We all have a great number of demands on our time, and inevitably if we desire to study for a new career, studying in addition to a 40 hour week is the only option open to us. Training tracks certified by Microsoft can be the way to do it. In addition, you may hope to talk in detail on the sort of careers to be had once you've qualified, and what sort of person such a career might be right for. Most students prefer to discuss what the best route is for them. Confirm that your training is designed to your skills and abilities. The best companies will ensure that the course is purpose built for the status you wish to achieve.

A major candidate for the most common difficulty in IT training can be attending multi-day workshops. A lot of certification companies push the so-called 'benefits' of these classes, it's almost certain though that you'll find them a major problem because of:

* All that travelling - frequent journeys and normally hundreds of miles each time.

* Workshop availability; frequently Mon-Fri and two or three days in a row. You then have the difficulty of the time off work.

* At just 4 weeks annual leave, sacrificing half of them for study days leaves us with very few opportunities for days off.

* Taking into account the costs associated with delivering a workshop, most trainers really push the size of the class - not really ideal (and much less personal).

* Many students want to study at a slower or quicker pace than the rest of the class. Sometimes this causes classic classroom tension.

* Don't forget the added cost of driving and accommodation either. This can run to 00's or even 000's extra. Work it out - you may be surprised.

* It's important to maintain privacy. We should never risk losing any lift up the ladder due to us just because we're retraining.

* Surely, all of us at some time have shied away from raising a hand in the air, because we didn't want to look stupid?

* If your work takes you away from home, you have the added problem that days in-centre now become difficult to get to - and yet, they've been paid for in advance.

Infinitely more flexible is to exploit ready-made, videoed lessons in the comfort of your own chosen environment - at a time that's convenient to you - not anybody else. Consider... Using a notebook PC then you're free to learn wherever you want. And live 24 hr-a-day support is only a web-browser click away if you hit challenges. There's no need to take notes - everything is prepared in advance for you. And if you want to repeat anything, you've got it all. What could be more straightforward: A lot of money is saved and you avoid all the travelling; and of course you get a more comfortable training environment.

Proper support should never be taken lightly - look for a package providing 24x7 full access, as anything less will not satisfy and will also hold up your pace and restrict your intake. Always avoid certification programs which can only support trainees via a call-centre messaging system when it's outside of usual working hours. Training schools will give you every excuse in the book why you don't need this. But, no matter how they put it - support is required when it's required - not when it suits them.

Be on the lookout for study programmes that incorporate three or four individual support centres active in different time-zones. All of them should be combined to offer a simple interface and access round-the-clock, when you want it, with no hassle. If you accept anything less than direct-access 24x7 support, you'll regret it very quickly. You may avoid using the support throughout the night, but you're bound to use weekends, early mornings or even late evenings at some point.

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