If your future is in being a web designer, you will need to study Adobe Dreamweaver.
For applications done commercially it's important to have a full understanding of the full Adobe Web Creative Suite. This will include (but is by no means restricted to) Action Script and Flash. Should you desire to become an Adobe Certified Expert or Adobe Certified Professional (ACE or ACP) then such knowledge is non-negotiable.
Having knowledge of how to build the website is just the start. Driving traffic, content maintenance and knowledge of some programming essentials are the next things. Think about courses with additional features that cover these skills (such as PHP, HTML, MySQL etc.), as well as E-Commerce and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).
It's important to understand: a training course or an accreditation is not the ultimate goal; the particular job that you're getting the training for is. Many trainers unfortunately completely prioritise the qualification itself.
You may train for one year and then end up doing a job for a lifetime. Don't make the error of choosing what sounds like a program of interest to you and then put 10-20 years into a job you hate!
It's a good idea to understand what industry will expect from you. What precise certifications you'll be required to have and how you'll build your experience level. It's also worth spending time setting guidelines as to how far you think you'll want to progress your career as often it can force you to choose a particular set of qualifications.
Long before starting a training course, you'd be well advised to discuss individual job needs with an industry professional, to make sure the learning path covers everything needed.
An important area that is sometimes not even considered by people thinking about a course is 'training segmentation'. Essentially, this is the way the course is divided up for drop-shipping to you, which makes a huge difference to where you end up.
Many companies enrol you into some sort of program spread over 1-3 years, and send out each piece as you complete each section or exam. If you think this sound logical, then consider this:
Students often discover that the company's 'standard' path of training isn't ideal for them. You may find that it's more expedient to use an alternative order of study. Perhaps you don't make it at the pace they expect?
In a perfect world, you want everything at the start - so you'll have them all to come back to at any time in the future - at any time you choose. This also allows you to vary the order in which you complete each objective if you find another route more intuitive.
What is the reason why traditional degrees are being overtaken by more qualifications from the commercial sector?
The IT sector now recognises that for an understanding of the relevant skills, proper accreditation supplied for example by Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA often is more effective in the commercial field - for much less time and money.
Clearly, an appropriate quantity of associated information has to be covered, but precise specifics in the required areas gives a commercially educated person a huge edge.
Imagine if you were an employer - and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. What's the simplest way to find the right person: Trawl through reams of different degrees and college qualifications from various applicants, having to ask what each has covered and what commercial skills they have, or select a specialised number of commercial certifications that precisely match your needs, and make your short-list from that. The interview is then more about the person and how they'll fit in - rather than on the depth of their technical knowledge.
Always expect an accredited exam preparation programme as part of your course package.
Make sure that the exams you practice aren't just asking you the right questions on the right subjects, but ask them in the way that the actual final exam will ask them. It completely unsettles students if the phraseology and format is completely different.
Mock exams can be enormously valuable in helping you build your confidence - so when it comes to taking your actual exams, you won't be worried.
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