Computer (or Digital) 'Forensics' is relatively new in this area - TV shows such as 'Crime Scene Investigation' may have familiarised us with the term. Clearly though the job in actuality will not always be quite so glamorous as the TV shows would have us think! Having said that, technological-forensics is providing a fascinating occupation for many individuals these days. A Digital Forensics specialist will find & interpret digital artefacts which are frequently used to solve crimes.

Alongside Security and Digital Forensics the to some extent new field of Ethical Hacking is emerging. The 'Certified Ethical Hacker' (CEH) & the 'Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator'(CHFI) are mid - advanced level accreditations offered through the EC-Council.

Certifications within this field aren't limited MS & Cisco themselves. A number of well-regarded neutral organisations are today supplying increasingly more relevant & important certifications. An essential knowledge of network interface-connectivity between & within networks is now becoming increasingly important. Networking is in fact undergoing some important paradigm shifts at the moment; both in terms of processing & in data storage, with internet based computing gaining momentum and 'green I.T.' becoming more and more relevant. Green I.T. doesn't specifically signify 'saving the planet' -- it does have many elements designed to minimise CO2 impact etc., but it's also solidly seated in the economic reality of cost-savings. Computer systems produce much less heat (& so need less cooling) if they have lower-powered processors. Electricity bills can often be substantially reduced for companies like data centres which are high technology-users.

One feature that many training companies provide is job placement assistance. This is to assist your search for your first position. The need for this feature can be bigged up out of proportion though - it's easy for companies marketing departments to make it sound harder than it is. The fact of the matter is, the still growing need for IT personnel in the United Kingdom is what will enable you to get a job.

Update your CV at the beginning of your training though (advice can be sought on this via your provider). Don't put it off until you've qualified. Being considered a 'maybe' is more than not being regarded at all. A decent number of junior support jobs are given to people in the early stages of their course. Generally, a specialist locally based employment service (who will get paid commission to place you) should get better results than any recruitment division from a training organisation. Also of course they should know the local area and commercial needs.

Various people, it would appear, conscientiously work through their course materials (for years sometimes), only to do nothing special when finding a job. Sell yourself... Make an effort to get in front of employers. Don't think a job's just going to jump out in front of you.

We can't make a big enough deal out of this point: It's essential to obtain proper 24x7 round-the-clock instructor and mentor support. Later, you'll kick yourself if you let this one slide. Many only provide email support (too slow), and phone support is often to a call-centre that will take the information and email an instructor - who will call back over the next day or so (assuming you're there), at a suitable time to them. This is no good if you're stuck and can't continue and can only study at specific times.

We recommend that you search for providers that use several support centres from around the world. All of them should be combined to offer a simple interface as well as round-the-clock access, when it suits you, with no fuss. Don't ever make the mistake of taking second best where support is concerned. The vast majority of trainees who can't get going properly, are in that situation because they didn't get the support necessary for them.

A basic knowledge of networks is a great first base for anybody getting into the IT industry. You need to understand precisely how PC's operate and connect with one another before you can consider anything else. Assuming you possess proficient user-skills, you'll find the CompTIA A+ & 'Network+' programs are excellent to get you started. We feature information regarding these packages on the pages dedicated to CompTIA.

Moving on you can either follow the Microsoft 'MCSE' or 'MCSA' track if you are considering 'software', or the 'Cisco' 'CCNA' or 'CCNP' path if you're considering hardware. Even so, an in depth understanding of Microsoft's operating-systems is highly advantageous as they are such an important element of the majority of networking environments. You can find additional qualification details on this web-site in the dedicated Microsoft and 'Cisco' sections.

A different possibility is to continue with CompTIA accreditations such as Linux+, Server+ or Security+ and remain vendor-neutral, or perhaps look at the CWNA or CWNP and become a specialist in wire-less technology.

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