In today's high speed society, support workers who can solve problems with PC's and networks, and offer daily solutions to users, are hugely valuable in every part of the economy. The nation's requirement for increasing numbers of skilled and qualified individuals grows, as society becomes ever more dependent on computers in the modern world.

When did you last consider the security of your job? For the majority of us, this isn't an issue until something goes wrong. But really, the reality is that true job security has gone the way of the dodo, for all but the most lucky of us. We can however reveal security at the market sector level, by looking for areas of high demand, coupled with shortages of trained staff.

Reviewing the IT market, the most recent e-Skills analysis demonstrated an over 26 percent shortfall of skilled workers. So, for every four jobs existing throughout the computer industry, organisations are only able to find trained staff for three of the four. This one idea in itself shows why Great Britain urgently requires considerably more workers to get trained and enter the IT sector. Actually, acquiring professional IT skills during the next few years is probably the best career direction you could choose.

We're often asked why qualifications from colleges and universities are now falling behind more commercial certificates? The IT sector now acknowledges that for an understanding of the relevant skills, the right accreditation supplied for example by CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA most often has much more specialised relevance - for considerably less. In essence, the learning just focuses on what's actually required. Actually, it's not quite as pared down as that, but the principle objective is to cover the precise skills needed (alongside some required background) - without going into too much detail in all sorts of other things - in the way that academic establishments often do.

Put yourself in the employer's position - and you required somebody who had very specific skills. Which is the most straightforward: Wade your way through loads of academic qualifications from hopeful applicants, asking for course details and which commercial skills they have, or choose a specific set of accreditations that precisely match your needs, and then choose your interviewees based around that. You'll then be able to concentrate on getting a feel for the person at interview - instead of having to work out if they can do the job.

Starting with the understanding that it makes sense to locate the market that sounds most inviting first and foremost, before we can ponder which training course meets that requirement, how do we decide on the way that suits us? Flicking through long lists of different and confusing job titles is no use whatsoever. The majority of us have no concept what our good friends do at work - so we're in the dark as to the complexities of a particular IT career. Ultimately, the right resolution will only come via a detailed analysis of many altering areas:

* Personalities play a starring part - what gets you 'up and running', and what are the things that get you down.

* Why it seems right moving into the IT industry - maybe you'd like to conquer some personal goal like working for yourself for example.

* Any personal or home needs you have?

* Learning what the main career types and sectors are - and what differentiates them.

* How much time you'll have available to set aside for the training program.

The best way to avoid the industry jargon, and find the best route for you, have an informal chat with an industry expert and advisor; an individual that appreciates and can explain the commercial realities and of course each qualification.

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