Four specialist training areas feature in the complete CompTIA A+ course, but you're just required to achieve pass marks in 2 for your A+ qualification. We would advise however that only learning about 2 of the four specialities could leave gaps in your knowledge. At least learn about all four - for greater confidence in the world of work.

Passing the A+ exam on its own will allow you to mend and maintain computers and Macs; ones that are most often not part of a network - which is for the most part the home market. Perhaps you see yourself as someone who is a member of a large organisation - fixing and supporting networks, build on A+ with Network+, or follow the Microsoft route - MCP's, MCSA or MCSE because it's necessary to have a deeper understanding of how networks work.

One interesting way that training companies make a big mark-up is by adding exam fees upfront to the cost of a course and presenting it as a guarantee for your exams. It looks impressive, until you think it through:

You'll be charged for it ultimately. One thing's for sure - it isn't free - it's just been rolled into the price of the whole package. For those who want to get a first time pass, you must pay for one exam at a time, prioritise it appropriately and give the task sufficient application.

Doesn't it make more sense to not pay up-front, but when you're ready, not to pay any mark-up to a college, and to take it closer to home - rather than possibly hours away from your area? Is there a good reason to pay interest on a bigger loan than is necessary because you've paid early for exam fees when there was no need to? A lot of profit is netted by organisations getting money in early for exam fees - and then cashing in when they're not all taken. Re-takes of previously unsuccessful exams via organisations with an 'Exam Guarantee' inevitably are heavily regulated. You will be required to do mock exams until you've proven that you're likely to pass.

Exams taken at VUE and Prometric centres are currently clocking in at an average of 112 pounds in this country. Students should be very wary of forking out hundreds of pounds extra in 'Exam Guarantee' costs (usually wrapped up in the course package price) - when the best course materials, the right level of support and study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.

Being at the forefront of the cutting-edge of new technology is as thrilling as it comes. You become one of a team of people creating a future for us all. Technological changes and connections through the internet is going to spectacularly alter the way we live our lives in the near future; overwhelmingly so.

A usual IT man or woman throughout Britain will also receive significantly more than his or her counterpart outside of IT. Typical salaries are amongst the highest in the country. Demand for certified IT specialists is certain for many years to come, because of the continuous development in the marketplace and the massive shortage still present.

One thing you must always insist on is 24x7 round-the-clock support from dedicated instructors and mentors. So many companies we come across only seem to want to help while they're in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends. Try and find training with proper support available at all hours of the day and night (even if it's early hours on Sunday morning!) Ensure you get access directly to professional tutors, and not a call-centre that will take messages so you're constantly waiting for a call-back during office hours.

The very best programs opt for an online 24x7 package involving many support centres from around the world. You will be provided with an interface that seamlessly selects the best facility available no matter what time of day it is: Support when you need it. Never make the mistake of compromise where support is concerned. Most trainees who throw in the towel, are in that situation because of support (or the lack of).

We'd hazard a guess that you're a practical sort of person - a 'hands-on' personality type. Usually, the painful task of reading endless manuals is something you'll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but you really wouldn't enjoy it. So look for on-screen interactive learning packages if books just don't do it for you. Research over recent years has always shown that an 'involved' approach to study, where we utilise all our senses, is proven to produce longer-lasting and deeper memory retention.

Find a course where you'll get a host of CD or DVD ROM's - you'll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, with the facility to hone your abilities through virtual lab's. You must ensure that you see some example materials from each company you're contemplating. Be sure that they contain video, demonstrations and various interactive elements.

You should avoid purely online training. Always choose CD or DVD based study materials where offered, so you can use them wherever and whenever you want - it's not wise to be held hostage to your broadband being 'up' 100 percent of the time.

A study programme has to build towards a fully recognised major certification at the end - definitely not some 'in-house' diploma - fit only for filing away and forgetting. Only nationally recognised accreditation from companies such as Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco and CompTIA will open the doors to employers.