Wanting to work in IT

Kieron26

Hello,

I have always wanted to work with computers since the age of about 14, I'm now 26.

I remember my dad teaching me how to use Windows 95 . . .

Since then I have come a long way with teaching myself various subjects such as:

Setting up networks (Hard Wired, Wireless)
Confirguring printers (Direct and network based)
Setup of webservers, active directory, user accounts
Installation of various operating systems
Building computers from full desktops to mini-itxs and repairing
Setting up DHCP and DNS servers using Windows Server 2003 & 2008
I have played around with Ubuntu aswell and setup a small home media server from scratch on the mini-itx computer.


There is many more things that I know but it would be impossible for me to list them all.

I have tried searching for various training courses as im in the situation where I know about computers very well but I have nothing on paper to prove it when applying for the vacancies.

I have been researching various courses such as CompTIA A+ and MCITP.

I feel confident enough to do a course at home if there is a tutor I can email if I get stuck . . when I have looked at the CompTIA A+ free version at e-learning and passed straight away and it seemed very easy but as it was a demo they cant issue me a certificate.

I am not working at the moment and I remember when I was younger that free education was only up until the age of 19.

I did attend Barnfield College in Luton for a year when I finished school and this was how I learnt about building the computers, formatting etc. . .

I achieved a pass and distinction.

Any advise would be very much appreciated and im desperate to get started but dont know where, when i speak to advisors int he job centre they point me to free IT courses however these seem to be the VERY basics which I could probably do with my eyes shut, i.e general email use, how to use internet etc which would be of no use to me.

Tyler_Du

You're probably better off starting at the bottom (so to speak) in a support role, generally speaking in IT experience is more valuable than training courses.

36CrazyFists

I'm in the same boat as you, though slightly older. Really love computers, fixing problems, helping people, building networks at home, etc and desperately have tried to enter the lower rung of the IT world. IT Helpdesk / Service Desk positions but with no luck in gaining employment.

Have a look on Profosser Messer forums they are fairly active for advice on CompTia stuff if you get stuck on something, I'm trying to self study for this myself as I've seen a few jobs ask for it and it is £100 an exam with 2 exams for the certificate so cheaper than the Microsoft certificates.

Good luck with finding the right job.

yesican

Kieron26 wrote: »

Hello,

I have always wanted to work with computers since the age of about 14, I'm now 26.

I remember my dad teaching me how to use Windows 95 . . .

Since then I have come a long way with teaching myself various subjects such as:

Setting up networks (Hard Wired, Wireless)
Confirguring printers (Direct and network based)
Setup of webservers, active directory, user accounts
Installation of various operating systems
Building computers from full desktops to mini-itxs and repairing
Setting up DHCP and DNS servers using Windows Server 2003 & 2008
I have played around with Ubuntu aswell and setup a small home media server from scratch on the mini-itx computer.


There is many more things that I know but it would be impossible for me to list them all.

I have tried searching for various training courses as im in the situation where I know about computers very well but I have nothing on paper to prove it when applying for the vacancies.

I have been researching various courses such as CompTIA A+ and MCITP.

I feel confident enough to do a course at home if there is a tutor I can email if I get stuck . . when I have looked at the CompTIA A+ free version at e-learning and passed straight away and it seemed very easy but as it was a demo they cant issue me a certificate.

I am not working at the moment and I remember when I was younger that free education was only up until the age of 19.

I did attend Barnfield College in Luton for a year when I finished school and this was how I learnt about building the computers, formatting etc. . .

I achieved a pass and distinction.

Any advise would be very much appreciated and im desperate to get started but dont know where, when i speak to advisors int he job centre they point me to free IT courses however these seem to be the VERY basics which I could probably do with my eyes shut, i.e general email use, how to use internet etc which would be of no use to me.

Well done on reaching this far Kieron26.

As you're currently unemployed and struggling to get a job,have you thought about taking the plunge and applying to get a degree?That is what i did and im currently in my second year of my honours degree course.

Even with my MCSA and CompTIA N+,i struggled to get a job,some of the jobs that had been advertised were looking for potential candidates with a minimum requirement of an IT related degree.

Just like you,im self taught and i attained my MCSA and Comptia N+ while working as a temp IT admin. (I didnt study CompTIA A+ cos i felt that it was too easy and also,i couldnt afford to do BOTH Comptia A+ and Comptia N+,i chose CompTIA N+ instead ).

Also,if you're based in Scotland and if you're unemployed,ILA Scotland can fund a course of upto £500 and £200 if you're earning less than £22,000.

I wish you all the best on your journey.

Kieron26

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the useful information.

I have been looking for support roles however as expected they all like to see experience.

In terms of a degree is there any help you can get for funding as I am only on JSA. I have never looked into degrees so do not have a clue as to how much they are.

I tried lookingon the internet and found this . .

e-learningcenter.com/general_it.htm

This is $179 and seems to include a lot but I dont know as it is an american website if it will be accepted over here in the UK.

I am based in Kettering so do not have the help from Scotland . . .

Do you think as I am pretty clued up on computers that the CompTIA A+ would be too easy as there si so many courses Im not sure what one would be best to get my foot in the door so to speak.

Thanks again . .

yesican

Kieron26 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the useful information.

I have been looking for support roles however as expected they all like to see experience.

In terms of a degree is there any help you can get for funding as I am only on JSA. I have never looked into degrees so do not have a clue as to how much they are.

I tried lookingon the internet and found this . .

e-learningcenter.com/general_it.htm

This is $179 and seems to include a lot but I dont know as it is an american website if it will be accepted over here in the UK.

I am based in Kettering so do not have the help from Scotland . . .

Do you think as I am pretty clued up on computers that the CompTIA A+ would be too easy as there si so many courses Im not sure what one would be best to get my foot in the door so to speak.

Thanks again . .

Morning Kieron26,

You're right about one thing,that there are way too many courses out there AND they cost money!lol-im no expert but on looking back,my only wish is that i wish i could have went to uni years ago instead of wasting money on certificates from american sites like expertrating.com and others. etc

Unfortunately,i dont know much about England and their system of education ie loans (i wish i could help there,hopefully,someone will some knowledge on that will get back to you).

Mate,as far as choosing CompTIA A+ or CompTIA N+,everyone is different.For me,i looked at the objectives on the comptia website for both courses and because i was self taught as well like you,i'd to make a decision based on what i knew,my finances and my commitment (wasnt easy considering that i'd a 2 year old to raise as well).

From your first post about your knowledge,personally,i think you're loaded with a great deal of IT(networking).Please download both Comptia A+ and CompTIA N+ objectives from :
http://certification.comptia.org/Training/testingcenters/examobjectives.aspx

(register first and then download the two pdfs) and then take it from there..

All the best.

falko89

I am in a similar position, no qualifications but a love for IT, I started of building PC's for sale on eBay, but the time has come where I can't compete the the Dell's/HP's of this world. I did 2 years of a degree at the Open University but discovered this was going down a route I wasn't really interested in so stopped. I am now unemployed, no one will entertain me despite me using computers since the Windows 3.11 MS Dos 6.2 days (Anyone remember that?):D I think my only option in gaining full time employment in IT is to start my own business, which I think I might do once my redundancy comes through.

getmore4less

The problem is that all this experience is just advanced hobby IT and loads of people can do this stuff.

In technical computing organisations most of the staff can do all this sort of stuff as well as their real jobs, designing programming etc.

So you need to look for other angles, specific skills that are needed by places that can get you in the door and start building up expereince in a work place.

Apart form this IT specific skill set what else can you do.

saintjammyswine

As you dont have a degree, you would be able to do an IT Apprenticeship, possibly advanced with your existing skills. Contact your local FE College or National Apprenticeship Service & see if there are any available locally. Job title is usually something like IT Technician. It would give experience & quals.

jfh7gwa

getmore4less wrote: »

The problem is that all this experience is just advanced hobby IT and loads of people can do this stuff.
...
So you need to look for other angles, specific skills that are needed by places that can get you in the door and start building up expereince in a work place.

Exactly.

You need to think beyond just doing a random course here and a random course there, especially before you start to think about paying money for them, or use up funding opportunities on them.

Go back to basics, find out what kind of job you want to do in the IT industry, and figure out the path that most people have taken which will enable you to get there. This could be as involved as becoming a professional software engineer via applying to university, or taking up a HNC or an apprenticeship place in order to work on an IT helpdesk. The two jobs, and the paths needed to get there, are wildly different.

At the moment, you're coming at this from an angle similar to "I want to work with numbers" - when that could be anything from cashing up in your local bingo hall, or aiming to be the regional director of a bank Figure out your end point, at least in the short-medium term, and find out what steps you need to take to realistically get set up in that type of job (or career). Going by your mention about networking and PC tinkering, I'm thinking something in networking or that helpdesk angle might suit - but you do need to narrow it down a bit first

InsideInsurance

The problem with the IT market is that it fluctuates between wanting experience or wanting qualifications. Obviously the ideal person has both but rarely are there ideal candidates going for every job.

Many of the IT people I have worked with have done a relevant high level professional course like the MCSE and then gone from that and applied for effectively "emergency" contractor roles where the client wants someone 2 months ago and so is less picky. Despite the current employment situation I would argue there are still some roles out there like this, though not as many as there normally are.

Obviously the down side of this is that you tend to therefore get your specialty and industry by what was available at the time rather than an active choice. A colleague did this and has now been an infrastructure technician in the insurance industry for 8 years or so, now gets a good day rate for what he does but has no particular interest in insurance and finds infrastructure boring.

The claimed traditional route in outside of a degree is to start on a level one helpdesk (which is little more than a basic call centre job really) and work your way up and out within the organisation. I have to say I have never come across anyone that has done this though I've known a few helpdesk people that are planning on doing it (and they say they know people that have)