There are a range of options on the market for people hoping to get into the IT industry. To hit upon the right one for you, search for companies that will work with you to identify which job will suit your personality, and give you an understanding of what the job entails, so you can be sure you're on the right track. Whether you're hoping to be a whiz with office user skills, or want to advance your career and attain professional IT certifications, there are easy to follow courses and support to give you the chance you've been looking for.

By maximising state-of-the-art training techniques and keeping overheads low, there is a new type of training company offering a better quality of teaching and assistance for hundreds of pounds less.

Have a conversation with any professional consultant and they'll regale you with many terrible tales of students who've been conned by dodgy salespeople. Make sure you deal with a professional advisor that digs deep to find out what's right for you - not for their wallet! Dig until you find a starting-point that will suit you. If you've got a strong background, or maybe some work-based experience (maybe some existing accreditation?) then it could be that the level you'll need to start at will be very different from someone with no background whatsoever. If this is going to be your opening crack at IT study then you might also want to begin with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first.

A subtle way that course providers make more money is by adding exam fees upfront to the cost of a course and then including an 'Exam Guarantee'. It looks impressive, but let's just examine it more closely:

In this day and age, we are a tad more knowledgeable about sales gimmicks - and usually we know that for sure it is actually an additional cost to us - they're not just being charitable and doling out freebies! Those who take each progressive exam, funding them as they go are in a much stronger position to qualify at the first attempt. They are mindful of their spending and take the necessary steps to be ready for the task.

Isn't it in your interests to find the best exam deal or offer when you take the exam, rather than coughing up months or even a year or two in advance to the training course provider, and to take it closer to home - instead of miles away at the college's beck and call? Big margins are netted by a number of companies that incorporate exam fees into the cost of the course. For various reasons, many students don't take their exams but no refunds are given. Believe it or not, providers exist that actually bank on it - as that's very profitable for them. It's also worth noting that exam guarantees often have very little value. The majority of organisations won't be prepared to pay for re-takes until you've completely satisfied them that you're ready this time.

With average Prometric and VUE examinations coming in at approximately 112 pounds in Great Britain, by far the best option is to pay for them as you take them. Not to fork out thousands extra in up-front costs. Study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.

Several companies offer a Job Placement Assistance facility, to help you get your first job. The honest truth is that it's not as difficult as you may be led to believe to find the right work - once you're trained and certified; employers in this country need your skills.

However, don't leave it until you have completed your exams before bringing your CV up to date. As soon as you start a course, enter details of your study programme and tell people about it! It's not uncommon to find that junior support jobs are offered to trainees who're still on their course and have yet to take their exams. This will at the very least get you into the 'maybe' pile of CV's - rather than the 'No' pile. Generally, an independent and specialised local recruitment consultancy (who will, of course, be keen to place you to receive their commission) will be more pro-active than a sector of a centralised training facility. They should, of course, also be familiar with the local area and commercial needs.

Various people, apparently, invest a great deal of time on their training course (sometimes for years), and just give up when it comes to trying to get the right position. Promote yourself... Do your best to put yourself out there. Good jobs don't just knock on your door.

Massive developments are coming via technology over the next few decades - and it only gets more exciting every day. We've only just begun to see just how technology is going to shape our lives. Technology and the web will profoundly alter the way we regard and interrelate with the entire world over the coming decades.

And don't forget that on average, the income of a person in the IT industry in the United Kingdom is considerably better than average salaries nationally, therefore you will be in a good position to receive considerably more in the IT sector, than you would in most typical jobs. Apparently there's not a hint of a downturn for IT industry increases throughout this country. The market continues to grow quickly, and we don't have anywhere near enough qualified skilled IT professionals to fill current job vacancies, so it's highly unlikely that this will change significantly for years to come.

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