Whether you’re new to the industry, or an experienced technician looking to gain accredited qualifications, there are state-of-the-art Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) courses that are suitable for both student levels.
If you’re considering joining the IT workplace for the 1st time, you will possibly have to improve your skill-set prior to attempting to go for the 4 MCP’s (Microsoft Certified Professional exams) needed to become MCSA qualified. Find a provider that will create a bespoke package to suit your requirements - it should be possible for you to discuss this with an industry expert to work out your best course of action.
Many training companies will only offer basic 9am till 6pm support (maybe a little earlier or later on certain days); most won’t answer after 8-9pm at the latest and frequently never at the weekends.
Find a good quality service with proper support available at any time of the day or night (even if it’s early hours on Sunday morning!) Ensure you get 24×7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not a call-centre that will take messages so you’re consistently being held in a queue for a call-back at a convenient time for them.
If you look properly, you’ll find the very best companies that recommend and use online support all the time - even in the middle of the night.
Don’t compromise where support is concerned. Many students who throw in the towel, just need the right support system.
Validated exam simulation and preparation packages are essential - and really must be obtained from your training provider.
As most IT examining boards tend to be American, you’ll need to be used to the correct phraseology. You can’t practice properly by just answering any old technical questions - they must be in an exam format that exactly replicates the real thing.
It’s a good idea to have some simulated exam questions in order to test your understanding at all times. Practice exams add to your knowledge bank - then the actual exam is much easier.
Many training companies offer a Job Placement Assistance facility, designed to steer you into your first job. But don’t place too much emphasis on it - it’s quite easy for their marketing department to overplay it. At the end of the day, the still growing need for IT personnel in this country is what will enable you to get a job.
Having said that, it’s important to have CV and Interview advice and support though; also we would encourage any student to bring their CV up to date right at the beginning of their training - don’t delay for when you’re ready to start work.
A good number of junior support jobs have been bagged by people who are still learning and haven’t even passed a single exam yet. At least this will get you into the ‘maybe’ pile of CV’s - rather than the ‘No’ pile.
The top companies to help you land that job are most often specialised and independent recruitment consultants. Because they only get paid when they place you, they’ll work that much harder to get a result.
Do ensure you don’t put hundreds of hours of effort into your studies, then call a halt and leave it up to everyone else to secure your first position. Get off your backside and make your own enquiries. Channel as much resource into finding the right position as you did to get trained.
The age-old way of teaching, utilising reference manuals and books, is an up-hill struggle for the majority of us. If all this is ringing some familiar bells, check out study materials that are on-screen and interactive.
Our ability to remember is increased with an involvement of all our senses - learning experts have been saying this for many years.
Modern training can now be done at home via easy-to-use DVD or CD ROM’s. Instructor-led tutorials will mean you’ll find things easier to remember via the demonstrations and explanations. Then it’s time to test your knowledge by practicing and interacting with the software.
Be sure to get a study material demo’ from your training provider. You should ask for demo’s from instructors, slideshows and lab’s for you to practice your skills in.
It’s unwise to opt for on-line only training. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from most broadband providers, ensure that you have access to disc based courseware (On CD or DVD).
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