CIW Home Study

[Hales]

I have read most of your opinions on this certification.
I am an admin worker - looking to branch into web design as a career move. I have had the sales pitch from a distance learning co and signed up for this course, it's gonna cost me a far bit and my concerns are now (having read your comments about experience etc etc) is this certificate actually going to help me get a job in this field, with no previous experience to show?

[johntabita]

I'm not sure where you are, but you probably know that web design is very saturated. In spite of that, I constantly see commercials for schools claiming that web designers are so "in demand." One even says, "Wouldn't you like to know the starting salaries of these jobs?" (Can you say "entry-level"?) If this school is claiming that web designers are in demand and having a certificate will get you a job, then they're misleading you.

There's nothing they can teach you that you cannot learn for free online yourself. The only value this course might offer is if they also provide job placement assistance. The trade college I attended also gave me a certificate, but not a single employer ever asked for it. What ultimately landed me a job was that the school had relationships with many companies that hired the type of people they trained. In fact, my company hired more than 10 graduates from my school over the course of a few years. If this school can offer this, then it's worth it, IMO. If not, I'd think twice.

The fastest way to find out is to call some companies you'd like to work for and ask what they're requirements are. Ask if having a certificate from XYZ School would cause them to consider you any better or not.

Hope that helps.