How To? Learn anything step by step!

For almost all web designers, Adobe Dreamweaver is the starting point of study. It is thought to be the favourite environment for web development on the planet.

To facilitate Dreamweaver commercially in web design, an in-depth and thorough understanding of the complete Adobe Web Creative Suite (which includes Flash and Action Script) is something to consider very seriously. With these skills, you have the choice to become either an ACP (Adobe Certified Professional) or an ACE (Adobe Certified Expert).

Building a website only scratches the surface of the skill set required though – to drive traffic to the site, maintain its content, and work with dynamic database-driven sites, you’ll be required to have additional programming skills, namely ones like HTML, PHP and MySQL. You should also gain an excellent grasp of E-Commerce and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

Searching for your first position in IT can feel more straightforward with a Job Placement Assistance program. Don’t get caught up in this feature – it isn’t unusual for companies marketing departments to overplay it. The fact of the matter is, the still growing need for IT personnel in the UK is what will make you attractive to employers.

Having said that, it’s important to have advice and support about your CV and interviews though; and we’d recommend everyone to get their CV updated right at the beginning of their training – don’t procrastinate and leave it for when you’re ready to start work.

Various junior support jobs are offered to students who are still learning and have yet to take their exams. This will at least get your CV into the ‘possible’ pile and not the ‘no’ pile.

If it’s important to you to find work near your home, then you’ll often find that a local IT focused recruitment consultancy could serve you better than some national concern, because they’re far more likely to be familiar with local employment needs.

In a nutshell, as long as you put the same commitment into landing a job as into studying, you’re not likely to experience problems. Some people bizarrely invest a great deal of time on their training course and then call a halt once certified and would appear to think that businesses will just discover them.

What is the reason why qualifications from colleges and universities are now falling behind more commercial qualifications?

With 3 and 4 year academic degree costs increasing year on year, along with the industry’s general opinion that accreditation-based training is closer to the mark commercially, we have seen a big surge in Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA certified training routes that supply key solutions to a student at a fraction of the cost and time involved.

Essentially, students are simply taught the necessary specifics in depth. Actually, it’s not quite as pared down as that, but the most important function is always to focus on the exact skills required (with some necessary background) – without trying to cram in everything else (as universities often do).

If an employer understands what areas need to be serviced, then all it takes is an advert for a person with the appropriate exam numbers. The syllabuses are set to exacting standards and can’t change from one establishment to the next (in the way that degree courses can).

Often, trainers provide a bunch of books and manuals. It’s not a very interesting way to learn and not a very good way of achieving retention.

We see a huge improvement in memory retention when we use multiple senses – experts have been clear on this for as long as we can remember.

Learning is now available via DVD-ROM discs, where your computer becomes the centre of your learning. Utilising the latest video technology, you can sit back and watch the teachers showing you precisely how to perform the required skill, and then have a go at it yourself – in a virtual lab environment.

Every company that you look at should willingly take you through a few samples of their training materials. You’re looking for evidence of tutorial videos and demonstrations and interactive areas to practice in.

It’s unwise to opt for on-line only training. Because of the variable quality and reliability of the ISP (internet service provider) market, ensure that you have access to physical media such as CD or DVD ROM’s.

A ridiculously large number of organisations are all about the certification, and completely miss what it’s all actually about – which is of course employment. Always start with the end in mind – don’t make the vehicle more important than the destination.

You could be training for only a year and end up performing the job-role for decades. Don’t make the mistake of taking what may be a program of interest to you only to spend 20 years doing a job you don’t like!

It’s a good idea to understand what expectations industry may have of you. Which particular exams you’ll need and how to gain experience. It’s also worth spending time considering how far you’d like to get as it may control your selection of accreditations.

Look for help from an experienced professional who understands the sector you wish to join, and who can offer ‘A typical day in the life of’ synopsis of what kinds of tasks you’ll be undertaking on a day-to-day basis. It just makes sense to discover if this is the right course of action for you before you commence your studies. After all, what is the point in starting to train only to realise you’ve made a huge mistake.

(C) Jason Kendall. Pop to LearningLolly.com for quality career advice. www.learninglolly.com or CLICK HERE.