Network and computer support staff are constantly sought after in Great Britain, as companies rely heavily upon their knowledge and ability to fix and repair. Our country's need for increasing numbers of technically qualified people multiplies, as we turn out to be ever more dependent on computers in these modern times.

OK, why ought we to be looking at commercial qualifications instead of more traditional academic qualifications taught at the state educational establishments? Industry is now aware that to cover the necessary commercial skill-sets, official accreditation from the likes of Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA is far more effective and specialised - for much less time and money. Typically, only that which is required is learned. Actually, it's not quite as pared down as that, but the most important function is always to master the precisely demanded skill-sets (along with a certain amount of crucial background) - without trying to cram in all sorts of other things (as degree courses are known to do).

It's a bit like the TV advert: 'It does what it says on the tin'. All an employer has to do is know what they're looking for, and then match up the appropriate exam numbers as a requirement. Then they know that anyone who applies can do the necessary work.

Trainees looking at this market can be very practical by nature, and don't always take well to classrooms, and poring through books and manuals. If this could be you, opt for more involving, interactive learning materials, with on-screen demonstrations and labs. Research over recent years has time and time again demonstrated that connecting physically with our study, is proven to produce longer-lasting and deeper memory retention.

Start a study-program in which you'll receive a selection of CD and DVD based materials - you'll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, followed by the chance to use virtual lab's to practice your new skills. You'll definitely want a study material demo' from your training provider. You should ask for demo's from instructors, slideshows and fully interactive skills-lab's.

It's usually bad advice to opt for on-line only training. Because of the variable quality and reliability of the ISP (internet service provider) market, make sure you get CD or DVD ROM based materials.

Don't put too much store, like so many people do, on the training process. You're not training for the sake of training; you're training to become commercially employable. Stay focused on what it is you want to achieve. It's common, for example, to obtain tremendous satisfaction from a year of studying only to end up putting 20 long years into a tiresome job role, entirely because you stumbled into it without the correct research when it was needed - at the start.

You'll want to understand what industry will expect from you. Which particular certifications they'll want you to gain and how you'll build your experience level. It's also worth spending time considering how far you'd like to build your skill-set as it may affect your choice of certifications. Look for help from an experienced industry professional who has commercial knowledge of your chosen market-place, and who can give you 'A typical day in the life of' synopsis of what you'll actually be doing day-to-day. It just makes sense to ensure you're on the right track before you start on any retraining programme. There's really no reason in kicking off your training and then realise you've made a huge mistake.

Any program that you're going to undertake should always lead to a widely recognised certification at the end - and not a worthless 'in-house' piece of paper. If your certification doesn't come from a company like Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA or Adobe, then chances are it won't be commercially viable - as it'll be an unknown commodity.

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