lower level of service. Online 24x7 support is the only viable option when it comes to IT study. Maybe burning the midnight-oil is not your thing; but for the majority of us however, we're at work while the support is live.

With so much choice, does it really shock us that a large percentage of trainees don't really understand the best career path they will follow. Scanning a list of odd-sounding and meaningless job titles is no use whatsoever. The majority of us don't even know what our next-door neighbours do at work each day - so we're in the dark as to the subtleties of a new IT role. To attack this, there should be a discussion of several unique issues:

* Your personality type as well as your interests - which work-related things please or frustrate you.

* What length of time can you allocate for your training?

* Where do you stand on salary vs job satisfaction?

* Understanding what the main job roles and markets are - including what sets them apart.

* The level of commitment and effort you'll have available to spend on your training.

The best way to avoid the industry jargon, and uncover what'll really work for you, have an informal chat with an advisor with years of experience; a person who will cover the commercial realities and truth while explaining each accreditation.

Many companies only concern themselves with gaining a certificate, and avoid focusing on the reasons for getting there - which is a commercial career or job. Your focus should start with the end goal - don't make the vehicle more important than the destination. It's quite usual, in many cases, to find immense satisfaction in a year of study and then spend 20 miserable years in something completely unrewarding, as a consequence of not performing the correct level of soul-searching when you should've - at the outset.

Set targets for what you want to earn and what level of ambition fits you. Usually, this will point the way to which precise certifications you will need and how much effort you'll have to give in return. We advise all students to talk with a professional advisor before deciding on their study program. This helps to ensure it contains the commercially required skills for the career that is sought.

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