If we didn't have a steady stream of knowledgeable PC and network support staff, commerce throughout the country (as elsewhere) would surely grind to a halt. We have an ever growing requirement for men and women with technical ability to support both users and the systems they work with. Our requirement for better technically qualified people grows, as we become vastly more reliant on PC's in the twenty first century.

We're often asked why traditional academic studies are less in demand than the more commercial qualifications? With university education costs spiralling out of control, and the industry's recognition that vendor-based training is often far more commercially relevant, there has been a great increase in Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe authorised training routes that create knowledgeable employees for much less time and money. Typically, students are simply taught the necessary specifics in depth. It isn't quite as lean as that might sound, but principally the objective has to be to cover the precise skills needed (alongside some required background) - without overdoing the detail in everything else - in the way that academic establishments often do.

In simple terms: Recognised IT certifications provide exactly what an employer needs - the title is a complete giveaway: for example, I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2003'. Consequently employers can identify exactly what they need and which qualifications are required to perform the job.

Many training companies offer a Job Placement Assistance service, to assist your search for your first position. Sometimes, people are too impressed with this facility, as it is actually not that hard for well qualified and focused men and women to get a job in the IT industry - because companies everywhere are seeking trained staff.

Bring your CV up to date as soon as possible however (advice and support for this should come from your course provider). Don't procrastinate and leave it for when you're ready to start work. Being considered a 'maybe' is far better than not even being known about. A surprising amount of junior positions are given to trainees (who've only just left first base.) If you'd like to get employment in your home town, then you'll probably find that a specialist locally based employment agency might be of more use than some national concern, due to the fact that they are much more inclined to have insider knowledge of what's available near you.

Fundamentally, as long as you focus the same level of energy into getting a job as into training, you won't have any problems. A number of students bizarrely spend hundreds of hours on their learning program and just give up once they've passed their exams and would appear to think that businesses will just discover them.

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