New career in PC's

[soulandy]

HI,
hope this is in the right forum.
i am thinking of a change of career and was looking at going in to PC's. upgrading, building, repairs etc. I am going to apply for a course in the new year with the Computor Training College here in the UK. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with these or good give any advice on some good course's. I am currently self employed (21 years) and am getting a bit fed up and old to be climing up and down ladders all day and as i am intrested in PC's I thought why not. I do know a bit about them and can use them, obviously Any advice?
Cheers

[stiltman]

Classes and certs I would take in this order
A+, Net+, MCSA, MCSE, Project +

Then pray for a job like me and bazooka

[soulandy]

Cheers for that. the first course i will hopefully be doing is the A+, so beware, I'll be after that there job of yours!!!

[ViRaL1]

OUCH!

[jimmalenko]

I always found that the best courses were the nuts-n-bolts, get your hands dirty practical hands-on courses. That said, I learnt everything I know by taking apart PCs, then trying to put them back together, then when buggering up, taking them into the computer shop to get fixed I was lucky enough to know the owner of the shop, who let me hang out the back in the repairs area and just watch how they fixed different problems. Much better IMO than any course.

[tsantsa]

I jumped in a bit late on this topic, but I have been thinking of the same thing: A career in computer technology.

However, I was wondering what kind of money is in this field...I know that is a broad question, but what of the above suggestion of getting the A+, Net+, MCSA, MCSE, Project + certs. How much can one make once these are completed? (I live in the chicago area if that makes a diff.)

Also, would going to school and getting an associates or a BA in Comp Tech. Would the time spent in schooling be worth it in money to be earned?

I ask all of these types of questions because I am now part of a family and need to know really. I just cant quit me job and go to school no matter how much I'd like to do so.

TIA

[bazooka]

I jumped in a bit late on this topic, but I have been thinking of the same thing: A career in computer technology.

However, I was wondering what kind of money is in this field...I know that is a broad question, but what of the above suggestion of getting the A+, Net+, MCSA, MCSE, Project + certs. How much can one make once these are completed? (I live in the chicago area if that makes a diff.)

Also, would going to school and getting an associates or a BA in Comp Tech. Would the time spent in schooling be worth it in money to be earned?

I ask all of these types of questions because I am now part of a family and need to know really. I just cant quit me job and go to school no matter how much I'd like to do so.

TIA

I got an associates in Computer Network Engineering. I do not have any certs and make about $30,000

If you are going into the field for money, you would be better off in a different field. If you are doing it for love of computers, welcome aboard.

[stiltman]

Brushing off the dust from this thread
GO FOR YOUR BS degree!!!!

Major in IT and Minor in business

Get your certs after you land a job, but then again IT sucks nation wide. That's why you minor in business

[stiltman]

(I live in the chicago area if that makes a diff.)

Livonia area?

Let me know, maybe I can hook you up with someone there. I'm not from around there but I did setup some computer sites there

[tsantsa]

Livonia Michigan? What kind of hookup?

Oh yeah, whats Project +? I know what the other ones you mention are, but that one escapes me.

[tsantsa]

I jumped in a bit late on this topic, but I have been thinking of the same thing: A career in computer technology.

However, I was wondering what kind of money is in this field...I know that is a broad question, but what of the above suggestion of getting the A+, Net+, MCSA, MCSE, Project + certs. How much can one make once these are completed? (I live in the chicago area if that makes a diff.)

Also, would going to school and getting an associates or a BA in Comp Tech. Would the time spent in schooling be worth it in money to be earned?

I ask all of these types of questions because I am now part of a family and need to know really. I just cant quit me job and go to school no matter how much I'd like to do so.

TIA

I got an associates in Computer Network Engineering. I do not have any certs and make about $30,000

If you are going into the field for money, you would be better off in a different field. If you are doing it for love of computers, welcome aboard.

I'm not saying I'm going for strictly $$$! I'm not a gold-digger, but like I said I do have a family in mind, so I have to think about that. I have been working at my job (crap chemical work) and only make $40,000 gross. thats about 35 net. Thats with 9 flippin years. I feel like I can study and wait it out. I know I'll take a pay cut at first, but I imagine that with luck and perseverence, it can pay off.

Also, I DO love working with computers. It's just fun.

[guns1inger]

If you wan't to get into serious money, get into specialist backroom packages like Seibel, SAP etc, then get into one of the large consulting firms such as Accenture. Sure, your life will never be your own again, but the money is great and when you get up the ranks a bit, the perks are good too. Spent 6.5 years with Accenture, another two with Deloitte (and about 8 before that in large systems development in a government department), now I do DVD transfers and menu design in one set of books, and PC trouble shooting and repairs in the other. Get a couple of small businesses under your belt as regular customers (schools are good too) and the income can be pretty good.

[greymalkin]

....and get your b.s.!

it's pretty much to the point that noone will look at you for a serious position without at least a bachelors degree..i've been doing computer support for exxonmobil for about 5 years but since i don't have any papers yet i'm somewhat less than human (a contractor *gasp!*). It pays the bills but they definitely let you know you are not one of "them".

About 3.5 years into this computer support gig I got laid off and took a 4 month involuntary vacation (the only kind of vacation you get as a straight contractor) and decided to go back to school..i will now have my A.S. in about 2 weeks and my B.S. in about 2 years...

...and if that doesn't work i'm still hoping the oil under my dads land will pay off :P...while you are begging for the price of oil to go down i'm hoping it will go up

[rallynavvie]

Hey you don't even need a degree in a computer field to get a job in computers. My BS is in commercial aviation and I'm doing IT work. In fact I'm in charge of folks with degrees in computer science/engineering. Demonstrated ability goes a long way, sometimes more so than degrees. I saw the same thing when I was in school, some guys got their aviation degrees and their pilot's licenses but I certainly wouldn't consider them good pilots. It was those of us who had been interested in aviation our whole lives that really excelled (except that we graduated right before 9/11 ). But if you've been doing computer work as a hobby for a while it should certainly give you an edge over those taking up the career simply because it pays well. Which it doesn't unless you work your way to the top of the IT ladder (where you don't actually do much IT work, just direct things which is great).

However isn't the IT industry inundated with people now? It's like here I can't throw a rock without hitting a programmer or graphic designer.

[bazooka]

It's like here I can't throw a rock without hitting a programmer or graphic designer.

As long as you do not hit any networkers....it is ok.

[burnman99]

I can only really recommend the A+ Course. Nothing against $Msoft but I have A+ Net+ MCP/MCSE/MCDBA and there are no jobs here anywhere. Unfortunately the courses ran around $10K which i'm now paying back. At least I use A+ & Net+ stuff some. Just one opinion though, maybe there are MCSE jobs available there but i wouldn't count on it.

Hope this helps

Roger

[stiltman]

Livonia Michigan? What kind of hookup?

Oh yeah, whats Project +? I know what the other ones you mention are, but that one escapes me.

My mistake, I was thinkin Detroit not Chicago, sorry about that.

Project+ is good to let the employer know you know how to manage time, resources and a budget

[greymalkin]

Hey you don't even need a degree in a computer field to get a job in computers. My BS is in commercial aviation and I'm doing IT work. In fact I'm in charge of folks with degrees in computer science/engineering. Demonstrated ability goes a long way, sometimes more so than degrees.

obviously there are exceptions..and I don't have a degree either just yet and I'd say i'm making a good bit of money without it...but the days of getting in because of good experience seem to be passing on..there are some employees where i work who do not have bachelors degrees but they were grandfathered in before big companies started coming down so hard on having to have a degree...i don't really agree with it either as i think experience should take you much farther than it does..it's actually the reason i was against going back to school for 6 years, but I don't know anyone in high places and need any advantage i can get to be able to get in a company where there is opportunity to move up. If anything I won't have to wonder where I could have gotten if i had gotten my degree.

[rallynavvie]

Usually they're just looking for any degree, not necessarily one in the field you're going in to. I'm pretty having a 4-year in something helped me get my job. Or maybe they felt sorry for me

[tsantsa]

Here in NW Indiana near Valparaiso, I have essentially 2 schooling options for an Associates or Bachelors: Purdue North Central, or Indiana University Northwest. There is also Valpo University and Purdue Cal, but I hear Purdue Cal is a joke and Valpo is just plain inaccesible. Does anyone know how I can find ratings or something about each of these schools computer tech courses and degrees?

Also, can I go and get an associates and go later for the bachelors? Sorry about these questions, but I figure I would ask the guys (and gals) here that are probably already working or schooling in the field currently. I have a couple of friends that are reliable to ask about college courses (one in in Notre Dame Law, 3rd year next week I believe) but none of them are in Computer Tech or anything...

Again, thanks for all the reply's.

[Conquest10]

Yeah, you can go back and get your bs later. That's what I did (am doing). I finished up all my classes but since I'm a dumbass I didn't do my internship yet. So, what they did is give me an associates. I've been busy and haven't really had the time to find a job that is basically slave labor. So, when I do decide to get one that's when I will recieve my bs.

BTW, isn't everyone working in something other than what they hold a degree in?

[bazooka]

BTW, isn't everyone working in something other than what they hold a degree in?

Yep