In the UK today, most companies would struggle without assistance from support workers fixing PC's and networks, while making recommendations to users on a regular basis each week. Whereupon we are getting growingly beholden to advanced technology, we in turn emerge as more reliant on the skilled and qualified IT professionals, who maintain those systems.

We can guess that you're a practical sort of person - the 'hands-on' individual. If you're anything like us, the trial of reading reference books and manuals is something you'll make yourself do if you have to, but it doesn't suit your way of doing things. So look for on-screen interactive learning packages if books just don't do it for you. Where we can study while utilising as many senses as possible, then the results are usually dramatically better.

Find a course where you'll receive a selection of CD and DVD ROM's - you'll learn by watching video tutorials and demonstrations, and then have the opportunity to practice your skills in interactive lab's. All companies should willingly take you through some samples of the type of training materials they provide. 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 the ISP (internet service provider) market, ensure that you have access to physical media such as CD or DVD ROM's.

You should only consider study paths that grow into commercially acknowledged exams. There are loads of minor schools promoting unknown 'in-house' certificates which are worthless in the real world. Unless your qualification is issued by a major player like Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA, then you'll probably find it will be commercially useless - as it'll be an unknown commodity.

Considering how a program is 'delivered' to you is often missed by many students. How many stages do they break the program into? What is the order and at what speed is it delivered? Many companies enrol you into a program spread over 1-3 years, and send out each piece as you get to the end of each exam. Sounds reasonable? Well consider these facts: Many students find that their training company's standard order of study is not what they would prefer. You may find that a different order of study is more expedient. And what happens if they don't finish at the pace they expect?

Ideally, you'd ask for every single material to be delivered immediately - enabling you to have them all to return to any point - as and when you want. This allows a variation in the order that you complete each objective where a more intuitive path can be found.

You should look for an accredited exam preparation programme as part of your course package. Because a lot of IT examination boards are American, you must be prepared for the way exams are phrased. It's not sufficient just answering any old technical questions - they have to be in the same format as the actual exams. For many reasons, it's very crucial to ensure that you've thoroughly prepared for the real exam before taking it. Revising simulated tests helps build your confidence and saves you time and money on thwarted exam entries.

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