Adobe Dreamweaver is the starting point of study for almost all web designers. It is probably the most utilised web-development platform globally. For professional applications you will require a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the complete Adobe Web Creative Suite. This is including (though it's not limited to) Action Script and Flash. If your goal is to become an Adobe Certified Professional or an Adobe Certified Expert then these skills are paramount.

Building a website only scratches the surface of what's needed - in order to drive traffic, update content, and work on dynamic sites that are database driven, you'll need to bolt on additional programming skills, such as HTML, PHP and MySQL. It would also be a good idea to gain a working knowledge of E-Commerce and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

Working on the cutting-edge of new technology really is electrifying. You become one of a team of people shaping the next few decades. There are people who believe that the technological revolution we have experienced is slowing down. All indicators point in the opposite direction. Terrific advances are ahead of us, and the internet particularly will be the most effective tool in our lives.

And don't forget salaries either - the income on average throughout Britain for a typical IT worker is considerably more than in the rest of the economy. It's a good bet that you'll receive a much better deal than you'd expect to earn doing other work. Experts agree that there's a significant country-wide demand for professionally qualified IT workers. Also, as growth in the industry shows little sign of contracting, it is likely this pattern will continue for quite some time to come.

How are we supposed to go about making the right decisions then? With so many opportunities, we have to know where we should look - and what to be investigating.

A fatal Faux-Pas that we encounter all too often is to choose a career based on a course, and take their eye off where they want to get to. Training academies are brimming over with students that chose a program because it looked interesting - instead of what would yield their end-goal of a job they enjoyed. It's a sad testimony to the sales skills of many companies, but the majority of trainees commence training that sounds great from the syllabus guide, but which provides the end-result of a job that doesn't fulfil at all. Just ask several university leavers to see what we mean.

Be honest with yourself about how much you want to earn and how ambitious you are. Often, this changes what precise qualifications you'll need to attain and what'll be expected of you in your new role. Look for help from a skilled advisor who understands the sector you wish to join, and is able to give you 'A typical day in the life of' outline of what duties you'll be performing during your working week. It just makes sense to understand whether or not this is right for you long before you start on any retraining programme. There's really no point in starting your training and then realise you've made a huge mistake.

The classroom style of learning we remember from school, using textbooks and whiteboards, is usually pretty hard going. If this describes you, find training programs which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. Studies in learning psychology have shown that much more of what we learn in remembered when all our senses are involved, and we get practically involved in what we're studying.

You can now study via self-contained CD or DVD materials. Real-world classes from the instructors will mean you'll learn your subject via the demonstrations and explanations. Then it's time to test your knowledge by utilising the practice lab's and modules. It's imperative to see examples of the study materials provided by any company that you may want to train through. It's essential they incorporate video demo's and interactive elements such as practice lab's.

You should avoid purely online training. You want physical CD/DVD ROM course materials where possible, enabling them to be used at your convenience - and not be totally reliant on a quality and continuous internet connection.

Of all the important things to consider, one of the most essential is always full 24x7 support from dedicated instructors and mentors. Too many companies only provide office hours (or extended office hours) support. Avoid those companies that use call-centres 'out-of-hours' - where an advisor will call back during standard office hours. This is useless when you're stuck and need an answer now.

Top training companies utilise several support facilities active in different time-zones. Online access provides the interactive interface to join them all seamlessly, any time of the day or night, help is at hand, without any problems or delays. Never ever take second best with the quality of your support. Most would-be IT professionals that throw in the towel, are in that situation because of a lack of support.

Many people question why traditional academic studies are now falling behind more commercially accredited qualifications? As we require increasingly more effective technological know-how, the IT sector has had to move to specialist courses that can only come from the vendors - in other words companies like CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA. Often this saves time and money for the student. The training is effectively done by concentrating on the skill-sets required (alongside a relevant amount of associated knowledge,) as opposed to going into the heightened depths of background 'padding' that academic courses are prone to get tied up in - to pad out the syllabus.

Just like the advert used to say: 'It does what it says on the label'. The company just needs to know what they need doing, and then advertise for someone with the specific certification. Then they know that anyone who applies can do the necessary work.

A sneaky way that training providers make extra profits is through up-front charges for exams and offering an exam guarantee. This sounds impressive, but is it really:

Obviously it isn't free - you're still coughing up for it - it's just been wrapped up in the price of the package. If it's important to you to qualify first 'go', you must pay for one exam at a time, give it the necessary attention and give the task sufficient application.

Don't pay up-front, but seek out the best deal for you when you take the exam, and keep hold of your own money. In addition, it's then your choice where to take your exam - which means you can stay local. Including money in your training package for examination fees (and if you're financing your study there'll be interest on that) is bad financial management. It's not your job to boost the training company's account with your money just to give them a good cash-flow! There are those who hope that you don't even take them all - so they don't need to pay for them. The majority of companies will insist that you take mock exams first and with-hold subsequent exam entries from you until you've proven conclusively that you can pass - which actually leaves you with no guarantee at all.

Prometric and VUE exams are currently clocking in at an average of 112 pounds in Britain at the time of writing. Why pay exorbitant charges for 'Exam Guarantees' (often covertly rolled into the cost of the course) - when the best course materials, the right level of support and consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.

Several companies offer a Job Placement Assistance facility, to help you into your first commercial role. However sometimes too much is made of this feature, for it's really not that difficult for well qualified and focused men and women to get work in the IT industry - because there's a great need for trained staff.

Having said that, it's important to have help with your CV and interview techniques though; also we would encourage everyone to get their CV updated the day they start training - don't wait until you've graduated or passed any exams. Various junior support roles are offered to people who are still studying and have yet to take their exams. At least this will get you into the 'maybe' pile of CV's - rather than the 'No' pile. The top companies to help you find a job are normally specialist independent regional recruitment consultancies. As they will get paid by the employer when they've placed you, they're perhaps more focused on results.

A constant frustration of some training companies is how hard students are prepared to work to get top marks in their exams, but how un-prepared they are to work on getting the job they're qualified for. Don't give up when the best is yet to come.

In total, there are 4 A+ examinations and sections to study, but your only requirement is to get certified in 2 to be thought of as qualified. Because of this, most training colleges only offer 2 paths. However, training you in all four will provide you with a far greater perspective of it all, something you'll discover is vital in industry.

When you embark on the A+ training course you'll become familiar with how to build, fix, repair and work in antistatic conditions. You'll also cover fault-finding and diagnostic techniques, both remotely and via direct access. Should you decide to add Network+ to your CompTIA A+ training course, you'll additionally be equipped to take care of networks, allowing you to apply for more senior positions.

So, what kind of questions should we be posing to arrive at the understanding we need? As it looks like there are many quite unparalleled prospects for us all to chew over.

Usually, a normal IT hopeful really has no clue in what direction to head in the IT industry, or which area is worth considering for retraining. What is our likelihood of grasping the many facets of a particular career when we haven't done that before? Often we haven't met someone who is in that area at all. Deliberation over these different factors is most definitely required when you want to dig down the right answer for you:

* What hobbies you're involved with in your spare-time - as they can highlight what things will give you the most reward.

* Why you're looking at moving into Information Technology - maybe you want to overcome a life-long goal like firing your boss and working for yourself for instance.

* Where is the salary on a scale of importance - is an increase your main motivator, or is enjoying your job a little higher on your list of priorities?

* With many, many markets to choose from in the IT industry - it's wise to get a basic understanding of what makes them different.

* You have to appreciate the differences between the myriad of training options.

The best way to avoid the confusing industry jargon, and discover the best path to success, have an informal chat with an experienced professional; a person who appreciates and can explain the commercial realities whilst covering each certification.

There is no way of over emphasising this: Always get full 24x7 instructor support. Later, you'll kick yourself if you don't adhere to this. Be wary of any training providers who use call-centres 'out-of-hours' - where an advisor will call back during standard office hours. It's not a lot of help when you've got study issues and need help now.

It's possible to find the top providers which provide their students online support 24x7 - at any time of day or night. Don't accept second best with the quality of your support. Many trainees that fall by the wayside, are in that situation because they didn't get the support necessary for them.

It's likely that you probably enjoy fairly practical work - a 'hands-on' type. If you're anything like us, 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. Check out video-based multimedia instruction if learning from books is not your thing. We see a huge improvement in memory retention with an involvement of all our senses - educational experts have expounded on this for many years.

Search for a course where you'll get a host of CD and DVD based materials - you'll learn by watching video tutorials and demonstrations, with the facility to hone your abilities through virtual lab's. Don't take any chances and look at some of the typical study materials provided before you purchase a course. The minimum you should expect would be videoed instructor demonstrations and a variety of audio-visual and interactive sections.

It's unwise to choose training that is only available online. With highly variable reliability and quality from the ISP (internet service provider) market, you should always obtain CD or DVD ROM based materials.

A major candidate for the biggest single let-down in the IT training sector is a requirement to attend multiple workshop days. Many trainers harp on about the 'benefits' of going in to their classes, however, they quickly become a major problem because of:

* Many centre visits - often hundreds of miles at a time.

* Asking for frequent time off work - many trainers will only provide availability during weekdays and link several days together. This isn't ideal for most people who work, especially if you include the travel time on top.

* Lost annual leave - many working people only have 20 days holiday. If over half of it is swallowed up by study events, that doesn't leave much holiday time left for the student.

* Training workshops usually become quickly full, giving us the only option of the '2nd best' solution.

* The pace of the workshop - workshops normally have trainees of different abilities, so tension develops between the quicker-learners and those with less experience.

* Let's not ignore the added expense of travelling or over-night accommodation either. This may well run to many hundreds of pounds more - sometimes thousands. Work it out - it'll shock and surprise you.

* Training privacy is often very important to quite a lot of trainees. You don't want to give up any job advancement, pay-rises or accomplishment at work while you're training. If your boss finds out that you're undertaking qualification in another sector, how will they regard you?

* How many of us have avoided posing that question we were dying to ask, just because we wanted to fit in?

* It should be remembered that days in-centre are basically impossible to attend, if you work away for part of the week.

Why not watch on-screen and gain knowledge from industry specialists one-on-one via videoed modules, studying them when it suits you - not somebody else. Ponder this... If you've got a laptop you're able to study in any location you choose. And 24 hr-a-day support is just a web-browser away when challenges strike you. You have the ability to re-watch and re-cover the modules as often as you want or need. There's absolutely no need to make notes as you have the lesson indefinitely. Even though this doesn't take away all study problems, it definitely removes stress and makes things simpler. You've also got less hassle, travel and costs.

Can job security honestly exist anymore? In the UK for example, with industry changing its mind whenever it suits, we'd question whether it does. Whereas a fast growing sector, where staff are in constant demand (due to a massive shortage of trained professionals), opens the possibility of proper job security.

A rather worrying UK e-Skills investigation demonstrated that twenty six percent of all available IT positions remain unfilled as an upshot of a lack of appropriately certified professionals. Quite simply, we only have the national capacity to fill just 3 out of every four jobs in the computing industry. This troubling truth shows the urgent need for more technically qualified IT professionals across Great Britain. Unquestionably, this really is the very best time for retraining into the computing industry.

If you're looking for a Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) course, be aware that training varies from company to company; some are much better than others. You'll come across a variety of courses, whether you're a beginner, or an experienced technician ready to gain acknowledged certifications. To become certified at the level of MCSA it's necessary to achieve pass marks in four MCP's (Microsoft Certified Professional exams). If you're joining the industry for the first time, you'll probably need to improve your skill-set before studying for the MCP exams. Identify a training company that has a team of advisors who can guide you towards the ideal program for you and who will get you started in the right place.

Being a part of progressive developments in new technology is as thrilling as it comes. You personally play your part in creating a future for us all. We're barely beginning to get a handle on how this will truly impact our way of life. The way we interact with the world will be massively affected by computers and the web.

The money in IT isn't to be sniffed at also - the usual income in the UK for the usual IT professional is a lot higher than average salaries nationally. It's a good bet that you'll receive a much greater package than you'd expect to earn doing other work. There is a considerable national demand for qualified IT professionals. It follows that with the constant growth in the marketplace, it is likely there will be for years to come.

Being aware of the sheer volume of debate on the area of computer technology at present, how can we recognize what precisely to look for?

Remember: a actual training program or a qualification is not what you're looking for; the career you're training for is. Many trainers unfortunately over-emphasise just the training course. It's common, for instance, to obtain tremendous satisfaction from a year of studying and then find yourself trapped for decades in a job you hate, simply because you did it without the correct level of soul-searching when it was needed - at the start.

Set targets for earning potential and whether you're an ambitious person or not. Sometimes, this affects which certifications will be expected and what you can expect to give industry in return. Seek advice from an industry professional, even if you have to pay - it's much safer and cheaper to investigate at the start whether a chosen track will suit, instead of discovering following two years of study that you're doing entirely the wrong thing and have wasted years of effort.

Those that are drawn to this type of work are usually quite practically-minded, and don't always take well to classrooms, and poring through books and manuals. If this could be you, use multimedia, interactive learning, where you can learn everything on-screen. Memory is vastly improved when multiple senses are involved - this has been an accepted fact in expert circles for years now.

Programs are now found in the form of CD and DVD ROM's, so everything is learned directly from your own PC. Through video streaming, you will be able to see the instructor presenting exactly how it's all done, and then practice yourself - via the interactive virtual lab's. Any company that you're considering should be able to show you some samples of the materials provided for study. You should hope for instructor-led videos and a wide selection of interactive elements.

It's unwise to select online only courseware. Connection quality and reliability varies hugely across most broadband providers, ensure that you have access to disc based courseware (On CD or DVD).

One of the most important things to insist on has to be full 24x7 support from dedicated instructors and mentors. It's an all too common story to find providers that only provide support to you inside of office hours (typically 9am-6pm) and sometimes a little earlier or later (but not weekends usually). Avoid those companies which use 'out-of-hours' call-centres - with the call-back coming in during the next 'working' day. This is no use if you're stuck and need help now.

The very best programs utilise an internet-based 24x7 facility pulling in several support offices over many time-zones. You will have an interface which seamlessly accesses whichever office is appropriate irrespective of the time of day: Support when you need it. If you accept anything less than support round-the-clock, you'll regret it. You might not want to use the service during late nights, but you may need weekends, early mornings or late evenings.

A number of trainees think that the tech college or university route is still the best way into IT. So why are commercially accredited qualifications slowly and steadily replacing it? With fees and living expenses for university students spiralling out of control, plus the IT sector's increasing awareness that corporate based study is closer to the mark commercially, there's been a great increase in CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA authorised training programmes that create knowledgeable employees for much less time and money. Academic courses, as a example, clog up the training with too much loosely associated study - and much too wide a syllabus. This holds a student back from learning the core essentials in sufficient depth.

When it comes down to the nitty-gritty: Accredited IT qualifications give employers exactly what they're looking for - the title says it all: i.e. I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Windows XP Administration and Configuration'. So an employer can identify exactly what they need and which qualifications are needed for the job.

A subtle way that course providers 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, till you look at the facts:

It's become essential these days that we tend to be a little more 'marketing-savvy' - and the majority of us ought to grasp that it is something we're paying for - it's not because they're so generous they want to give something away! It's well known in the industry that if students pay for each progressive exam, one by one, there's a much better chance they'll qualify each time - since they'll think of their investment in themselves and will therefore apply themselves appropriately.

Doesn't it make more sense to not pay up-front, but when you take the exam, not to pay any mark-up to a training college, and to do it in a local testing office - rather than in some remote centre? Huge profits are secured by some training companies who take the exam money up-front. A number of students don't take them for various reasons and so they pocket the rest. Astoundingly enough, there are companies around that rely on that fact - and that's how they increase their profits. Re-takes of any failed exams through training course providers who offer an 'Exam Guarantee' inevitably are heavily regulated. They'll insist that you take mock exams first so you can prove to them you have a good chance of passing.

Paying maybe a thousand pounds extra on an 'Exam Guarantee' is short-sighted - when study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is actually the key to your success.

A useful feature provided by many trainers is job placement assistance. It's intention is to steer you into your first IT role. The honest truth is that it's not as hard as some people make out to find a job - assuming you're well trained and qualified; the growing UK skills shortage sees to that.

Help with your CV and interview techniques should be offered (if not, see one of our sites for help). Make sure you bring your CV right up to date right away - don't leave it till you pass the exams! You might not even have got to the exam time when you land your first junior support position; however this won't be the case unless your CV is with employers. The most efficient companies to help you find a job are generally specialist independent regional recruitment consultancies. As they will get paid by the employer when they've placed you, they're perhaps more focused on results.

A big aggravation of various course providers is how hard students are prepared to work to become certified, but how un-prepared they are to work on getting the job they've studied for. Don't falter at the last fence.