If you’re hoping to formalise your skill set at the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) level of study, the latest courses on sale are based on CD and DVD ROM’s using interactive training. Whether you’re an IT professional but are about to polish up your CV, or are new to network support, you will be able to choose from hands-on MCSA study programmes to fulfil your needs.
Each of these levels needs a specialised track, so ensure the course is right for you prior to making a start. Find a training provider that is keen to get to know you, and what you hope to do, and is able to furnish you with the information you need to make your decision.
Make sure that all your accreditations are current and also valid commercially – don’t bother with programmes which lead to some in-house certificate (which is as useless as if you’d printed it yourself).
All the major commercial players such as Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco each have globally approved skills programmes. Major-league companies like these will make your CV stand-out.
A key training course package will undoubtedly also offer accredited exam preparation systems.
Some students can get confused by practicing questions for their exams that aren’t from the authorised examining boards. Sometimes, the question formats and phraseology can be completely unlike un-authorised versions and you should be prepared for this.
Clearly, it’s essential to ensure that you are completely prepared for your final certified exam before embarking on it. Practicing ‘mock’ exams will help to boost your attitude and will save a lot of money on failed exams.
An important area that is sometimes not even considered by people considering a training program is ‘training segmentation’. Essentially, this is the way the course is divided up for delivery to you, which completely controls how you end up.
Drop-shipping your training elements stage by stage, as you complete each module is how things will normally arrive. While sounding logical, you should take these factors into account:
What if for some reason you don’t get to the end of every exam? And what if you find the order of the modules counter-intuitive? Without any fault on your part, you might take a little longer and consequently not get all your materials.
For maximum flexibility and safety, it’s not unusual for students to make sure that every element of their training is delivered immediately, and not in stages. You can then decide at what speed and in which order you want to finish things.
Students who consider this area of study often have a very practical outlook on work, and don’t really enjoy classrooms, and endless reading of dry academic textbooks. If this is putting you off studying, opt for more involving, interactive learning materials, where learning is video-based.
We see a huge improvement in memory retention when we use multiple senses – this has been an accepted fact in expert circles for years now.
Interactive full motion video with demonstrations and practice sessions will beat books every time. And you’ll find them fun and interesting.
It makes sense to see examples of the courseware provided before you make your decision. You should expect instructor-led video demonstrations and interactive audio-visual sections with practice modules.
Avoiding training that is delivered purely online is generally a good idea. Physical CD or DVD ROM materials are preferable where obtainable, so you can use them wherever and whenever you want – it’s not wise to be held hostage to a quality and continuous internet connection.
(C) 2009. Visit LearningLolly.com for excellent career advice on MCSA 2008 Certification and MCSA Training.
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