March 10th, 2010UK Based IT Retraining – Thoughts
It’s really great that you’ve already got this far! Only one in ten folks say they enjoy their work, but vast numbers just go off on one from time to time and take no action. By looking for this we can guess that you’re at least considering retraining, so well done to you. Take your time now to research and follow-through.
On the subject of training, it’s important to first define what you DO want and DON’T want from the job you’d like to train for. You need to know that the grass actually is greener before your energies are focused on changing the direction of your life. Prudence suggests looking at the destination you’re hoping for, to avoid disappointment:
* Do you hope for interaction with others? If you say yes, are you a team player or is meeting new people important to you? Maybe you’d rather be left alone to get on with things?
* Do you have a preference which market sector you choose to work in? (In this economy, it’s even more crucial to choose carefully.)
* When you’ve done all your re-training, would you like your new abilities to get you jobs for the rest of your working life?
* Do you feel uncomfortable about the chance of finding new employment, and being in demand in the employment market to the end of your working life?
The most significant market sector in the United Kingdom that can satisfy a trainee’s demands is the computer industry, particularly IT. There is a requirement for greater numbers of qualified workers in this sector, just check out any job site and there’ll be a long list. But don’t think it’s full of techie geeks looking at their computerscreens all day long – it’s much more diverse than that. Most of the people in the industry are just like you and me, and they have very interesting and well paid jobs.
Wouldn’t it be great to know for sure that our jobs are secure and our future is protected, but the likely scenario for the majority of jobs around the United Kingdom right now is that security may be a thing of the past.
However, a quickly growing market-place, with a constant demand for staff (due to a big shortage of commercially certified people), creates the conditions for true job security.
Offering the computing sector for instance, the most recent e-Skills survey brought to light major skills shortages around Great Britain in excess of 26 percent. This shows that for every four jobs that exist in Information Technology (IT), there are only 3 trained people to do them.
This one truth alone clearly demonstrates why the United Kingdom is in need of many more new trainees to get into the IT industry.
It would be hard to imagine if a better time or market state of affairs could exist for getting trained into this rapidly emerging and budding industry.
The age-old way of teaching, using textbooks and whiteboards, is an up-hill struggle for the majority of us. If all this is ringing some familiar bells, look for learning programmes that are multimedia based.
Many years of research has consistently demonstrated that becoming involved with our studies, to utilise all our senses, is much more conducive to long-term memory.
Modern training can now be done at home via easy-to-use DVD or CD ROM’s. Through instructor-led video classes you’ll take everything in via the demonstrations and explanations. You can then test yourself by utilising the practice lab’s and modules.
It’s wise to view a small selection of training examples before you sign the purchase order. You should expect instructor demonstrations, video tutorials and audio-visual elements backed up by interactive lab’s.
Some companies only have access to just online versions of their training packages; and although this is okay the majority of the time, consider how you’ll deal with it when you don’t have access to the internet or you only get very a very slow connection sometimes. A safer solution is the provision of CD and DVD ROM materials that don’t suffer from these broadband issues.
Being a part of the leading edge of new technology gives you the best job satisfaction ever. Your actions are instrumental in shaping the next few decades.
Computer technology and connections via the web is going to spectacularly change the way we live our lives in the near future; profoundly so.
Should lifestyle be up there on your goal sheet, then you’ll welcome the news that the usual remuneration for IT employees in general is considerably higher than with most other jobs or industries.
The good news is there’s no easing up for IT jobs development across Britain. The market sector continues to grow hugely, and with the skills shortage of over 26 percent that we’re experiencing, it’s most unlikely that there’ll be any kind of easing off for years to come.
Make sure you don’t get caught-up, like so many people do, on the certification itself. Training is not an end in itself; this is about employment. You need to remain focused on where you want to go.
It’s a sad fact, but a great many students kick-off study that often sounds marvellous in the syllabus guide, but which gets us a career that doesn’t satisfy. Speak to a selection of university students and you’ll see where we’re coming from.
Get to grips with the income level you aspire to and what level of ambition fits you. This will influence which accreditations will be expected and how much effort you’ll have to give in return.
Seek guidance and advice from a skilled advisor, irrespective of whether you have to pay – it’s much safer and cheaper to investigate at the start if a chosen track will suit, rather than realise after 2 years that the job you’ve chosen is not for you and now need to go back to square one.
Copyright Scott Edwards 2009. Check out computertraining-online.co.uk or HERE.