OU degree

paul55555

hello all

I need some advise about doing a degree.

I am thinking of a way to get a career i work for asda home shopping but need a better career that pays more.

I am considering doing IT and getting a career in it i have always been into computers so this path seems the logical one.

i am wondering weather to do a open university degree or an IT computing degree the only thing is doing the IT degree would take 5 years to do or I could top up my HND in design communications up into a open degree in 2 years.

would not having a IT degree stop me or should I go for the IT degree any advise would be helpful the open university have given me 240 credits towards the open degree at this late stage in my life aged 34 am i too old to retrain?

my Delmar is open degree vs IT and computing degree. I could always do the open degree and do a few IT courses but i am very unsure what is the best option .

If you come across this post please leave a response all responses would be helpful both from employers and employees and students alike.

regards paul.

paul55555

one thing more they have said they will only give me 30 credits towards the IT and computing degree some thing to do with subjects differences being a problem.

Annisele

"Career in IT" covers a multitude of things. Do you want to be a software developer? Work on a helpdesk? Design processors? I think that the route you should take depends very much on where you want to end up.

As to age...you're 34, not 134.

pinkshoes

What is it that you specifically want to do? IT is an area that has been massively reduced during the recession, and even IT assistant jobs require a huge amount of experience and the pay is poor. You need to do your research before setting out to do something, just to make sure that it's financially feasible.

I know some people who have struggled to even get unpaid work as an IT assistant, just to get experience!

paul55555

well i am thinking to get a job doing networking and then becoming an IT engineer. clearly i would expect to be doing helpdesk for a few years to gain the experience. i am interested in gaining certs and a+ and c++ I have been looking at computeach but I have seen some bad comments about them. i work in admin using a picking and load system which i have maned for 2 years basically we process orders from online customers. but i want to develop and get a decent job maybe even get into management.

thegirlintheattic

Unless you are going into programming or similar then there are very few jobs.

alyth

I work for the same employer as you and two of my work colleagues graduated in the summer with degrees in IT............. needless to say they are still working for our mutual employer....... neither of them can get any sort of IT job and both are willing to relocate anywhere in the world - one in particular is applying for jobs all over Europe and is getting no-where.

I'm a mature student myself so I understand your pain - have you spoken to your employer to see whether if you had a degree you could get onto their management programme? Or indeed if there are prospects within your store onto which you could move onto? An informal chat with your store manager if you know him could be worthwhile - mine was very blunt and told me that at my age of graduation (44) there is no way he would consider me for the management scheme - but at least I know!