Nice One! Reading this subject matter indicates you're probably contemplating your career, and if training for a new career's in your mind you've already done more than most. Are you aware that hardly any of us are contented at work - yet the vast majority of us will take no corrective action. We encourage you to stand out from the crowd and move forward - don't you think you deserve it.

Before embarking on a course, look for some advice - talk to someone who's familiar with your chosen field; someone who'll give you career advice based on what works best for you, and work out what courses you may be suited to:

• Is collaborating with others important to you? Would that be with the same people or with a lot of new people? Maybe working on your own in isolation may be your preference?

• What criteria are fundamentally important with regard to the industry you'll be employed in?

• Should this be a one off time that you'll have to retrain?

• Are you confident that your chosen retraining will offer you employment opportunities, and make it possible to work right until your pension kicks in?

The largest sector in this country that fulfils the above criteria is the IT sector. There is a requirement for greater numbers of qualified staff in this market, just check out any jobs website and you'll discover what we mean. Don't misunderstand and think it's all nerdy people gazing towards theirscreens all day - there are loads more jobs than that. The majority of the people in IT are people of average intelligence, but they enjoy their work and get well paid.

Speak with almost any expert advisor and you'll be surprised by their many horror stories of students who've been sold completely the wrong course for them. Make sure you deal with an experienced industry advisor that asks some in-depth questions to find out what's right for you - not for their pay-packet! It's very important to locate the right starting point of study for you. If you've got a strong background, or perhaps a bit of live experience (some industry qualifications maybe?) then obviously your starting point will be different from a trainee who has no experience. It's usual to start with user-skills and software training first. It can brush up on your current abilities and make the learning curve a less steep.

Adding in the cost of exam fees up-front then including an exam guarantee is a common method with many companies. But let's examine why they really do it:

It's become essential these days that we're a little more 'marketing-savvy' - and most of us grasp that we are actually being charged for it - it's not because they're so generous they want to give something away! It's well known in the industry that when trainees fund their relevant examinations, when they're ready to take them and not before, there's a much better chance they'll pass first time - since they are conscious of what they've paid and therefore will put more effort into their preparation.

Go for the best offer you can find when you're ready, and hang on to your cash. You'll then be able to select where you sit the exam - which means you can stay local. Big margins are netted by many companies who get money for exam fees in advance. A number of students don't take them for various reasons but no refunds are given. Astoundingly enough, there are training companies who depend on students not taking their exams - as that's where a lot of their profit comes from. Additionally, 'Exam Guarantees' often aren't worth the paper they're written on. Many training companies won't pay for you to re-take until you have demonstrated conclusively that you won't fail again.

Exam fees averaged around the 112 pounds mark twelve months or so ago when taken at Prometric or VUE centres around the United Kingdom. So why pay hundreds or thousands of pounds extra to get 'an Exam Guarantee', when it's obvious that the most successful method is consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software.

Accredited simulation materials and exam preparation packages are crucial - and should definitely be sought from your course provider. As most IT examination boards are American, you'll need to be used to the correct phraseology. It's no use simply understanding random questions - they need to be in the proper exam format. Clearly, it is vital to make sure you're completely ready for your actual certification exam prior to doing it. Rehearsing mock-up tests helps build your confidence and will save a lot of money on unsuccessful attempts at exams.