If your dream is to become a great web designer and have the most recognised qualification for today’s employment market, you’ll need to study Adobe Dreamweaver.

We’d also suggest that you become fully conversant with the full Adobe Web Creative Suite, which incorporates Flash and Action Script, to be able to use Dreamweaver commercially as a web-designer. This knowledge can take you on to becoming an Adobe Certified Expert or Adobe Certified Professional (ACE or ACP).

In order to develop into a professional web-designer however, there is much more to consider. You will need to learn certain programming skills like HTML, PHP and MySQL. A good understanding of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and E-Commerce will also improve your CV and employability.

What is the reason why qualifications from colleges and universities are less in demand than the more qualifications from the commercial sector?

With a growing demand for specific technological expertise, the IT sector has of necessity moved to specific, honed-in training that can only come from the vendors – for example companies like Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA. This usually turns out to involve less time and financial outlay.

The training is effectively done by honing in on the skills that are really needed (along with a relevant amount of background knowledge,) instead of trawling through all the background non-specific minutiae that degrees in computing are prone to get tied up in (because the syllabus is so wide).

It’s rather like the advert: ‘It does what it says on the tin’. Companies need only to know what they need doing, and then request applicants with the correct exam numbers. That way they can be sure they’re interviewing applicants who can do the job.

If you may be starting with a certification company who still utilises workshop days as part of their program, then consider these typical downsides experienced by many students:

* Multiple round trips – usually hundreds of miles each and every time.

* Availability of classes; normally weekdays only and sometimes two to three days together. It’s not easy to get the time off work.

* Don’t ignore lost holiday time. Usually we’re lucky to have twenty days annual leave. If over 50 percent is used in classes, then it doesn’t leave much for us and our families.

* Workshop days usually become over full.

* Some trainees lean towards a slower or quicker pace than the rest of the class. This can create the tension often found in classrooms.

* Don’t overlook the increased financial outlay of driving or taking public transport or bed and breakfast for the night either. Often, this will cost hundreds and even thousands of pounds extra. Take some time to add it all up – you may be surprised.

* Do you really want even a small chance of letting yourself be side-stepped for a possible promotion or wage increases while you’re training.

* Posing questions in front of other class-mates can make any one of us a little self-conscious. Have you ever left a question un-asked just because you were worried it might make you look silly?

* If you occasionally work away from home, you have the added problem that events sometimes become difficult to get to – and yet, the fees were paid along with everything else at the start.

An altogether more elegant solution is watching a filmed workshop – having instructor-led teaching on hand whenever you wish.

Study can happen anywhere that suits. If you own a laptop, why not take in a little fresh air outside while you study. If any problem raises its head then utilise the 24×7 Support.

Just re-watch and re-cover the modules as often as you need to. And of course, you don’t have to take notes because the class is available whenever you want it.

Whilst this doesn’t suddenly remove every problem, it undeniably makes things easier, simpler and less stressful. And you’ve reduced costs, hassle and travel.

Copyright Scott Edwards 2009. Navigate to Microsoft Access Courses or CLICK HERE.