Congratulate yourself that you're reading this article! Just ten percent of people are happy and satisfied by their jobs, but vast numbers just bitch about it and that's it. The fact that you're here means it's likely that you're giving retraining some thought, which means you're already ahead of the pack. Now you just need to research and follow-through.

We suggest that you discuss your ideas first - talk to someone who's familiar with your chosen field; an advisor who can discover your ideal job, and offer only the courses which are appropriate for you:

* Do you like to work collaborating with people? Is that as part of a team or with many new people? Perhaps working alone with your own methodology could suit you better?

* What elements are you looking for from the industry your job is in? (If it's stability you're after, you might think twice about banks or the building industry right now.)

* And how many years do you want to get out of your retraining, and will the industry provide you with that possibility?

* Are you concerned with regard to the chance of finding new employment, and being in demand in the employment market all the way until retirement?

We would strongly recommend that you consider the IT industry - it's well known that it's on the grow. IT isn't all techie people lost in their computer screens all day - we know there are those roles, but the majority of roles are done by ordinary men and women who earn considerably more than most.

Training support for students is an absolute must - ensure you track down something that provides 24x7 direct access, as anything less will not satisfy and will also put a damper on the speed you move through things. Never purchase study programmes that only provide support to students via a call-centre messaging service after 6-9pm in the evening and during weekends. Trainers will give you every excuse in the book why you don't need this. The bottom line is - you need support when you need support - not at their convenience.

The very best programs offer a web-based round-the-clock system pulling in several support offices throughout multiple time-zones. You'll have an easy to use environment which accesses the most appropriate office any time of the day or night: Support on demand. Find a training company that offers this level of study support. Only proper live 24x7 support gives you the confidence to make it.

Sometimes men and women are under the impression that the tech college or university system is the way they should go. So why then is commercial certification beginning to overtake it? With an ever-increasing technical demand on resources, the IT sector has moved to specific, honed-in training that can only come from the vendors - that is companies such as Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe. Frequently this is at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. In a nutshell, the learning just focuses on what's actually required. It's slightly more broad than that, but the most important function is always to focus on the exact skills required (including a degree of required background) - without attempting to cover a bit about everything else - in the way that academic establishments often do.

It's a bit like the TV advert: 'It does what it says on the label'. The company just needs to know what areas need to be serviced, and then match up the appropriate exam numbers as a requirement. They'll know then that all applicants can do what they need.

Have you recently questioned how safe your job is? For most of us, we only think of this after we experience a knock-back. But really, the lesson often learned too late is that true job security has gone the way of the dodo, for the vast majority of people. In actuality, security now only emerges via a rapidly increasing market, pushed forward by a shortage of trained workers. It's this shortage that creates the correct background for a secure market - a more attractive situation all round.

Using the IT sector for example, the last e-Skills investigation highlighted massive skills shortages around Great Britain around the 26 percent mark. Showing that for every four jobs available throughout computing, we have only 3 certified professionals to fill that need. Achieving in-depth commercial computer accreditation is thus an effective route to a long-term as well as worthwhile career. Actually, retraining in Information Technology throughout the next year or two is probably the greatest career choice you could ever make.

Getting into your first IT role sometimes feels easier to handle if you're offered a Job Placement Assistance service. The honest truth is that it's not as hard as some people make out to land employment - once you're trained and certified; because there's still a great need for IT skills in the UK today.

CV and Interview advice and support is sometimes offered (if it isn't, consult one of our sites). Be sure to you polish up your CV today - not after you've qualified! It's not unusual to find that you'll land your first job while you're still a student (occasionally right at the beginning). If your CV doesn't say what you're learning (and it isn't in the hands of someone with jobs to offer) then you're not even going to be known about! The most efficient companies to help you land that job are usually specialist independent regional recruitment consultancies. Because they get paid commission to place you, they're perhaps more focused on results.

Not inconsiderable numbers of people, so it seems, invest a great deal of time on their training course (sometimes for years), and then just stop instead of trying to get a job. Market yourself... Work hard to get in front of employers. Don't expect a job to just fall into your lap.

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