If your dream is to become a great web designer with relevant qualifications for today's job market, your must-have certification is Adobe Dreamweaver. For applications done commercially you'll need a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the complete Adobe Web Creative Suite. This means also (though it's not limited to) Flash and Action Script. If your goal is to become an ACP (Adobe Certified Professional) or an ACE (Adobe Certified Expert) these skills will be absolutely essential.

Constructing a website is only the beginning of what's needed - in order to drive traffic to the site, maintain its content, and work on dynamic sites that are database driven, you'll be required to have other programming skills, such as HTML, PHP and MySQL. In addition, you should have a practical knowledge of E-Commerce and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

A question; why ought we to be looking at commercial certification rather than the usual academic qualifications gained through tech' colleges and universities? With university education costs spiralling out of control, plus the IT sector's growing opinion that accreditation-based training often has more relevance in the commercial field, we've seen a dramatic increase in Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe authorised training programmes that supply key solutions to a student for considerably less. Typically, the learning just focuses on what's actually required. Actually, it's not quite as pared down as that, but the most important function is always to cover the precise skills needed (alongside some required background) - without trying to cram in every other area (as universities often do).

Just as the old advertisement said: 'It does what it says on the label'. Companies need only to know what areas need to be serviced, and then request applicants with the correct exam numbers. They'll know then that all applicants can do what they need.

Any advisor who doesn't ask many questions - it's likely they're really a salesperson. If someone pushes specific products before learning about your history and whether you have any commercial experience, then it's definitely the case. With a bit of live experience or some accreditation, your starting-point of learning is not the same as someone new to the industry. Commencing with a basic PC skills program first can be the best way to commence your IT training, but depends on your skill level.

Don't put too much store, as many people do, on the accreditation program. Your training isn't about getting a plaque on your wall; you're training to become commercially employable. You need to remain focused on where you want to go. It's quite usual, in some situations, to obtain tremendous satisfaction from a year of studying and then find yourself trapped for decades in a job you hate, as a consequence of not performing some decent due-diligence when it was needed - at the start.

Get to grips with earning potential and what level of ambition fits you. This will influence which precise certifications will be expected and what industry will expect from you in return. Seek out help from an experienced professional who understands the sector you wish to join, and will be able to provide 'A day in the life of' outline of of what you'll be doing on a day-to-day basis. It's good sense to know if this change is right for you well before the training program is started. There's really no reason in starting your training and then discover you're on the wrong course.

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