If you've aspirations to be a professional web designer and have the most recognised qualification for the job market today, the course you need is Adobe Dreamweaver. To facilitate Dreamweaver professionally as a web designer, an in-depth understanding of the full Adobe Web Creative Suite (including Flash and Action Script) is without doubt a bonus. Having this knowledge will mean, you can go onto become either an ACP (Adobe Certified Professional) or an ACE (Adobe Certified Expert).

Building a website is only the beginning of what's needed - in order to drive traffic, update content, and work with dynamic database-driven sites, you'll be required to have further programming skills, for example HTML, PHP and MySQL. You should also have a working knowledge of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and E-Commerce.

Make sure that all your certifications are current and commercially required - forget studies which end up with a useless in-house certificate or plaque. From an employer's perspective, only top businesses such as Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco (for instance) really carry any commercial clout. Anything less just doesn't cut the mustard.

Considering the amount of options that are available, does it really shock us that a large percentage of newcomers to the industry balk at what job they could be successful with. How can most of us possibly understand the many facets of a particular career when we've never done it? Maybe we haven't met someone who does that actual job anyway. Reflection on many points is most definitely required when you want to reveal the right answers:

* The kind of person you think yourself to be - what kind of jobs you enjoy, plus of course - what you hate to do.

* Are you driven to get qualified due to a particular reason - i.e. do you aim to work at home (self-employment?)?

* Does salary have a higher place on your wish list than anything else.

* Learning what the normal IT types and sectors are - and what differentiates them.

* The level of commitment and effort you're prepared to put into your training.

The bottom line is, the only real way of understanding everything necessary is by means of an in-depth discussion with an advisor or professional who understands the market well enough to give you the information required.

Most trainers typically provide piles of reference manuals and workbooks. It's not a very interesting way to learn and not a very good way of studying effectively. Where possible, if we can involve all our senses in the learning process, then the results are usually dramatically better.

Courses are now available via DVD-ROM discs, so everything is learned directly from your own PC. Utilising the latest video technology, you are able to see your instructors showing you how to do something, and then practice yourself - via the interactive virtual lab's. Any company that you're considering should willingly take you through a few samples of the type of training materials they provide. Make sure you encounter videos of instructor-led classes and many interactive sections.

Opt for CD or DVD ROM based materials if possible. You can then avoid all the difficulties of broadband 'downtime' or slow-speeds.

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