Finding job security nowadays is problematic. Businesses often drop us from the workforce at the drop of a hat - as long as it fits their needs. Where there are rising skills shortfalls together with increasing demand of course, we generally find a new kind of market-security; driven forward by the constant growth conditions, organisations struggle to find the influx of staff needed.

The most recent national e-Skills survey showed that 26 percent of computing and IT jobs are unfilled because of a lack of trained staff. Showing that for each 4 job positions in existence in Information Technology (IT), there are barely three qualified workers to perform that task. This fundamental reality underpins the urgent need for more properly certified computing professionals around Great Britain. Quite simply, gaining new qualifications in IT throughout the years to come is almost definitely the best career move you'll ever make.

If we take the core IT systems we're able to then look at the certification programs that Microsoft is offering. So fundamentally we're looking at Programming, Networks and Databases. Each of these tracks has it's own unique list of individual accreditation groups - which can be looked at more deeply by going through the pertinent pages on this site.

Adding in the cost of examinations as an inclusive element of the package price and offering an 'Exam Guarantee' is popular with many companies. Consider the facts:

Clearly it isn't free - you're still paying for it - the cost has just been rolled into the whole training package. For those who want to pass first time, you must pay for one exam at a time, focus on it intently and give the task sufficient application.

Hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the appropriate time, and keep hold of your own money. You'll then be able to select where you sit the exam - which means you can stay local. Paying upfront for examinations (and if you're financing your study there'll be interest on that) is insane. Resist being talked into filling the training company's account with extra money of yours only to please their Bank Manager! A lot bank on the fact that you will never make it to exams - so they don't need to pay for them. Remember, with the majority of Exam Guarantees - the company controls how often and when you are allowed to have another go. You'll have to prove conclusively that you can pass before they'll pay for another exam.

The cost of exams was about 112 pounds last year when taken at Prometric or VUE centres around the United Kingdom. So don't be talked into shelling out hundreds or thousands of pounds more to get 'an Exam Guarantee', when any student knows that the responsible approach is study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams.

Expert user skills can be acquired via particular Microsoft accreditation paths, & professional support skills via others. The MOS ('Microsoft Office Specialist') and 'MCAS' (Microsoft Certified Application Specialist) packages teach the 'Office' Suite in-depth. For a qualification that allows you to support others, check out the 'Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician', or 'MCDST' as its known.

You could equally be thinking about a technical job within the I.T. sector, which would mean more in-depth & specialised Microsoft accreditation study. MS have fairly recently revamped their accreditation structure, & while there are still many tracks based upon the 'MCP' certifications, we're more and more witnessing the move to MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional) & 'MCTS' (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) programs. In general, the MCTS accreditations are taken en-route to the full MCITP program.

So, why is it better to gain commercially accredited qualifications as opposed to more traditional academic qualifications taught at tech' colleges and universities? With fees and living expenses for university students increasing year on year, alongside the IT sector's increasing awareness that accreditation-based training is closer to the mark commercially, we have seen a great increase in Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe accredited training routes that supply key solutions to a student for much less time and money. Typically, only that which is required is learned. It's slightly more broad than that, but principally the objective has to be to focus on the exact skills required (including a degree of required background) - without going into too much detail in every other area (as universities often do).

When it comes down to the nitty-gritty: Commercial IT certifications let employers know exactly what you're capable of - the title says it all: for example, I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Designing Security for a Windows 2003 Network'. Therefore companies can identify exactly what they need and what certifications are required to perform the job.

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