It's quite some achievement that you're on the right track! A small number of workers are happy and satisfied by their jobs, but the majority simply moan about it and that's it. Because you've done research it's likely that you're at least considering retraining, which means you're already ahead of the pack. The next step is to find out more and then take action.

Before we even think about any career courses, find an expert who can talk you through the right type of training for you. Someone who has the ability to get an understanding of your personality, and discover what type of job will be right for you:

* Do you see yourself dealing with people? Would you prefer to work with a small team or with many new people? Perhaps working alone with your own methodology would give you pleasure?

* What do you need from the market sector you work in? (Things do change - look at the building trade, or banks for example.)

* Once you've trained, how many years work do anticipate working, and will the industry offer you that opportunity?

* Are you happy that your chosen retraining can help you find employment, and will make it possible to allow you to work until your pension kicks in?

The largest sector in Great Britain that fulfils the above criteria is the IT sector. There is a requirement for greater numbers of knowledgeable staff in the industry, simply have a look at a local job site and you'll see for yourself. Don't let people tell you it's all techie people sitting in front ofscreens the whole time - it's much more diverse than that. The majority of the people in the computer industry are people of average intelligence, and they have very interesting and well paid jobs.

Trainees hopeful to build an IT career normally have no idea of what route they should take, or what market to get certified in. What chances do most of us have of understanding the day-to-day realities of any IT job when we haven't done that before? Often we have never met anyone who performs the role either. Achieving a well-informed choice really only appears via a thorough investigation of several unique criteria:

* Personality plays a starring part - what things get your juices flowing, and what are the things that get you down.

* What length of time can you allocate for the training process?

* Where do you stand on job satisfaction vs salary?

* Understanding what the main job types and sectors are - and what makes them different.

* How much time you will commit the training program.

In actuality, the only way to investigate these issues will be via a meeting with an advisor or professional that has experience of Information Technology (and specifically it's commercial requirements.)

A subtle way that colleges make a big mark-up is via an 'exam inclusive' package then giving it 'Exam Guarantee' status. This sounds impressive, but let's just examine it more closely:

You'll pay for it by some means. It's definitely not free - it's just been rolled into the price of the whole package. We all want to pass first time. Progressively working through your exams one by one and funding them one at a time has a marked effect on pass-rates - you prepare appropriately and are aware of the costs involved.

Isn't it in your interests to find the best exam deal or offer at the appropriate time, instead of paying a premium to the college, and to do it locally - instead of the remote centre that's convenient only to the trainer? A great deal of money is secured by many training colleges who incorporate exam fees into the cost of the course. For various reasons, many students don't take their exams but no refunds are given. Amazingly, there are providers that depend on students not taking their exams - as that's very profitable for them. It's also worth noting that you should consider what an 'exam guarantee' really means. The majority of organisations will not pay for you to re-take until you've completely satisfied them that you're ready this time.

Exams taken at VUE and Prometric centres are in the region of 112 pounds in the UK. What's the point of paying huge 'Exam Guarantee' costs (usually wrapped up in the course package price) - when a quality course, support and commitment, effort and practice with quality exam preparation systems are the factors that really get you through.

Chat with any proficient advisor and they'll regale you with many awful tales of salespeople ripping-off unsuspecting students. Only deal with a skilled advisor that digs deep to uncover the best thing for you - not for their bank-account! You must establish the very best place to start for you. Occasionally, the training inception point for a person with experience is vastly different to someone just starting out. Consider starting with a user-skills course first. Beginning there can make the transition to higher-level learning a bit more manageable.

It's essential to have an accredited exam preparation programme included in your course. Due to the fact that the majority of examination boards in IT are American, you'll need to be used to the correct phraseology. It's no use merely understanding random questions - they must be in an exam format that exactly replicates the real thing. As you can imagine, it's very important to ensure that you're completely ready for your commercial exam prior to going for it. Practicing 'mock' exams will help to boost your attitude and helps to avoid unsuccessful attempts at exams.

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