If you've aspirations to be a professional web designer with the right credentials for the job market today, your must-have certification is Adobe Dreamweaver. For applications done commercially you'll be expected to have an in-depth understanding of the full Adobe Web Creative Suite. This means also (but is by no means restricted to) Action Script and Flash. If you wish to become an ACP (Adobe Certified Professional) or an ACE (Adobe Certified Expert) you'll find these skills are vital.

To establish yourself as a full web professional however, you'll have to get more diverse knowledge. You will need to learn certain programming skills like PHP, HTML, and MySQL. An excellent grasp of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and E-Commerce will help when talking to employers.

A so-called advisor who doesn't question you thoroughly - chances are they're just trying to sell you something. If they push a particular product before understanding your background and current experience level, then you know it's true. Don't forget, if you've had any relevant previous certification, then you can sometimes expect to commence studying further along than a student who's starting from scratch. Opening with a foundation program first will sometimes be the most effective way to get into your IT training, depending on your skill level at the moment.

It's not uncommon for companies to offer inclusive exam guarantees - they always involve paying for the exam fees up-front, when you pay for the rest of your course. Before you jump at guaranteed exams, be aware of the facts:

Everyone knows they're still being charged for it - obviously it has already in the gross price invoiced by the training company. It's definitely not free (although some people will believe anything the marketing companies think up these days!) Trainees who take each progressive exam, paying as they go are far more likely to pass first time. They are aware of their investment and revise more thoroughly to make sure they're ready.

Why pay your training college up-front for exams? Hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the time, rather than pay marked up fees - and do it locally - rather than in some remote place. A lot of current training companies secure big margins because they're getting paid for exams at the start of the course and banking on the fact that many won't be taken. It's also worth noting that exam guarantees often have very little value. Most companies will not pay for you to re-take until you're able to demonstrate an excellent mock pass rate.

Due to typical VUE and Prometric exams in the United Kingdom costing around 112 pounds, by far the best option is to pay for them as you take them. Why splash out often many hundreds of pounds extra at the beginning of your training? A commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools are actually the key to your success.

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