This page offers some personal notes by the author.

I have been training people in individual, academic, and business environments for a long time, so I would like to share my experiences with others while I can.

First of all, those who enter the field, can ignore all the advice about the licensing and certification. I never studied computers in a formal setting. Interestingly, I now help people become licensed in computers.

On a typical day, I may respond to many phone calls or e-mails from clients without actually visiting them. I do not charge my clients for this additional service. I limit my client visits to 1-2 per day. A good deal of the day is spent moderating and nurturing the Jewish and Hebrew computer forums.
I love training people to use software.

Most callers think they know what they want. My background in psychology and consulting helps me determine what they really need, and helps me work together with them to solve real life problems, rather than simply learning how to click on a software package.

However, I'm getting too old to run around to clients. I'd like to sit at home and write books or websites instead.

I never prepared to become a software trainer. I had been successful at translating, and people watched me work. I found ways to make the word processing aspects of my translating jobs easier, so people asked me to help them with computer work. In time, computer work became the major part of my effort.

I continued in the field, because it's great to be able to help people in a pleasant atmosphere - and then to be thanked for my efforts when I'm through.

If I were to start out again today, I would probably try to specialize. I now have to work with people who have questions about Internet, applications, office services, networking, and just about any other computer question. I would have limited myself to software issues and rejected all jobs that relate to hardware troubleshooting or repairs.

I have some additional suggestions for those starting out now: Don't show off how much you know. Let your client become proficient - and then praise him/her. The more you remove yourself from the limelight, the more others will appreciate you.

Also, those starting out should be aware that there is no intrinsic demand for their services. On the other hand, there is a tremendous demand for skilled trainers who can present themselves properly to people. The big question (as with many other professions) is how to make the leap from a lack of experience to a trainer in demand.

The software that is in the greatest demand is clearly either a word processor or advanced Internet skills. In Israel and in many other countries, there is also a great demand for those who can handle bilingual computerization.

Q. What type of degrees or certifications are absolutely necessary for a software trainer?
A. From my personal experience - degrees and skills in interpersonal relationships are far more important than any computer degrees.

Q. What qualities are most important for a good software trainer?
A. The ability to determine what the client really wants.

It is difficult to determine whether a person looking for a career change should go into computer training. In the final analysis, their success depends on their personality.

It is difficult to predict market trends for the future. The hardware and software industry has its ups and downs, but that should have no bearing on the need for training.