Nice One! Hitting upon this feature indicates you're probably contemplating your career, and if it's new career training you're deliberating over you've even now progressed more than almost everybody else. Are you aware that a small minority of us are fulfilled in our working life - yet most will do absolutely nothing about it. Why don't you stand out from the crowd and take action - don't you think you deserve it.

It's advisable to get some help before you start - talk to a knowledgeable person; an advisor who can discover your ideal job, and offer only the learning programs which are appropriate for you:

* Would you like to work with others? If the answer's yes, would you enjoy being part of a team or is meeting new people important to you? Or would you rather work alone with a task?

* The banks and building sector are struggling right now, so think carefully about the sector that will answer your needs?

* When you've done all your re-training, would you like this skill to serve you till you retire?

* Do you want your study to be in an area where you believe your chances of gainful employment are high until your pension kicks in?

We would strongly recommend that one of your key sectors is IT - it's well known that it's on the grow. It's not full of geeky individuals gazing at their PC's all day - it's true those jobs exist, but the majority of roles are filled with ordinary people who get on very well.

Far too many companies focus completely on the certification process, and forget what you actually need - getting yourself a new job or career. You should always begin with the final destination in mind - don't get hung-up on the training vehicle. It's a terrible situation, but a large percentage of students begin programs that seem spectacular from the sales literature, but which provides the end-result of a job that is of no interest at all. Just ask several university graduates for a real eye-opener.

Set targets for earning potential and what level of ambition fits you. This will influence which precise exams you will need and what you can expect to give industry in return. Sense dictates that you always seek guidance and advice from an experienced industry professional before you begin a learning program, so there's little doubt that a program provides the skill-set required for your career choice.

The way a programme is physically sent to you is usually ignored by most students. How is the courseware broken down? What is the specific order and do you have a say in when you'll get each part? The majority of training companies will set up a program spread over 1-3 years, and drop-ship the materials to you piecemeal as you complete each exam. If you think this sound logical, then consider this: It's not unusual for trainees to realise that their providers typical path to completion isn't the easiest way for them. It's often the case that a slightly different order suits them better. And what happens if they don't finish within their exact timetable?

To be honest, the perfect answer is to get an idea of what they recommend as an ideal study order, but make sure you have all of your learning modules right from the beginning. Everything is then in your possession in case you don't finish as fast as they'd like.

We're regularly asked to explain why traditional degrees are being overtaken by more commercial qualifications? As we require increasingly more effective technological know-how, the IT sector has moved to the specialised core-skills learning that can only come from the vendors - that is companies like CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA. Frequently this is at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. Vendor training works through concentrating on the actual skills required (along with an appropriate level of associated knowledge,) instead of going into the heightened depths of background 'extras' that degrees in computing can get bogged down in - to fill a three or four year course.

When it comes down to the nitty-gritty: Commercial IT certifications provide exactly what an employer needs - the title is a complete giveaway: for example, I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Designing Security for a Windows 2003 Network'. Therefore employers can look at their needs and which qualifications are required to perform the job.

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