The MCSA course is right for anybody thinking about being a network support technician. Whether you already have experience but need a professional course with an acknowledged certification, or you are a beginner in the IT industry, you should soon be able to find a course to fulfil your needs. To achieve certification at the MCSA level there are four MCP's (Microsoft Certified Professional exams) needed to be passed. If this is your first entry into computing exams, it's likely you'll have to learn a few things before having a go at the first of the MCP's. Find a provider with people who will find the right way to tackle your goal and can match your current skills to the right level of course.

Review the following points very carefully if you think the marketing blurb about examination guarantees seems like a good idea:

Everyone knows they're still footing the bill for it - it's quite obvious to see that it's already been included in the full cost of the package supplied by the college. Certainly, it's not a freebie (although some people will believe anything the marketing companies think up these days!) Should you seriously need to qualify first 'go', you must avoid exam guarantees and pay when entering exams, give it the priority it deserves and be ready for the task.

Don't you think it's more sensible to hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the time, instead of paying a premium to a training college, and to do it in a local testing office - rather than possibly hours away from your area? Big margins are made by a significant number of organisations who take the exam money up-front. For quite legitimate reasons, a number of students don't get to do their exams but no refunds are given. Amazingly, there are companies around who rely on that fact - as that's where a lot of their profit comes from. Re-takes of previously unsuccessful exams with organisations with an 'Exam Guarantee' are tightly controlled. They will insist that you take pre-tests first to make sure they think you're going to pass.

Exams taken at local centres are in the region of 112 pounds in this country. Why pay exorbitant 'Exam Guarantee' fees (usually wrapped up in the course package price) - when the best course materials, the right level of support and study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.

With so much choice, is it any wonder that most potential newcomers to the industry don't really understand the best career path they could be successful with. Perusing a list of odd-sounding and meaningless job titles is a complete waste of time. Surely, most of us don't even know what our own family members do for a living - let alone understand the ins and outs of any specific IT role. Contemplation on these factors is required when you want to uncover the right answers:

* Which type of person you consider yourself to be - what kind of jobs you enjoy doing, and conversely - what you definitely don't enjoy.

* Do you hope to pull off a closely held dream - for instance, working for yourself someday?

* What scale of importance is the salary - is it the most important thing, or is enjoying your job a lot higher on the priority-scale?

* With everything that IT encompasses, it's a requirement that you can see how they differ.

* You'll also need to think hard about what kind of effort and commitment you'll put into your training.

To bypass the barrage of jargon, and find what'll really work for you, have an informal chat with an industry expert and advisor; an individual who will cover the commercial realities and truth while explaining each qualification.

Don't forget: the training itself or an accreditation is not the ultimate goal; a job that you want is. A lot of colleges seem to put too much weight in the actual accreditation. Never let yourself become one of those unfortunate students who set off on a track that on the surface appears interesting - only to end up with a qualification for a job they hate.

You must also consider what your attitude is towards career progression and earning potential, plus your level of ambition. It's vital to know what industry expects from you, which qualifications are needed and how you'll gain real-world experience. Long before starting a particular study course, you'd be well advised to chat over the specific career requirements with a professional advisor, in order to be sure the study programme covers all that is required.

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