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Looking to get a Computer/IT degree. Which one?
mynameisguido
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, the field for which I am trained is Librarianship, and right now, the jobs aren't really there. Thus, as a way of being more viable and possibly making myself more viable for more positions I've been looking at other fields I can cross over into..
My first thought was teaching but it's not really a good field to get into right now given all the layoffs. Not to mention my undergrad is English, and from what I can tell that's not a field in which there's ever been much of a dearth of teachers in.
So, I was thinking about getting an Associate's in some kind of Computer related field. The problem is deciding exactly what kind of degree would be best in order to get a job. These are the kind of degrees I'd be looking at, for example: http://collegeofsanmateo.edu/cis/degrees.asp.
I know that IT in general is kind of crowded, but I figure this kind of knowledge is going to be useful down the road even if it doesn't get me a job immediately. Plus, my thought is that it could add some versatility to my library degree since I could probably get in on the technology end of librarianship.
Thus, my questions are any of these degrees worth getting---and, if so, what would likely be the most beneficial one to get?
My first thought was teaching but it's not really a good field to get into right now given all the layoffs. Not to mention my undergrad is English, and from what I can tell that's not a field in which there's ever been much of a dearth of teachers in.
So, I was thinking about getting an Associate's in some kind of Computer related field. The problem is deciding exactly what kind of degree would be best in order to get a job. These are the kind of degrees I'd be looking at, for example: http://collegeofsanmateo.edu/cis/degrees.asp.
I know that IT in general is kind of crowded, but I figure this kind of knowledge is going to be useful down the road even if it doesn't get me a job immediately. Plus, my thought is that it could add some versatility to my library degree since I could probably get in on the technology end of librarianship.
Thus, my questions are any of these degrees worth getting---and, if so, what would likely be the most beneficial one to get?
mynameisguido on
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I went with an AAS Computer Information Systems (Networking incline), and A+ Cert. I'm pretty happy with my current IT job
Do you like working with Hardware, repairing/building/configuring devices.
Do you like helping people with there problems?
Do you like people and do you interact well with them.
Do you want to work in a team or on your own.
Do you want to learn applications and be a guru in some program.
Easiest question you can ask yourself is why do I want to go into the IT field.
As well you will have to start by getting your foot in the door, bottom of the totem pole so to speak. Look at certifications instead of full blown courses, but have an idea of what YOU want to do and what you enjoy.
If you like hardware I suggest A+ (the 2007 version is pretty decent and actually relevant) then maybe look into vendor specific certifications (HP is good, they have some excellent resources and training materials plus the basic courses are pretty cheap)
I could go on but like I said, what do you want to do , and what interests you. Answer those first and then look at courses/jobs.
I agree with darkmayo, and others, that you really haven't specified much at all. You're also sound like you're following this path for money, when you very close to Silicon Valley, where people (at least at the beginning) are passionate about what they do.
A lot of sysadmin jobs you can train yourself, if you have the passion for it. If you don't, you're going to find it a hard road, and the IT field is not exactly boom-time either right now. Every industry is hurting for jobs, not just yours.
There are two parts to the A+.
Hardware and Software.
Or at least there was when I did it.
That's exactly what A+ is. My dad used it to get a job building touchscreen displays and then eventually actual PCs.
This is true to a point, but what you can't do yourself is get a company to give you a serious look without something to display your knowledge "tangibly", like a cert or degree. Half of being a good IT professional is knowing what to google or where to look online for answers or tips, and not being afraid to dick with something you've never touched before. But you're not going to get your foot in the door anywhere with just self training. Once you've done that, though, even a year or two of helpdesk experience on top of your initial cert will open a lot of doors.
Based on my experience, I wouldn't likely consider you qualified for anything more than a level 1 or 2 help desk type job with any of them. I'm a director of IT at a smaller company, I design and write lots of code, I manage servers, I troubleshoot internet and intranet connectivity, plan out hardware, etc. I also have no degree and have worked my way up. I'm currently taking classes at a community college. I've taken a few programming classes and several networking classes, including the highest level networking class - obviously not to learn, but just to get my piece of paper and then move on to a BA. People in the highest level of networking class have NEVER actually set up a computer on a network, not even in class. The programming classes seem to be somewhat better in that at least the students are doing development, but it's primarily very dumbed down and in no way like doing development in the real world.
I don't want that to come off as "don't go to school", but know what you're getting into and what your likely results will be. If you don't know where to start, it gives you a place to start learning this stuff, figure out what you like, etc. Along with also just generally appearing confident and competent, it is also more helpful than no related training at all.
Unless you have an in somewhere that will train you and give you a shot, having that paper saying you got a degree and studied for that cert is the only way you will have a shot.
My first instinct is that I might like software more than hardware---and, if possible at a certain point, wouldn't mind doing tutorials and training for students or the general public. That's more in line with my initial career goals of librarianship and teaching. Hopefully any experience I get along these lines can help in my primary career.
Well, this is an alternate career path for me, so I think I'd be fine with being a low man on the totem pole to start with. I mean, look, my last two jobs have been at Best Buy at Target, so what you guys are talking about is likely a step up.
I guess, based on what you guys have said (and what my roommate has said) that getting A+ cert is probably my best first step (and then maybe MCSE?) and then I can take classes on the side to get some more knowledge and work towards a degree.
School is going to be pretty difficult right now (I'd probably have to take out loans) so the thought of working on certs in my spare time to try to get something very entry-level sounds like it could work.
And in the meantime I can keep on looking for library jobs and maybe do some substitute teaching.
Look for a place that teaches the Microsoft Official Cirriculum, and not some "Super Test Buster Pro" shenanigans.
EDIT: Oh, when you take the tests, it will be at a licensed MS Testing Center. You could call them up and ask if they know of any reputable training instructors or classes in your area.
Having done both IT work (freelance for small businesses, mostly, although there was an internship at a bigger place) and software engineering (post-degree, natch), I vastly prefer the latter, but different strokes, etc.
Personally, I had a lot of base skills in IT before I started, and I went for a B.Sc. in 'Computer Systems (Forensics and Security)'; it was a new course, which contained modules in networking (protocols, hardware, operation, etc.), software engineering (C++ and Java), system analysis and design, databases (mostly SQL), and of course, computer security, so it suited many hats within the IT world, and I decided that it would allow me a wider range of job prospects upon graduation, which is good, since I haven't yet decided where I'd like to land in IT just yet. Additionally, as long as there's IT, there's always going to be a market for IT security.
But obviously pick something that suits your interests, and possibly your current skills, since this will help your understanding; I've had experience in all of the above, and thoroughly enjoy networking, programming, the management aspects of system design, and security in particular. When picking your course, go to open days, find out if there are examples of say, some of the projects that students have worked on in particular modules.
And stay the hell away from the 'easy' courses. In our university, there's a course in 'Information and Communications Technology', which seems to barely cover some areas. If there are students available to ask questions, then do so: I wouldn't go to our university for anything regarding web design, for example; having spoken to people on the module, I found that they were using Dreamweaver for PHP pages, without actually being taught what the PHP code generated did. I ended up helping out a few people with their PHP, because Dreamweaver had generated a bit of bad code, and despite having spent a year supposedly learning, none of the students actually knew how to interpret the PHP to resolve their problems.
If you have a 'sandwich course' option, where you take a year out halfway through the course to do a paid internship, then do it. Some realms of IT can be difficult to latch onto without prior experience, and it will only do you good. Don't get disheartened in the current economy if you have difficulty finding a placement. Many places have had issues getting an internship programme past the finance department until the last minute; in the UK, for example, internship jobs are still being advertised, despite this being pretty last minute for students.
NINJEDIT: I should add that I'm in the UK, the same practises might not apply in other countries.