If you fancy a career in web design, then it's critical to study Adobe Dreamweaver. To utilise Dreamweaver professionally in web design, an in-depth and thorough understanding of the entire Adobe Web Creative Suite (which includes Flash and Action Script) is without doubt a bonus. With this knowledge, you might lead on to becoming an ACP (Adobe Certified Professional) or an ACE (Adobe Certified Expert).

Knowing how to construct a website just gets you started. Traffic creation, maintaining content and programming database-driven sites should follow. Consider courses with bolt-ons to teach these subjects for example HTML, PHP and database engines like MySQL, in addition to E-Commerce and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) skills.

At times people don't really get what information technology is about. It is electrifying, revolutionary, and means you're doing your bit in the gigantic wave of technology that will impact the whole world for generations to come. Computer technology and communication through the internet will spectacularly change the way we live our lives over the coming years; remarkably so.

If making decent money is around the top on your list of priorities, you'll be happy to know that the income on average for the majority of IT staff is a lot higher than with the rest of the economy. The good news is there is no end in sight for IT jobs increases throughout this country. The market sector is still growing enormously, and with the skills shortage of over 26 percent that we're experiencing, it's most unlikely that this will change significantly for a good while yet.

Reaching a sensible career development choice can be very hard - so which areas should we be checking out and which questions should we be seeking the answers to?

Don't put too much store, as many people do, on the training course itself. Your training isn't about getting a plaque on your wall; you should be geared towards the actual job at the end of it. You need to remain focused on where you want to go. Never let yourself become one of those unfortunate people who select a program that on the surface appears interesting - and get to the final hurdle of an accreditation for something they'll never enjoy.

You need to keep your eye on what it is you're trying to achieve, and formulate your training based on that - don't do it the other way round. Stay focused on the end-goal and study for a career that'll reward you for many long and fruitful years. It's worth seeking guidance from a professional who knows the commercial realities of the market you've chosen, and who can give you 'A typical day in the life of' synopsis of the job being considered. All of these things are very important because you obviously have to know whether or not you've chosen correctly.

Training support for students is an absolute must - ensure you track down something offering 24x7 direct access to instructors, as not opting for this kind of support could put a damper on the speed you move through things. Locate training schools with help available at any time you choose (even 1am on Sunday morning!) You'll need direct-access to qualified mentors and tutors, and not a call-centre that will take messages so you're consistently being held in a queue for a call-back at a convenient time for them.

The best trainers use multiple support centres active in different time-zones. They use an online interactive interface to join them all seamlessly, irrespective of the time you login, help is just seconds away, with no hassle or contact issues. If you accept anything less than direct-access round-the-clock support, you'll regret it. You might not want to use the service during late nights, but you may need weekends, early mornings or even late evenings at some point.

Many trainers provide mainly work-books and reference manuals. This isn't very interesting and not a very good way of taking things in. Research has always shown that connecting physically with our study, is proven to produce longer-lasting and deeper memory retention.

Top of the range study programs now offer interactive CD and DVD ROM's. Real-world classes from the instructors will mean you'll find things easier to remember by way of the expert demonstrations. Then it's time to test your knowledge by practicing and interacting with the software. All companies should willingly take you through some examples of the type of training materials they provide. Expect video tutorials, instructor led classes and interactive areas to practice in.

You'll find that many companies will only provide purely on-line training; and although this is okay the majority of the time, imagine the problems if you lose your internet access or you get intermittent problems and speed issues. A safer solution is the provision of actual CD or DVD ROMs which don't suffer from these broadband issues.

The way in which your courseware is broken down for you is usually ignored by most students. How is the courseware broken down? And in what sequence and what control do you have at what pace it arrives? The majority of training companies will set up a program typically taking 1-3 years, and drop-ship the materials to you piecemeal as you finish each section. On the surface this seems reasonable - until you consider the following: What if you don't finish every section? What if you don't find their order of learning is ideal for you? Because of nothing that's your fault, you may not meet the required timescales and not receive all the modules you've paid for.

For maximum flexibility and safety, it's normal for most trainees to insist that all study materials are couriered out in one package, all at the beginning. It's then your own choice at what speed and in which order you want to go.

Your training program should always include the most up to date Microsoft (or Cisco, CompTIA etc.) authorised exam preparation packages. Don't fall foul of relying on non-official exam preparation systems. The terminology of their questions can be completely unlike authorised versions - and often this creates real issues in the actual examination. Ensure that you have some simulated exam questions in order to test your understanding whenever you need to. Simulated or practice exams will help to boost your attitude - then the actual exam is much easier.

Finding your first job in the industry sometimes feels easier to handle if you're offered a Job Placement Assistance facility. Ultimately it isn't so complicated as you might think to land employment - assuming you're well trained and qualified; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.

Whatever you do, don't leave it until you've finished your training before polishing up your CV. As soon as your training commences, enter details of your study programme and place it on jobsites! You'll often find that you will get your initial role whilst you're still studying (even in the early stages). If your CV doesn't say what you're learning - or it's not getting in front of interviewers, then you aren't even in the running! You'll normally experience better results from a specialist locally based employment agency than you'll get from a training course provider's national service, as they'll know the local area and commercial needs better.

Do ensure you don't conscientiously work through your course materials, then call a halt and expect somebody else to secure your first position. Get off your backside and start looking for yourself. Invest the same resource into getting the right position as it took to get qualified.

Network and PC support technicians are more and more in demand in the UK, as organisations rely heavily upon their knowledge and fixing and repairing abilities. The world's desire for such qualified and commercially astute people is ever increasing, as commercial enterprise becomes vastly more technologically advanced.

We'd all like to believe that our jobs will always be secure and our work prospects are protected, but the likely scenario for most sectors around England right now is that there is no security anymore. We're able though to locate security at the market sector level, by probing for areas in high demand, together with shortages of trained staff.

The computer industry skills-gap around the United Kingdom clocks in at over 26 percent, according to the most recent e-Skills study. That means for every 4 jobs that exist around IT, there are barely three qualified workers to fill that need. Accomplishing the appropriate commercial computing qualification is correspondingly a fast-track to achieve a life-long and enjoyable career. Quite simply, retraining in Information Technology during the next year or two is almost definitely the safest career choice you could ever make.

If the IT market presents so many unparalleled career possibilities for us all - then which questions should we pose and what factors should we be considering?

The market provides an excess of employment in the IT industry. Finding the particular one for you is generally problematic. As with no commercial skills in IT, in what way could we be expected to understand what someone in a particular job does? Achieving an informed answer really only appears via a thorough study of several shifting factors:

* The kind of person you reckon you are - what tasks do you get enjoyment from, and don't forget - what you hate to do.

* Is your focus to get qualified because of a specific reason - for example, do you aim to work from home (self-employment?)?

* How highly do you rate salary - is an increase your main motivator, or does job satisfaction rate a lot higher on the scale of your priorities?

* Often, trainees don't consider the amount of work required to gain all the necessary accreditation.

* Taking a cold, hard look at the level of commitment, time and effort you'll make available.

The bottom line is, your only chance of covering these is from an in-depth discussion with an advisor or professional who understands the market well enough to lead you to the correct decision.

Many training companies only give basic 9am till 6pm support (maybe a little earlier or later on certain days); It's rare to find someone who offers late evening or full weekend cover. Look for training where you can access help at any time of day or night (irrespective of whether it's the wee hours on Sunday morning!) You'll need 24x7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not a message system as this will slow you down - waiting for tutors to call you back - probably during office hours.

Keep your eyes open for study programmes that use several support centres around the globe in several time-zones. All of them should be combined to give a single entry point as well as 24x7 access, when you want it, without any problems. Seek out an educator that offers this level of study support. As only true live 24x7 round-the-clock support provides the necessary backup.

It's likely that you've always enjoyed practical work - a 'hands-on' personality type. If you're like us, the trial of reading reference books and manuals is something you'll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but it's not really your thing. You should use video and multimedia based materials if you'd really rather not use books. Years of research and study has time and time again confirmed that an 'involved' approach to study, where we utilise all our senses, will more likely produce memories that are deeper and longer-lasting.

Search for a course where you're provided with an array of CD or DVD ROM's - you'll be learning from instructor videos and demo's, and be able to hone your abilities through virtual lab's. Any company that you're considering must be pushed to demo some simple examples of their courseware. Expect video tutorials, instructor led classes and interactive areas to practice in.

Many companies provide just online versions of their training packages; and although this is okay the majority of the time, consider how you'll deal with it if internet access is lost or you get slow speeds and down-time etc. It's preferable to have physical CD or DVD discs which don't suffer from these broadband issues.

We're regularly asked to explain why traditional academic studies are now falling behind more qualifications from the commercial sector? With fees and living expenses for university students climbing ever higher, and the IT sector's recognition that vendor-based training most often has much more commercial relevance, we have seen a large rise in Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA based training routes that supply key solutions to a student for considerably less. Higher education courses, for example, clog up the training with a great deal of loosely associated study - with a syllabus that's far too wide. This holds a student back from getting enough specific knowledge about the core essentials.

Imagine if you were an employer - and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. What should you do: Wade your way through a mass of different academic qualifications from hopeful applicants, having to ask what each has covered and what workplace skills they've mastered, or pick out specific commercial accreditations that perfectly fit your needs, and then select who you want to interview from that. The interview is then more about the person and how they'll fit in - rather than establishing whether they can do a specific task.

It's not uncommon for companies to offer inclusive exam guarantees - inevitably that means paying for the exams before you've even made a start on the course. Before you get carried away with the chance of a guarantee, consider this:

These days, we're a bit more aware of hype - and usually we know that for sure we're actually paying for it - it's not because they're so generous they want to give something away! Passing first time is everyone's goal. Entering examinations one by one and funding them one at a time sees you much better placed to get through first time - you take it seriously and are conscious of what you've spent.

Hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you take the exam, and hang on to your cash. You'll then be able to select where you do the examinations - so you can find somewhere local. Big margins are netted by many training colleges that get money for exam fees in advance. For various reasons, many students don't take their exams but the company keeps the money. Amazingly, there are companies around who actually bank on it - as that's very profitable for them. Re-takes of previously unsuccessful exams through organisations who offer an 'Exam Guarantee' are tightly controlled. They will insist that you take pre-tests first until you've proven that you're likely to pass.

Prometric and VUE exams are in the region of 112 pounds in the United Kingdom today. Students should be very wary of forking out hundreds of pounds extra in charges for 'Exam Guarantees' (often covertly rolled into the cost of the course) - 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.

Consider only retraining paths which lead to commercially recognised certifications. There are far too many trainers proposing minor 'in-house' certificates that are essentially useless when you start your job-search. Unless your qualification is issued by a major player like Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco, then you'll probably find it won't be commercially viable - because it won't give an employer any directly-useable skills.

Whether you are new to network support, or an experienced technician about to gain acknowledged certifications, you'll find hands-on MSCA training tracks that are suitable for both entry levels. To qualify for an MCSA it's necessary to achieve pass marks in four MCP's (Microsoft Certified Professional exams). If this is your first entry into computing exams, you'll probably be required to learn a few things prior to having a go at all four MCP's. Find a provider with people who can help you sort out the right way to tackle your goal and will take care to start you at the right entry level.

IT has become amongst the most electrifying and revolutionary industries that you can get into right now. Being a member of a team working on breakthroughs in technology is to be a part of the massive changes that will impact the whole world for generations to come. We're in the very early stages of beginning to get an inclination of how technology will define our world. Computers and the web will significantly transform how we regard and interrelate with the world around us over the coming decades.

Should lifestyle be up there on your goal sheet, then you'll appreciate the fact that the usual remuneration for the majority of IT staff is much higher than with most other jobs or industries. The good news is there is a lot more room for IT expansion in the UK. The market sector continues to grow hugely, and we don't have anywhere near enough qualified skilled IT professionals to fill current job vacancies, so it's most unlikely that this will change significantly for years to come.

Picking up on the sheer volume of discussion around computer technology nowadays, how is it possible to know what in particular to look for?

With so much choice, it's not really surprising that a large percentage of students balk at what job they will follow. Because having no solid background in the IT industry, how should we possibly be expected to know what someone in a particular job does? To attack this, a discussion is necessary, covering many definitive areas:

* Personality factors and interests - what kind of work-centred jobs you enjoy or dislike.

* Are you driven to get certified due to a specific raison d'etre - for example, do you aim to work based from home (maybe self-employment?)?

* The income needs that guide you?

* With so many ways to train in Information Technology - there's a need to gain some background information on what differentiates them.

* It makes sense to take in what is different for each individual training area.

For most people, getting to the bottom of each of these concepts requires a good chat with someone who has direct industry experience. Not only the certifications - but also the commercial needs and expectations also.

Some training companies only provide office hours or extended office hours support; most won't answer after 8-9pm at the latest and frequently never at the weekends. Look for training with help available at any time of the day or night (no matter if it's in the middle of the night on a weekend!) Make sure it's always 24x7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not a call-centre that will take messages so you're waiting for tutors to call you back during office hours.

Keep your eyes open for study programmes that utilise many support facilities around the globe in several time-zones. Every one of them needs to be seamlessly combined to provide a single interface as well as 24 hours-a-day access, when it's convenient for you, with the minimum of hassle. Don't accept second best where support is concerned. Many would-be IT professionals who throw in the towel, are in that situation because of a lack of support.

If you're like many of the students we talk to then you're quite practically minded - the 'hands-on' personality type. Typically, the trial of reading reference books and manuals is something you'll make yourself do if you have to, but you'd hate it. Check out video-based multimedia instruction if you'd really rather not use books. Studies have repeatedly shown that an 'involved' approach to study, where we utilise all our senses, is far more likely to produce long-lasting memories.

Interactive full motion video involving demonstration and virtual lab's beat books hands-down. And they're a lot more fun to do. All companies should be able to show you samples of the materials provided for study. You should hope for instructor-led videos and interactive areas to practice in.

You should avoid purely online training. Physical CD or DVD ROM materials are preferable where possible, so you can use them wherever and whenever you want - you don't want to be reliant on your internet connection always being 'up' and available.

The way in which your courseware is broken down for you is often missed by many students. How is the courseware broken down? And in what sequence and what control do you have at what pace it arrives? You may think it logical (when study may take one to three years to gain full certified status,) for a training company to release a single section at a time, as you pass each element. Although: It's not unusual for trainees to realise that their training company's typical path to completion isn't as suitable as another. They might find a different order of study is more expedient. Could it cause problems if you don't get everything done in the allotted time?

To avoid any potential future issues, many trainees now want to make sure that every element of their training is couriered out in one package, all at the beginning. You can then decide how fast or slow and in what order you want to go.

Always expect the current Microsoft (or relevant organisation's) accredited exam simulation and preparation packages. Steer clear of relying on unofficial preparation materials for exams. The way they're phrased can be completely unlike authorised versions - and this could lead to potential problems once in the actual exam. You should make sure you check your depth of understanding by doing quizzes and simulated exams before you take the real thing.

Many training companies supply a practical Job Placement Assistance facility, to help you into your first commercial role. It can happen though that there is more emphasis than is necessary on this service, because it is genuinely quite straightforward for a well trained and motivated person to secure a job in this industry - because there's a great need for well trained people.

Having said that, it's important to have help with your CV and interview techniques though; additionally, we would recommend everybody to bring their CV up to date as soon as training commences - don't wait until you've qualified. Having the possibility of an interview is more than not being known. Many junior support jobs are given to people (sometimes when they've only just got going.) If it's important to you to find work near your home, then it's quite likely that an independent and specialised local employment service might be of more use than the trainer's recruitment division, as they're far more likely to know the local job scene.

A slight grievance for a number of training providers is how hard trainees are prepared to study to become certified, but how little effort that student will then put into getting the position they're acquired skills for. Get out there and hustle - you might find it's fun.