A very small number of men and women in this country are happy with what they do for a living. Naturally most will take no action. The fact that you've got this far surely tells us that you've realised change must come.

Before embarking on a course, look for some advice - find someone who knows the industry; someone who'll give you career advice based on what works best for you, and analyse the learning programs you may be suited to:

* Do you like working on your own or is being in a team environment an important option?

* The banks and building sector are none too stable right now, so think carefully about the sector that would give you the most options?

* Once you've qualified, would you like this skill to get you jobs for the rest of your working life?

* Are you happy that retraining in your chosen sector will offer you employment opportunities, and have the ability to be employed up to the time you want to stop?

The most significant market sector in the United Kingdom to tick all of the above boxes is the IT sector. There's a demand for more knowledgeable technicians in the industry, just check out any jobsite and you'll discover what we mean. Don't let people tell you it's all nerdy people looking at their computerscreens every day - there's a lot more to it than that. Most of the people in IT are just like the rest of us, but they enjoy their work and get well paid.

Beginning with the idea that we have to locate the area of most interest first and foremost, before we can mull over which method of training ticks the right boxes, how do we decide on the right direction? Perusing lists of IT career possibilities is next to useless. The vast majority of us don't even know what the neighbours do for a living - so we have no hope of understanding the complexities of a specific IT job. Consideration of these factors is imperative if you want to uncover a solution that suits you:

* Your hobbies and interests - often these point towards what possibilities will satisfy you.

* Do you want to obtain training because of a particular motive - e.g. are you pushing to work from home (self-employment?)?

* Is the money you make further up on your wish list than other factors.

* Understanding what typical Information technology roles and markets are - and what differentiates them.

* How much time you will put into the training program.

In these situations, your only option to seek advice on these areas tends to be through a good talk with an advisor that has years of experience in the IT industry (and chiefly the commercial needs and requirements.)

One of the most important things to insist on has to be full 24x7 support from expert mentors and instructors. Too many companies only seem to want to help while they're in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends. Don't buy training that only supports trainees via a call-centre messaging service after office-staff have gone home. Training schools will give you every excuse in the book why you don't need this. The bottom line is - support is required when it's required - not when it suits them.

The very best training providers utilise several support facilities around the globe in several time-zones. They use an online interactive interface to seamlessly link them all together, no matter what time you login, help is just seconds away, with no hassle or contact issues. Never make the mistake of compromise with the quality of your support. Many IT hopefuls who fall by the wayside, would have had a different experience if they'd got the right support package in the first place.

IT has become amongst the most stimulating and innovative industries you could be involved with. Being up close and personal with technology is to do your bit in the gigantic changes affecting everyone who lives in the 21st century. Computing technology and interaction via the web is going to radically shape our lives over future years; remarkably so.

Let's not ignore salaries either - the income on average over this country as a whole for an average man or woman in IT is much better than average salaries nationally. It's likely that you'll earn a whole lot more than you would in most other jobs. There is a great national requirement for qualified IT professionals. It follows that as the industry constantly develops, it is likely this pattern will continue for quite some time to come.

The area most overlooked by those weighing up a particular programme is that of 'training segmentation'. This is essentially how the program is broken down into parts to be delivered to you, which vastly changes the point you end up at. Training companies will normally offer a 2 or 3 year study programme, and send out each piece as you complete each section or exam. This sounds reasonable until you consider the following: How would they react if you didn't complete every module at the proposed pace? Often the staged order won't be as easy as an alternative path could be.

Put simply, the best solution is to have a copy of their prescribed order of study, but get everything up-front. Everything is then in your possession in the event you don't complete everything within their ideal time-table.

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