The Microsoft MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) course is a great basis for anybody thinking of getting into supporting networks. So if you’re just about to join the IT industry or already have experience but need to formalise your skills with a recognised qualification, it’s possible to achieve your goals with the right training.

To become certified at the level of MCSA it’s necessary to achieve pass marks in four MCP’s (Microsoft Certified Professional exams). For a newcomer to the industry, it’s likely you’ll be required to improve your skill-set prior to doing the first of the four MCP’s. Find a company that has industry experts who can identify the ideal program for you and will take care to start you at the right entry level.

What is the reason why traditional degrees are being replaced by more qualifications from the commercial sector?

With fees and living expenses for university students climbing ever higher, plus the industry’s increasing awareness that accreditation-based training most often has much more commercial relevance, there’s been a dramatic increase in CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA based training paths that provide key skills to an employee at a much reduced cost in terms of money and time.

This is done through focusing on the skill-sets required (together with a proportionate degree of background knowledge,) instead of covering masses of the background ‘extras’ that degree courses can get bogged down in – to fill a three or four year course.

Put yourself in the employer’s position – and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. What should you do: Wade your way through reams of different degrees and college qualifications from hopeful applicants, struggling to grasp what they’ve learned and which commercial skills have been attained, or choose a specific set of accreditations that exactly fulfil your criteria, and draw up from that who you want to speak to. Your interviews are then about personal suitability – instead of long discussions on technical suitability.

Looking at the myriad of choice out there, there’s no surprise that nearly all newcomers to the industry have no idea which career they could be successful with.

As in the absence of any previous experience in IT, in what way could we be expected to understand what a particular job actually consists of?

Usually, the way to come at this problem in the best manner comes from a thorough discussion of a number of areas:

* Your personal interests and hobbies – these can point towards what possibilities will provide a happy working life.

* Why you want to consider moving into the IT industry – it could be you’re looking to overcome a long-held goal like working for yourself for instance.

* What are your thoughts on salary vs job satisfaction?

* Considering all that computing encompasses, it’s a requirement that you can understand the differences.

* Having a good look at what commitment and time you’ll make available.

For most of us, dissecting each of these concepts will require meeting with a professional that can investigate each area with you. And not just the certifications – but also the commercial expectations and needs of the market as well.

If you forget everything else – then just remember this: You absolutely must have proper 24×7 professional support from mentors and instructors. You’ll definitely experience problems if you don’t.

Avoid, like the plague, any organisations who use ‘out-of-hours’ call-centres – where an advisor will call back during normal office hours. It’s no use when you’re stuck on a problem and need an answer now.

The very best training providers use multiple support centres active in different time-zones. They use an online interactive interface to join them all seamlessly, at any time you choose, help is just seconds away, without any problems or delays.

If you fail to get yourself 24×7 support, you’ll quickly find yourself regretting it. You may avoid using the support during late nights, but you may need weekends, late evenings or early mornings.

It’s essential to have an accredited exam preparation programme included in your course.

Steer clear of depending on non-accredited exam preparation questions. Their phraseology can be completely unlike authorised versions – and this leads to huge confusion when the proper exam time arrives.

As you can imagine, it’s very crucial to ensure that you’re absolutely ready for your actual certification exam before embarking on it. Rehearsing ‘mock’ tests logs the information in your brain and will save a lot of money on failed exams.

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