Modern business cannot operate without computers. It has become part of every company – lone traders to multi-national corporations all depend on computer networks of some kind. Network design professionals don't just develop and design networks for business; they install and maintain them too. As a result, the network design professional has become very much in demand by businesses all over the world.

Most network design professionals work with some of the most advanced Windows-based networks in the world. However, the beauty of Windows is that it is now the universal standard for all basic networks, and once you are qualified in this particular operating system the job opportunities are not limited to your home country. Internationally recognised qualifications are accepted throughout the world, so the chance to expand your career horizons is much greater than by choosing to specialise in one particular area. Many network design professionals work as consultants, so the range of work is also infinite. In one week you could be designing and setting up a system for a small business where only a couple of computers need to be linked – the next week you could be facing the challenge of incorporating overseas offices into a multi-national's network system. The possibilities are endless.

Training to become a network design professional means commitment, dedication and hard work, but the rewards are well worth the investment of both time and money. Routes to retraining are now plentiful, with many online courses offering the chance to retrain from the comfort of your own home. However, some major IT training institutions such as Computeach have found that a far more effective method is to offer a combined, synergistic training programme that incorporates both online and electronic training and direct classroom experience. Having the opportunity to go to a specially designed training centre during your course and reap the benefits of face-to-face interaction with your tutor is still one of the best ways of learning. Reinforcing the work done online by practical, hands-on experience in the classroom is the best way to produce good results, which is why the best training organisations prefer to combine their online, electronic and paper-based training with classroom tuition.

Once you have a grounding in network design (preferably through a Microsoft accredited qualification, offering you the greatest flexibility for future careers), you can then start to think about specialising in specific network design areas. Perhaps you come from an engineering background – in which case a network that incorporates the CAD technical drawing systems into it may benefit from your previous experience. This is also another thing to consider when choosing your course. What ‘cross-over' skills can you bring to your new career? Choosing a course that gives you the ability to utilise skills learned in other fields can put you above network designers that perhaps don't have those skills, thus increasing your value as a network designer to the business community.

Whatever training system you choose to go with, one of the most essential elements is the level of support you will receive throughout your course and if that support continues past the final exam and into the world of work itself. Good training providers not only help you to qualify in your new career – through their network of contacts within the business they may also be able to help you get your first foot on the rung once you're ready to take your skills to market.

Networks are becoming more complex and even more important to global commerce than ever before, and those with the skills and qualifications to be able to develop and maintain those networks are in huge demand across a wide range of business markets. Qualifying now as a network design professional puts you at the cutting edge of the 21st century business world.