Many trainees choose to partner the 'A+', Network+ and 'CCNA' track with the Microsoft 'MCSA' or 'MCSE', for a much more rounded network knowledge structure. Either way, a conversation about your career path and learning-style, with an experienced IT professional or consultant, really should be at the front of your sheet of priorities, in order to make sure that you will get off to a really good start and avoid any expensive blunders.

So many training providers focus completely on the certification process, and avoid focusing on what you actually need - which will always be getting the job or career you want. Always start with the end goal - don't get hung-up on the training vehicle. Imagine training for just one year and then end up doing the job for 20 years. Avoid the mistake of choosing what sounds like an 'interesting' training program only to waste your life away with a job you don't like!

Stay focused on what you want to achieve, and build your study action-plan from that - not the other way round. Stay focused on the end-goal and begin studying for something that will keep you happy for many years. It's good advice for all students to speak with a skilled professional before they embark on a study course. This is essential to ensure it contains the relevant skills for the chosen career path.

So, why should we consider commercial certification rather than more traditional academic qualifications taught at tech' colleges and universities? Corporate based study (in industry terminology) is most often much more specialised. Industry is aware that such specialised knowledge is necessary to service the demands of a technically advancing commercial environment. CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA are the key players in this arena. The training is effectively done by concentrating on the actual skills required (alongside an appropriate level of related knowledge,) rather than going into the heightened depths of background 'padding' that academic courses can often find themselves doing - to fill a three or four year course.

What if you were an employer - and you needed to take on someone with a very particular skill-set. What's the simplest way to find the right person: Pore through reams of different degrees and college qualifications from several applicants, struggling to grasp what they've learned and what vocational skills they've acquired, or choose a specific set of accreditations that perfectly fit your needs, and then choose your interviewees based around that. You'll then be able to concentrate on getting a feel for the person at interview - instead of long discussions on technical suitability.

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