Commercial qualifications are now, most definitely, taking over from the more academic tracks into the industry - but why is this happening? As we require increasingly more effective technological know-how, the IT sector has had to move to the specialised core-skills learning that can only come from the vendors - namely companies such as Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe. This usually turns out to involve less time and financial outlay. In essence, the learning just focuses on what's actually required. It's slightly more broad than that, but the most important function is always to master the precisely demanded skill-sets (including a degree of required background) - without attempting to cover a bit about all sorts of other things (as universities often do).

When it comes down to the nitty-gritty: Commercial IT certifications provide exactly what an employer needs - the title says it all: as an example - I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Windows XP Administration and Configuration'. So an employer can identify just what their needs are and which qualifications are needed for the job.

You should look for authorised exam simulation and preparation programs as part of your course package. Avoid relying on non-accredited exam papers and questions. The terminology of their questions is often somewhat different - and sometimes this can be a real headache when it comes to taking the real exam. Mock exams can be invaluable for confidence building - so much so, that at the proper exam, you won't be worried.

Students will sometimes miss checking on something that can make a profound difference to their results - the way their training provider divides up the courseware elements, and into what particular chunks. Usually, you'll enrol on a course requiring 1-3 years study and receive one element at a time until graduation. This sounds logical on one level, until you consider this: What if for some reason you don't get to the end of every single section? And what if you find the order of the modules counter-intuitive? Because of nothing that's your fault, you may not meet the required timescales and not receive all the modules you've paid for.

The ideal solution is to have all your study materials sent to you immediately; the complete package! This way, nothing can happen down the line which could affect your capability of finishing.

If you are interested in the 'development' side of things, then Microsoft offer the 'MCITP' DB-Developer program. Whilst not truly stretching in to Database programming, this covers more on the initial rationale & set up of databases. For more information regarding training in database programming, make sure you refer to the programming part of this website. In general, you will find there's a lot greater emphasis from students & employers alike on the administration of databases. Nevertheless, if for example the Developer track is for you, it could be practical to add the MCITP DB-Developer in to a wider Programming training path. As each year proceeds on, it's best to additionally think about taking the MCTS accreditation in 'SQL' Server 2008.

Can job security truly exist anymore? In a marketplace like the UK, with businesses changing their mind on a day-to-day basis, there doesn't seem much chance. Now, we only experience security via a swiftly escalating market, driven by a shortage of trained workers. These circumstances create the right environment for market-security - a much more desirable situation.

The 2006 British e-Skills investigation highlighted that more than 26 percent of IT jobs are unfilled mainly due to an appallingly low number of properly qualified workers. Alternatively, you could say, this means that Great Britain only has 3 trained people for each 4 positions that are available currently. Achieving in-depth commercial computing qualification is accordingly a quick route to realise a continuing as well as gratifying living. It would be hard to imagine if a better time or market conditions will exist for acquiring training in this hugely growing and developing industry.

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