PC Hardware & Networking is a field with enormous job opportunities these days. At all big and small companies technical support staff is required. Moreover, with 24X7 operations in place company needs substantial number of support staff to avoid any eventual loss of efficiency due to hardware and system failure.
For most of the practical purposes card level PC hardware knowledge is suffecient to handle day to day activities along with proper knowledge of computer assembling, installations. To acquire this knowledge a practical training of 3 months is sufficient. Within a short duration of 3 months with hands on practical training one is ready to start for job. As in any other job experience is critical but if there is huge demand of professionals it is easier to get a paid entry and climb the ladder for deserving. So, i feel this surely presents a very good short term carrier option specailly for those whos re not studious type and find it difficult to pursue higher studies. Joining a course with more of practical is advisable bcauz it really brings result.
As far as networking is concerned it has also huge demand in market. No doubt networking can also be learned at a short term but it requires further certifications to get a hold in market. These certifications like CCNA, NOVELL are difficult to clear and expensive to get. So, I will suggest networking course to those who want to pursue carrier in hardware and are a bit studious too and have financial resources to appear for certifications which gives survival kit to them in market.
So, folks computer hardware is a good choice if you are even not much educated or qualified as this is about skill and technical bent of mind not about subjective studies but about practical application. I am really surprised that every time there is an opening at some company it becomes hard to get professionals and yet enough people are not opting for these short term courses which can really give them employment in a very short period of time.