A subtle way that training providers make a lot more is by charging for exams up-front and then including an 'Exam Guarantee'. This looks like a great idea for the student, but is it really:

These days, we're a little bit more aware of sales ploys - and generally we cotton on to the fact that we're actually paying for it (it's not a freebie because they like us so much!) Qualifying on the first 'go' is what everyone wants to do. Taking your exams progressively in order and funding them one at a time has a marked effect on pass-rates - you take it seriously and are conscious of what you've spent.

Find the best exam deal or offer available when you're ready, and save having to find the money early. You'll then be able to select where you do the examinations - so you can choose somewhere closer to home. Buying a course that includes payments for examination fees (and if you're financing your study there'll be interest on that) is bad financial management. It's not your job to boost the training company's account with extra money of yours only to please their Bank Manager! There are those who hope that you won't get to do them all - but they won't refund the cash. Re-takes of any failed exams through organisations with an 'Exam Guarantee' are tightly controlled. You'll be required to sit pre-tests until you've proven that you're likely to pass.

On average, exams cost around the 112 pounds mark in the last 12 months when taken at UK VUE or Prometric centres. So what's the point of paying maybe a thousand pounds extra for 'Exam Guarantees', when it's obvious that what's really needed is consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software.

You should remember: a training program or a qualification isn't the end-goal; a job you're training for is. A lot of colleges seem to place too much importance on the actual accreditation. You could be training for only a year and end up doing the actual job for 10-20 years. Ensure you avoid the fatal error of opting for what may seem to be a program of interest to you and then put 10-20 years into a job you don't like!

You'll want to understand the exact expectations industry will have. What particular exams they'll want you to gain and how you'll go about getting some commercial experience. It's also worth spending time assessing how far you'd like to build your skill-set as it will often affect your choice of certifications. Have a conversation with an experienced industry advisor who knows about the sector you're looking at, and who can give you a detailed description of what you actually do in that role. Contemplating this well before you start on any retraining course will prevent a lot of wasted time and effort.

The classroom style of learning we remember from school, using textbooks and whiteboards, can be pretty hard going sometimes. If this describes you, find training programs which feature interactive and multimedia modules. Our ability to remember is increased with an involvement of all our senses - this has been an accepted fact in expert circles for years now.

Start a study-program in which you'll receive a selection of DVD-ROM's - you'll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, and be able to fine-tune your skills in fully interactive practice sessions. It makes sense to see a small selection of training examples before you hand over your cheque. The minimum you should expect would be videoed instructor demonstrations and audio-visual elements backed up by interactive lab's.

Pick actual CD or DVD ROM's where possible. This then avoids all the potential pitfalls with broadband 'downtime' or slow-speeds.

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