How to Become a Computer Technician - Training, Experience, and Certification

The computer technician, or information technician (IT) as they are often called, has almost unlimited opportunity in the job market today. The field does have certain requirements. It is a three pronged thing. First, you must learn. This is the training stage. It can begin as early as high school. The training does not have to be all inside the classroom either. As more and more homes have personal computers, the opportunities for home CBT, or computer based training increases. A person with a serious interest in becoming a computer technician will spend at least as much time trying to understand how a computer game works as they do actually playing the game.

The second stage of preparation is the gaining of experience. The computer field is not all that much different from many other technical based fields. There is only so much you can learn from a book, and the rest you have to learn in a hands on environment. You have to roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty. The third aspect of preparation is Certification. It is the combination of training and experience and it is the tangible indication of your skill.

One major one is the A+ certification. It is also called the ComTia A+ Certification after the Computing Technology Industry Association. This certificate is vendor neutral which means it spans the full spectrum of hardware and software producers. It covers the basics of computer technology including installation, configuration, diagnosing, preventive maintenance and basic networking. It also explores the domains of security, safety, and even environmental issues and professional standards. A+ boot camps are intensive training course designed to not only prepare you for the certification examination, but also to provide practical and hands on training.

Another certificate program that is highly desirable for the computer technician is the MCSE certification. This is the Microsoft Certified System Engineer. You can prepare for this certification at a MCSE boot camp also. This prepares you to work with Microsoft 2000 and 2003 Windows platforms and Microsoft Server Systems.

The proper preparation for a career as a computer technician is going to involve all three of these aspects. There are no real shortcuts to success here. You are going to need training, experience, and ultimately Certification to prosper. There are different ways to achieve these goals, and boot camps are one of the best ways to take care of all three at the same time.

Natalie Aranda writes about technology and career. A+ Certification is vendor neutral which means it spans the full spectrum of hardware and software producers. A+ boot camps are intensive training course designed to not only prepare you for the certification examination, but also to provide practical and hands on training. As more and more homes have personal computers, the opportunities for home CBT, or computer based training increases. A person with a serious interest in becoming a computer technician will spend at least as much time trying to understand how a computer game works as they do actually playing the game.

Effective Use of Computer Training Videos

The use of videos in training has opened up new possibilities in almost every area that uses training in any way. The use of visual images and the ability to display charts and illustrations is extremely effective. This is true in computer training. Computer training videos come as close as possible to recreating an actual classroom environment. In some ways, the use of videos can surpass a classroom. It is only the direct response to a confused student that can be provided by a live instructor that surpasses the video presentation.

Computer based training, or CBT, is another use of the video. A video presentation can be used on a computer. This enables an employee that works with a computer at his job station to actually use his computer as the monitor for the training video. All evidence that has been collected supports the value of CBT. It has been shown that as little as three hours of CBT has led to as much as a 19% increase in productivity. There has been a demonstrated increase in employee skills and efficiency after exposure to even the most minimal video based training.

When you use Computer training videos for the IT training, it is important to make a proper selection of your video material. There are thousands of Computer training videos available on the market. They cover every area that could be imagined. This makes it possible to match the videos used in an organization?s training program to the type of work done within the organization. Videos that spend excessive amounts of time covering material that is not necessary will alienate the students and waste precious training time. The person responsible for coordinating the training should review the videos to insure they are appropriate to the training needs.

Once the proper videos have been selected and the training schedule has been established, it is important to treat training with a sense of priority and purpose. If the employees or students perceive that training is not considered that important within the organization, they will not give it the attention necessary to achieve first rate results. On the other hand, when training is treated as a valuable and necessary part of the overall mission statement of the organization, this attitude will be reflected in the attitude of the students. Computer training videos that are of high quality and appropriate to the organization?s goals can help show that training is being taken seriously.

Natalie Aranda writes about technology. The use of visual images and the ability to display charts and illustrations is extremely effective. This is true in computer training. Computer training videos come as close as possible to recreating an actual classroom environment. Computer based training, or CBT, is another use of the video. A video presentation can be used on a computer. This enables an employee that works with a computer at his job station to actually use his computer as the monitor for the training video.

The Benefits of a Computerized Training Manual

Training manuals are a vital part of workplace documentation, not only for newcomers to the office but for anyone looking to refresh themselves as to policy, protocols and procedures. The problem with training manuals, however, is that they are often bulky and cumbersome, not always easy to lay your hands on, and often haven't been updated in recent history.

In the age of the modern workplace, there is an alternative to bulky, paper-bound training manuals. With many offices implementing shared drives with companywide access, a computerized version of your training manual may be just what you need for your office.

Of course, putting together a computerized training manual takes time and resources, so you'll want to lay out just what the benefits would be for your company.

So just what are some of the benefits of a computerized training manual?

- Easy access. For companies using shared drives, putting your training manual into electronic format and storing it on a shared drive makes for easier accessibility to information. You won't have to worry about someone taking the last (or in some cases, only) copy and having to search high and low to find it. With a computerized training manual, everyone can have access to training materials at any time they need it.

- Searchability. Electronic documents, for the most part, have the benefit of being searchable. For someone who happens to be looking for a single piece of information, a searchable document can be invaluable.

- Updatability. Paper training manuals are often inefficient to update. Updates generally involve updating the document, printing, photocopying, hole-punching, and other notorious time-eaters. Because of this, updates are often overlooked, pushed off for a better time. Computerized training materials can be updated with a few clicks. Information can be added, deleted, or amended very simply, which is ideal for a rapidly changing workplace.

- Cost savings. Avoiding the cost of printing and copying training materials can be a money-saver. Sure, electronic storage space comes at a price, but weighed with the price of paper, ink, and other resources, including payroll, it'll still be cost efficient.

- Everything in one place. In many offices, different people compile different training materials. Often, when it's time for an update, training materials can be scattered over a number of places on your computer and other computers in the office. Keeping a computerized training manual assures you of finding all the pieces in one place.

Computerized training manuals may well be the new standard for companies. Why not bring your workplace up to speed?

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Facsimile.Com/ which is a site for Fax Machines.