What kind of things do you expect the top of the range Microsoft accredited suppliers to offer a client in Britain in this day and age? Undoubtedly, the most supreme Gold Partner training tracks certified by Microsoft, offering a portfolio of courses to take you into different areas of the IT industry.

You might also want to be given advice on the types of jobs that are available once you have passed your exams, and the type of individual those jobs could suit. Many people like to get advice on what the best route is for them.

When you've chosen the job you'd like to get into, a relevant course has to be selected that's suits your needs. This should be personalised for you.

One useful service that several companies offer is a Job Placement Assistance program. This is to assist your search for your first position. With the growing skills shortage in the United Kingdom today, it's not necessary to make too much of this option though. It's not as difficult as you may be led to believe to land employment once you're properly qualified.

Update your CV at the beginning of your training though - look to your training company for advice on how to do this. Don't procrastinate and leave it until you've graduated or passed any exams.

Getting your CV considered is better than being rejected. A decent number of junior positions are offered to people who are still at an early stage in their studies.

You'll normally experience better performance from an independent and specialised local recruitment consultancy than you will through a training company's employment division, because they'll know the local area and commercial needs better.

A good number of students, it would appear, invest a great deal of time on their training course (for years sometimes), and then just stop instead of looking for the right position. Promote yourself... Do everything you can to get yourself known. Don't expect a job to just fall into your lap.

Some training companies will only offer basic 9am till 6pm support (maybe a little earlier or later on certain days); very few go late in the evening or at weekends.

Don't buy study programmes that only provide support to you via a call-centre messaging service when it's outside of usual working hours. Colleges will defend this with all kinds of excuses. The bottom line is - you want support at the appropriate time - not as-and-when it's suitable for their staff.

It's possible to find the very best companies who offer direct-access online support all the time - at any time of day or night.

Look for a training provider that is worth purchasing from. As only live 24x7 round-the-clock support gives you the confidence to make it.

For the most part, a everyday trainee has no idea where to start with the IT industry, or even what market they should be considering getting trained in.

I mean, if you don't have any know-how of IT in the workplace, how can you expect to know what someone in a particular field fills their day with? Let alone decide on what educational path would be most appropriate for ultimate success.

Usually, the way to come at this issue appropriately flows from an in-depth conversation around several areas:

* What nature of person you consider yourself to be - the tasks that you find interesting, and don't forget - what you hate to do.

* Are you hoping to re-train for a certain raison d'etre - for example, is it your goal to work based from home (being your own boss?)?

* How highly do you rate salary - is an increase your main motivator, or is day-to-day enjoyment higher up on your list of priorities?

* Learning what the normal IT areas and sectors are - and what makes them different.

* How much time you're prepared to set aside for obtaining your certification.

For most people, considering these areas requires a good chat with an advisor who has direct industry experience. And not just the certifications - but the commercial requirements of the market as well.

You should remember: a actual training or an accreditation is not the ultimate goal; a job that you want is. Many trainers unfortunately put too much weight in the actual accreditation.

Students often train for a single year but end up performing the job-role for decades. Ensure you avoid the fatal error of taking what may be an 'interesting' training program and then spend decades in a job you don't like!

Spend some time thinking about the income level you aspire to and whether you're an ambitious person or not. This can often control what particular qualifications will be expected and how much effort you'll have to give in return.

Obtain help from an industry professional who 'gets' the commercial realities of the area you're interested in, and who can give you 'A typical day in the life of' outline of of what you'll be doing day-to-day. It makes good sense to discover if this is the right course of action for you well before you embark on your training program. There's really no point in beginning your training only to realise you've made a huge mistake.