There is much in the news about people making many tens of thousands of dollars from their blogs, signing book deals and going a the lucrative speaking circuit – the real question is it possible Joe or Jane Doe – can we make money from blogs?

Yes it is possible – but unless you are a genuinely talented writer and preferably already famous or at least with great connections – probably not the way that people make money in the news headlines.

Instead you should look at blogging and developing websites in general as a fantastic way to develop a legitimate online businesses but realize that you are going to have to put time and effort into making a decent income online. Although the cost of entry to an online business is very, very low compared to a real-world business – in fact you can easily get started for less than $100, that’s not to say its not going to take as much time and effort as getting online in the real world.

What you will find when trying to start your online business is that the Internet is still in the “Wild West” stage of development – the snake oil salesmen are prevalent and the sheriffs are hard to find – or in other words caveat emptor. If you see an offer that looks like it is too good to be true i.e. one that is promises that you will make thousands of dollars in a few days – probably while you are asleep and features attractive blonds, red sports cars and nice looking real estate – run away fast and keep your credit card buttoned down.

The sad truth is that its going to take a lot of time and effort for you to build your online business – but the good news is that its a goal worth pursuing. Legitimate online businesses really are location independent – you can login from anywhere in the world – so long as you can find an Internet connection. You can work at anytime of the day or night, juggle family commitments or vacations – all of this is true. The rewards are definitely worth it but be prepared to put a whole lot of work in upfront before you see the dollars piling into your bank account while you sleep!

Computer training comes in all forms, such as online, classroom, on-the-job and at-home/software. They range from in-depth career training to instructing on a one to  one type of software program

IT is impacting all areas of business today and many people are finding themselves drawn to an IT career whether it is in computer support and repair or a more artistic field like web design or computer graphics or even data recovery services.

Salaries vary in the IT industry but the  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts tremendous growth in this field, estimating a 27-53% increase by 2016. The average salary for someone working in the computer industry fluctuates between $50,000 and $80,000, depending on the specific job title. On the low end of the spectrum are analysts; while at the high end are engineers.

Computer training comes in all manner of forms so if you were taking Microsoft certification this will demonstrate to employers that you have a mastery of Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista. The Technology Series allows you to become a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS), which showcases your ability to build, troubleshoot, debug and implement a Windows server, Microsoft .NET framework or Microsoft SQL server.

However, when contemplating a career change, local colleges offer more in-depth computer training courses like computer engineering, troubleshooting, networking and programming.

Computer training varies widely. Beginners can take basic computer classes that teach how to turn on a computer, set up passwords and customize the desktop. Students will find out how to save information on a hard drive, flash drive and CD/DVD ROM drive, as well as how to retrieve and organize their files.

More advanced training brings more opportunities, the math-science brain may prefer a career in network security or system analytics. Business-minded individuals would perhaps like to be technology trainers, system administrators or information system managers and the more artistically-inclined may want to be a graphic designer, game tester or a web developer.

If you just want to beef up your basic skills though then it would be worth asking one of  the local computer repair companies as often the offer computer help as well.