Good for you! By reading this you're probably toying with the idea of learning new skills to change career - so already you've made a start. A small minority of us are content with our jobs, but most complain but just stay there. You could be a member of the few who actually do something about it.

When considering retraining, it's essential to first define what you want and don't want from the job you would like to get. Be sure that a new career would suit you better before much time and effort is spent taking a new turn. So much better to look at the big picture first, to steer clear of regrets:

* Do you like to work collaborating with people? Would you prefer to work with a small team or with many new people? Perhaps working alone in isolation would be more your thing?

* What elements are you looking for from the market sector you work in? (Things do change - look at the building trade, or banks for example.)

* How long a career do you hope to have once retrained, and will the market sector offer you that opportunity?

* Do you want the course you're re-training in to be in an industry where you believe you will be able to work until retirement?

Don't overlook the IT sector, that's our best advice - unusually, it's one of the growing market sectors in Great Britain and Europe. Salaries are also more generous than most.

The perhaps intimidating chore of finding your first IT job can be eased by some companies, via a Job Placement Assistance facility. In reality it isn't so complicated as you might think to land employment - as long as you've got the necessary skills and qualifications; because there's still a great need for IT skills in the UK today.

Bring your CV up to date as soon as possible however - you should get plenty of help from your training provider on this. Don't procrastinate and leave it for when you're ready to start work. Getting onto the 'maybe' pile of CV's is more than not being known. A decent number of junior jobs are got by students in the early stages of their course. The most efficient companies to help get you placed are most often specialist independent regional recruitment consultancies. Because they only get paid when they place you, they'll work that much harder to get a result.

A regular aggravation of a number of training companies is how much men and women are prepared to study to get qualified, but how un-prepared that student is to get the job they're qualified for. Don't falter at the last fence.

Frequently, the average student doesn't know how they should get into a computing career, or even what market is worth considering for retraining. How likely is it for us to understand what is involved in a particular job when we've never done it? We normally don't even know anybody who performs the role either. Often, the key to unlocking this dilemma properly lies in a thorough talk over some important points:

* Your personal interests and hobbies - as they can highlight what possibilities will provide a happy working life.

* What sort of time-frame do you want for your training?

* Where do you stand on job satisfaction vs salary?

* Getting to grips with what the main job roles and sectors are - and what differentiates them.

* The time and energy you'll have available to commit getting qualified.

At the end of the day, your only chance of investigating all this is via a good talk with a professional who understands the market well enough to give you the information required.

One thing you must always insist on is full 24x7 support from trained professional instructors and mentors. Too many companies only seem to want to help while they're in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends. Avoid those companies that use 'out-of-hours' call-centres - where an advisor will call back during typical office hours. It's no use when you're stuck on a problem and need help now.

It's possible to find the top providers that offer online direct access support all the time - including evenings, nights and weekends. Don't under any circumstances take a lower level of service. 24x7 support is the only kind to make the grade for technical courses. Perhaps you don't intend to study during the evenings; usually though, we're working while the support is live.

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