Chat with any capable consultant and we'd be amazed if they couldn't provide you with many horror stories of students who've been sold completely the wrong course for them. Make sure you deal with an experienced industry professional who digs deep to discover the most appropriate thing for you - not for their pay-packet! You must establish an ideal starting-point that fits you. Occasionally, the training start-point for a person with experience will be largely different to the student with none. If you're a student embarking on IT studies for the first time, you might like to avoid jumping in at the deep-end, beginning with some basic PC skills training first. This is often offered with most training packages.

How the program is actually delivered to you is usually ignored by most students. How many parts is the training broken down into? And in what sequence and how fast does each element come? Often, you will join a program staged over 2 or 3 years and receive a module at a time. While this may sound logical on one level, consider this: What could you expect if you didn't actually complete every module within the time limits imposed? Often the prescribed exam order won't be as easy as some other order of studying might.

The ideal solution is to have all your study materials delivered to your address right at the beginning; the whole caboodle! Thus avoiding any future problems that could impede the reaching of your goals.

Even though the MCSA & the MCSE are often talked of within the same career-path, they are essentially rather different. Instruction to be a 'Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator' ('MCSA') is the platform for networking and senior-support work & server-administration. Mainly the qualification is an ideal starting point for a technical-systems-administrator, who'll cope with the inner workings of running a fairly small to mid-level corporate network. The job is ideal for someone who enjoys working on technical issues, as there is certainly a good deal of problem-solving with this work. There is much variation during the working day, and because the role necessitates providing support to the network users, there is also a good deal of interaction with other people.

The 'MCSE', alternatively, is based around design, planning and project management; i.e. a more high level of responsibility. If you should aspire to network management, senior administration, technical-consulting or project management, or you intend to progress toward a higher-level IT security job, then this is absolutely the path to look at. A few less apparent attributes of a successful MCSE would be good leadership and creative expertise, as the role can often entail in depth problem solving & personnel in addition to resource management.

'Windows' 'NT' Operating systems are now very few and far between, yet quite a number of 'Windows' 2000 are still around. The most prolific is server 2003, with server 2008 still in its early-days. This being so, the key Microsoft certifications continue to be heavily centred around 'Windows' Server 2003. The 'Microsoft' 'MCSE' and MCSA training programs have changed over the years in accordance with the Servers. Right now, both 'MCSE' '2003' & MCSA 2003 are Microsoft's main Network qualifications. Because upgrade coaching for Server 08 is also out there however, it is advantageous to bolt this on as well.

Many trainers are still using the slightly musty old method of classroom lessons. Very often portrayed as a huge benefit, if you talk to a student who has had to attend a few, you'll find them listing some or most of these problems:

- All the travelling required - multiple visits and normally hundreds of miles each time.

- Asking for time out of work - most companies only offer Monday to Friday workshop availability and typically group 2-3 days together. This can be hard for a lot of working people, especially when travel time is included.

- Let's not overlook lost vacation time. Usually we're lucky to have 20 days holiday per year. If at least half is sacrificed to learning, then it doesn't leave much for us and our families.

- Training events sometimes get fully subscribed quite quickly, meaning we have to accept the '2nd best' solution.

- Often attendees are trying to maintain a quick pace, but some need a more gentle learning curve and not be forced to adopt an uncomfortable speed for them. This generates tension and difficulty a lot of the time.

- Tot up the cost of all the travelling, food, parking and accommodation and you could be in for a major shock. Students talk of increased costs of between several hundred and a couple of thousand pounds. Sit down and add it up - and see for yourself.

- Do you want to risk the chance of getting overlooked for a possible promotion or wage increases while you're training.

- It's very common for trainees not to pose the question that's bugging them - simply because they're with their peers.

- When your work takes you away from home, you face the added difficulty that days in-centre now become very hard to attend - and yet, the money has already been paid.

Infinitely more flexible is to exploit ready-made, videoed lessons in the comfort of your own chosen environment - taking them when it's convenient to you - not some other person. Whenever you get stuck, get onto the live 24x7 support (that should come with any technical program.) Keep in mind, if you have a laptop, you could study wherever the mood takes you. Note-taking is gone forever - every lesson is laid out for you already. Any time you want to repeat something, just go for it. Put directly: You save time, hassle, money and avoid polluting the skies.

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