Being at the forefront of revolutionary new technology is about as exciting as it can get. Your actions are instrumental in creating a future for us all. We're only just starting to scrape the surface of how technology will influence everything we do. Computers and the web will profoundly transform how we regard and interrelate with the world around us over the coming years.

Wages in the IT sector aren't to be ignored also - the average salary over this country as a whole for the usual IT employee is noticeably more than in other market sectors. Odds are you'll make a whole lot more than you'd typically expect to bring in elsewhere. The need for well trained and qualified IT technicians is guaranteed for quite some time to come, thanks to the ongoing increase in IT dependency in commerce and the very large shortage that remains.

So with 'databases' holding such a big part in modern-day society, what kind of work can be obtained that relates to them? Normally, from an It viewpoint, there are two key elements of database careers: Creating the software & constructing the database is the 1st area, & administering the data and putting together reporting systems to use the data is the second aspect. The term DBA, or 'Database Administrator', is a well known acronym used through-out the IT sector. A DBA may characteristically work for a medium sized or larger organisation, and handle the every day operations of a particular Database. 'DBAs' maintain the security of a company's databases, make sure that everything is backed up correctly, & use the intelligence to make pertinent reports for senior management. They must have a professional knowledge of SQL - the most common Database language. Interrogating 'databases' to extract information is standardised with SQL ('Structured Query Language').

A lot of men and women presume that the school and FE college track is the right way even now. So why then are commercially accredited qualifications becoming more popular with employers? Key company training (to use industry-speak) is more effective in the commercial field. The IT sector has realised that a specialist skill-set is essential to service the demands of a technically advancing workplace. Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe are the big boys in this field. Many degrees, as a example, often get bogged down in vast amounts of background study - with much too broad a syllabus. This holds a student back from getting enough specific knowledge about the core essentials.

The bottom line is: Accredited IT qualifications give employers exactly what they're looking for - the title is a complete giveaway: i.e. I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Windows XP Administration and Configuration'. Consequently an employer can look at the particular needs they have and which qualifications will be suitable to deal with those needs.

'Oracle' & SQL-Server from Microsoft are the key database-systems in operation right now. Quite a few larger installations still utilise the older Oracle System, although SQL-Server is currently the most used system in most business environments, and where web based databases are concerned it rules supreme. Naturally, as SQL-Server is fully owned by Microsoft, the company has built it in to each of its platforms & programs. For all those aiming to become commercially certified therefore, its the obvious route to look at. Certifications have recently been up-dated, and the 'MCDBA' (Microsoft Certified Database Administrator) has now been replaced by the 'MCITP' ('Microsoft Certified IT Professional') & the MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist). Even though 'SQL' Server 2008 is beginning to develop some foot-hold, the current widespread commercial version of MS 'SQL' Server is 2005, & it's this edition that is included in the 'MCITP' DBA accreditation. To be able to gain the full MCITP accreditation, various 'MCTS' modules must be completed first.

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