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To become a proficient web designer and have the most recognised qualification for the job market today, the course you need is Adobe Dreamweaver. The complete Adobe Web Creative Suite should also be understood in-depth. This will mean you have knowledge of Action Script and Flash, amongst others, and could lead on to the Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) or an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) qualification.

In order to establish yourself as a full web professional however, there is much more to consider. You’ll need to bolt on programming skills like HTML, PHP and MySQL. A working knowledge of E-Commerce and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) will give your CV some extra credibility and make you more employable.

Commercial qualifications are now, very visibly, beginning to replace the traditional routes into the IT industry – but why is this the case? With 3 and 4 year academic degree costs spiralling out of control, alongside the industry’s recognition that corporate based study is often far more commercially relevant, there’s been a big surge in Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA accredited training programmes that provide key skills to an employee at a much reduced cost in terms of money and time. They do this by focusing on the skills that are really needed (alongside an appropriate level of background knowledge,) instead of spending months and years on the background ‘padding’ that degrees in computing can often find themselves doing – to fill a three or four year course.

In simple terms: Commercial IT certifications provide exactly what an employer needs – it says what you do in the title: i.e. I am a ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ in ‘Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2003′. Therefore companies can identify just what their needs are and what certifications are required to fulfil that.

One feature offered by some training providers is job placement assistance. The service is put in place to help you get your first commercial position. Because of the massive need for more IT skills in this country today, there isn’t a great need to make too much of this option though. It’s actually not as hard as some people make out to get the right work as long as you’re correctly trained and certified.

Update your CV at the beginning of your training though – you should get plenty of help from your training provider on this. Don’t put it off until you’ve qualified. Having the possibility of an interview is far better than not even being known about. Often junior positions are bagged by trainees (sometimes when they’ve only just got going.) Generally, you’ll receive better results from a local IT focused recruitment consultant or service than any training provider’s national service, as they will understand the local industry and employment needs.

In a nutshell, if you put the same amount of effort into getting your first IT position as into studying, you won’t have any problems. A number of trainees curiously put hundreds of hours into their course materials and then call a halt once certified and appear to be under the impression that jobs will come to them.

Trainees looking at this market often have a very practical outlook on work, and won’t enjoy sitting at a desk in class, and struggling through thick study-volumes. If this is putting you off studying, opt for more involving, interactive learning materials, with on-screen demonstrations and labs. If we can get all of our senses involved in our learning, our results will often be quite spectacular.

Study programs now come in disc format, so everything is learned directly from your own PC. Using video-streaming, you can watch instructors demonstrating how something is done, and then practice yourself – via the interactive virtual lab’s. Always insist on a look at some courseware examples from the training company. You should ask for slide-shows, instructor-led videos and interactive labs where you get to practice.

Choose physical media such as CD or DVD ROM’s where possible. You’re then protected from the variability of broadband quality and service.

Commencing with the idea that it makes sense to locate the market that sounds most inviting first and foremost, before we’re able to consider which educational program ticks the right boxes, how can we choose the way that suits us? As in the absence of any commercial background in the IT industry, in what way could we know what someone in a particular job does? Arriving at a well-informed conclusion really only appears via a methodical analysis of several unique areas:

* The kind of individual you are – what kind of jobs you enjoy doing, and conversely – what makes you unhappy.

* Do you want to re-train because of a particular motive – for example, do you aim to work based from home (being your own boss?)?

* Is salary further up on your priority-list than other factors.

* With everything that computing covers, you’ll need to be able to absorb the differences.

* You’ll also need to think hard about the amount of time and effort that you will set aside for the accreditation program.

To bypass the industry jargon, and find the best path to success, have an in-depth discussion with an experienced professional; a person who will cover the commercial realities and truth while explaining each certification.

Make sure you don’t get caught-up, as many people do, on the training process. Training for training’s sake is generally pointless; this is about gaining commercial employment. You need to remain focused on where you want to go. Don’t be one of those unfortunate people who set off on a track that on the surface appears interesting – and end up with a certification for a career they’ll never really get any satisfaction from.

Be honest with yourself about how much you want to earn and the level of your ambition. This will influence what precise exams will be required and what you can expect to give industry in return. We recommend that students seek advice from an experienced professional before making your final decision on a learning program, so you can be sure that the chosen route will give you the skill-set required for your career choice.

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