The Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator course is a perfect match for anyone wanting to become a supporter of networks. Whether you’re already knowledgeable but need to formalise your skills with an acknowledged certification, or you’re new to the industry, you should soon be able to find a course to fit your requirements.
Look for an organisation that’s eager to understand you, and will help identify the ideal path for you, even before they start thinking about the course contents. They will also advise you where to start dependent on your current comprehension or lack of it.
Commercially accredited qualifications are now, most definitely, already replacing the traditional routes into IT - so why should this be?
Corporate based study (to use industry-speak) is far more specialised and product-specific. Industry is aware that a specialist skill-set is what’s needed to service the demands of an increasingly more technical workplace. CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA are the key players in this arena.
Clearly, a certain quantity of background information has to be learned, but precise specialised knowledge in the required areas gives a commercially trained student a huge edge.
Assuming a company knows what work they need doing, then all it takes is an advert for the exact skill-set required to meet that need. The syllabuses are all based on the same criteria and don’t change between schools (as academic syllabuses often do).
Chat with almost any professional advisor and they’ll regale you with many awful tales of students who’ve been conned by dodgy salespeople. Stick to a professional advisor that quizzes you to find out what’s right for you - not for their retirement-fund! It’s very important to locate the right starting point of study for you.
Remember, if you’ve had any relevant accreditation or direct-experience, then you may be able to start at a different point than someone who is new to the field.
Consider starting with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first. Beginning there can make the learning curve a little less steep.
So many training providers only look at the plaque to hang on your wall, and completely avoid the reasons for getting there - which will always be getting the job or career you want. Always begin with the end goal - too many people focus on the journey.
You could be training for only a year and end up doing the job for 20 years. Don’t make the mistake of choosing what sounds like an ‘interesting’ course only to waste your life away with an unrewarding career!
You must also consider your feelings on earning potential, career development, and whether you intend to be quite ambitious. It makes sense to understand what industry expects from you, what particular accreditations they want you to have and how to develop your experience.
We’d recommend you take advice from an industry professional before settling on a training program, so you can be sure that the content of a learning package provides the skills necessary.
One area often overlooked by potential students thinking about a course is the issue of ‘training segmentation’. This basically means the method used to break up the program for timed release to you, which makes a huge difference to what you end up with.
The majority of training companies will set up a 2 or 3 year study programme, and deliver each piece one-by-one as you finish each section. Sounds reasonable? Well consider these facts:
Students often discover that the company’s typical path to completion isn’t as suitable as another. It’s often the case that a slightly different order suits them better. Could it cause problems if you don’t get everything done in the allotted time?
To provide the maximum security and flexibility, it’s not unusual for students to insist that all study materials are couriered out in one package, all at the beginning. It’s then your own choice at what speed and in which order you want to work.