Some certification companies still use the slightly musty old method of classroom days. Often sold as a benefit, following a chat with most students who've had to attend a couple, you'll find them listing some or most of the following problems:

- All the travelling required - many trips and usually 100's of miles at a go.

- Workshop access; frequently weekdays only and two or three days in a row. This can be difficult to get the leave of absence.

- And let's not overlook lost holiday time. Usually we're lucky to have 20 days holiday per year. If over 50 percent is used in classes, then it doesn't leave much for us and our families.

- Workshop days often get bloated with students.

- You may prefer to move at a slower or quicker pace than the rest of the class. This creates tension in the class.

- Calculate the increasing cost of all the travel, fares, accommodation, food and parking and you may be surprised (and not pleasantly). Students talk of increased costs mounting to several hundred and sometimes thousands of pounds. Do the maths - and see for yourself.

- The majority of trainees would like to keep their training completely private to avoid any kind of repercussions whilst in their current job.

- Surely, all of us at some time have avoided posing that question we were dying to ask, just because we wanted to look smarter?

- If your work takes you away from home, it's a fact of life that workshops sometimes become difficult to get to - but unfortunately, the fees were paid along with everything else at the start.

Why don't you watch a video and study with industry specialists one-on-one via videoed lessons, working on them at a time that's convenient for you and you alone. Just imagine... If you've got a notebook PC then you're free to learn in any location you choose. And 24 hr-a-day support is an online click away in case you get challenged. Modules and lessons can be repeated whenever it's convenient - doing something over will help you remember it. And you can say goodbye to note-taking - it's all done for you already. Put directly: You avoid a bunch of hassle, save money and time, and avoid killing more trees.

Coming across job security in the current climate is problematic. Companies frequently remove us from the workplace at a moment's notice - as long as it fits their needs. Where there are escalating skills shortages coupled with escalating demand of course, we almost always reveal a new kind of security in the marketplace; driven forward by conditions of continuous growth, companies find it hard to locate the number of people required.

With the computing industry for example, a recent e-Skills survey showed a skills gap throughout the UK of over 26 percent. Accordingly, for each 4 job positions available around computing, employers are only able to find trained staff for 3 of the 4. This one reality on its own is the backbone of why the UK desperately needs many more people to enter the IT industry. In reality, retraining in Information Technology during the next few years is very likely the best career choice you could ever make.

Full support is of the utmost importance - find a program that includes 24x7 access, as anything less will not satisfy and will also impede your ability to learn. Look for training where you can access help at all hours of the day and night (no matter if it's in the middle of the night on a weekend!) Ensure you get direct access to tutors, and not access to a call-in service which takes messages - so you're constantly waiting for a call-back when it's convenient for them.

It's possible to find the top providers who provide their students online direct access support 24x7 - at any time of day or night. Never compromise where support is concerned. The vast majority of IT hopefuls that can't get going properly, just need the right support system.

As for the '2009' edition of the Network+ : 'N10-004' has become the examination reference number. As well as the strong element of managing networks and their internal infrastructure, this latest examination concentrates heavily on security, design & wireless skill-sets.

CompTIA Hardware Support CBT Computer Multimedia Training >>