If you're considering a web design career, you will need to study Adobe Dreamweaver.
We'd also suggest that students get an in-depth understanding of the entire Adobe Web Creative Suite, which includes Flash and Action Script, to be able to utilise Dreamweaver commercially as a web-designer. These skills can result in you subsequently becoming an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) or Adobe Certified Professional (ACP).
Building a website is only the beginning of the skills needed though - in order to maintain content, create traffic, and work on dynamic sites that are database driven, you will need additional programming skills, for example HTML, PHP and MySQL. It would also be a good idea to develop a good understanding of E-Commerce and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
How long has it been since you considered the security of your job? For most people, this only rears its head when something goes wrong. However, the reality is that our job security is a thing of the past, for all but the most lucky of us.
We could however locate security at the market sector level, by digging for areas of high demand, tied with a shortage of skilled staff.
With the computing market for example, the 2006 e-Skills study demonstrated a skills gap across the country of over 26 percent. Or, to put it differently, this clearly demonstrates that the United Kingdom can only locate 3 certified professionals for each 4 job positions in existence now.
This disquieting idea highlights the requirement for more properly qualified Information Technology professionals in the country.
With the market evolving at the speed it is, it's unlikely there's any better sector worth taking into account for a new career.
Qualifications from the commercial sector are now, very visibly, taking over from the more academic tracks into IT - so why is this the case?
The IT sector is now aware that for mastery of skill sets for commercial use, the right accreditation from companies such as CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA is closer to the mark commercially - at a far reduced cost both money and time wise.
Obviously, a reasonable degree of background information has to be learned, but essential specialised knowledge in the areas needed gives a vendor trained person a real head start.
In simple terms: Recognised IT certifications tell an employer precisely what skills you have - everything they need to know is in the title: for example, I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2003'. Therefore an employer can look at their needs and what certifications are required to perform the job.
An important area that is sometimes not even considered by those thinking about a course is the concept of 'training segmentation'. This is essentially the way the course is divided up for delivery to you, which can make a dramatic difference to what you end up with.
The majority of training companies will set up a program typically taking 1-3 years, and courier the materials in pieces as you pass each exam. This sounds reasonable until you consider the following:
It's not unusual for trainees to realise that the trainer's 'standard' path of training isn't as suitable as another. It's often the case that varying the order of study will be far more suitable. And what if you don't get to the end inside of the expected timescales?
To provide the maximum security and flexibility, many trainees now want to have all their training materials (which they've now paid for) sent immediately, and not in a piecemeal fashion. It's then up to you at what speed and in which order you want to work.
Validated exam simulation and preparation software is vital - and must be sought from your training company.
Ensure that the mock exams aren't just asking you the right questions on the right subjects, but additionally ask them in the way that the actual final exam will phrase them. This throws students if they're faced with unrecognisable phrases and formats.
Ensure that you test your depth of understanding through quizzes and practice in simulated exam environments prior to taking the actual exam.
We'd also suggest that students get an in-depth understanding of the entire Adobe Web Creative Suite, which includes Flash and Action Script, to be able to utilise Dreamweaver commercially as a web-designer. These skills can result in you subsequently becoming an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) or Adobe Certified Professional (ACP).
Building a website is only the beginning of the skills needed though - in order to maintain content, create traffic, and work on dynamic sites that are database driven, you will need additional programming skills, for example HTML, PHP and MySQL. It would also be a good idea to develop a good understanding of E-Commerce and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
How long has it been since you considered the security of your job? For most people, this only rears its head when something goes wrong. However, the reality is that our job security is a thing of the past, for all but the most lucky of us.
We could however locate security at the market sector level, by digging for areas of high demand, tied with a shortage of skilled staff.
With the computing market for example, the 2006 e-Skills study demonstrated a skills gap across the country of over 26 percent. Or, to put it differently, this clearly demonstrates that the United Kingdom can only locate 3 certified professionals for each 4 job positions in existence now.
This disquieting idea highlights the requirement for more properly qualified Information Technology professionals in the country.
With the market evolving at the speed it is, it's unlikely there's any better sector worth taking into account for a new career.
Qualifications from the commercial sector are now, very visibly, taking over from the more academic tracks into IT - so why is this the case?
The IT sector is now aware that for mastery of skill sets for commercial use, the right accreditation from companies such as CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA is closer to the mark commercially - at a far reduced cost both money and time wise.
Obviously, a reasonable degree of background information has to be learned, but essential specialised knowledge in the areas needed gives a vendor trained person a real head start.
In simple terms: Recognised IT certifications tell an employer precisely what skills you have - everything they need to know is in the title: for example, I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2003'. Therefore an employer can look at their needs and what certifications are required to perform the job.
An important area that is sometimes not even considered by those thinking about a course is the concept of 'training segmentation'. This is essentially the way the course is divided up for delivery to you, which can make a dramatic difference to what you end up with.
The majority of training companies will set up a program typically taking 1-3 years, and courier the materials in pieces as you pass each exam. This sounds reasonable until you consider the following:
It's not unusual for trainees to realise that the trainer's 'standard' path of training isn't as suitable as another. It's often the case that varying the order of study will be far more suitable. And what if you don't get to the end inside of the expected timescales?
To provide the maximum security and flexibility, many trainees now want to have all their training materials (which they've now paid for) sent immediately, and not in a piecemeal fashion. It's then up to you at what speed and in which order you want to work.
Validated exam simulation and preparation software is vital - and must be sought from your training company.
Ensure that the mock exams aren't just asking you the right questions on the right subjects, but additionally ask them in the way that the actual final exam will phrase them. This throws students if they're faced with unrecognisable phrases and formats.
Ensure that you test your depth of understanding through quizzes and practice in simulated exam environments prior to taking the actual exam.