What path should i take? IT Practitioners

TechTerry

Hey all,
Im 16 and starting college in september i was just wondering if anyone had any experiences doing a IT Practitioners, i know their are 3 different paths to take, general, networking and programming.

Can anyone share their experiences with any of them?

ALSO

Are their anything i should do ready for college?

I have on my to-do list:
Get a NUS Card
Get EMA Forms
Open a current account

Lokolo

Get a part time job? Experience is much needed when you want to go for your first big job.

Programming - you need to get a degree really. Either Computer Science, Software Engineering or similar. You will literally be programming all day.

General - meh, not really sure what you meant by this but theres IT support but these don't go to high places.

Networking - you need to get network qualifications, mainly CISCO (they specialise in networking). This can lead to lots of money, but obviously only if you are interested in networking!

What are you studying, subject wise at college?

TechTerry

Hey,

have not started college yet, just been offered the 3 courses which are, networking, programming and i think the general one is actually buisness and IT.

I was thinking of the networking one as i dont really want to be sitting in an office all day long. I know they said i can also so part 1 of the cisco networking thing whatever course i pick as its a teach yourself thing they have.

As for a job, would love one, but who would want to hire a 16 year old with only GCSE's?

Lokolo

I worked for Dominos since 17. Worked for local football club since 15. Plenty out there. Try supermarkets too. Yeh it maybe a crappy part time job but when making a CV is better to have something in Previous Employment section than nothing!

Networking would be good yes if you are interest, I hate networking but I love programming hence why I am doing a programming degree.

Does your college have a website with learning objectives and stuff on so I (and others) can read what you will be studying in each section?

I would recommend you do Part 1 of cisco, if you enjoy that then you may as well go onto the other levels.

And shouldn't you be in bed? Surely you have GCSEs to revise for??

S0litaire

Probably better broken in to "IT Management", "Networking/Support" and "Programming".

IT Management: Is basically Project management; you have to be a good communicator and be a team leader at times.

Networking /Support: As it says on the tin, Maintaining Computers and associated Networks and unfortunately the Users too!!

Programming: Need good head for coding

I went into Network Support when the going was good and the jobs were easy
But support side is getting harder as lots of people are getting laid off in the internal support side recently. Mainly going out to contractors like PCWorld that do everything possible from a remote location so you have 1 guy looking after 10-20 different networks around the country and then they contract out any physical work to the Supportdesk at one of the local PCWorld stores!


Go for Cisco and A+ courses and get as much Linux under your belt as you can take in (Good basics for scripting and site programming) ! Not so much Windows ironically enough, every man and his dog went for a MSCE cert a few years ago so they are becoming to common to get a good job with.

[Deleted User]

Well.. what are your interests? Do you like maths? Do you take things apart to see how they work? What are your general grades like? Have you ever tried programming before? What sort of expectations do you have in life (e.g. do you want to be a IT support worker or a manager?)

I work in IT consultancy. I had an unusual career route (did maths, biology, chemistry A levels, Genetics degree then Biology/Computer science Masters). But.. i always had an interest in computers.

My job is halfway between IT management and programming. However, i wouldn't know one end of a Ethernet cable from another.. I don't do hardware or networking.

TechTerry

Thanks for all the replies.

I enjoy a bit of everything to be honnest, im predicted a C for maths and got a L2 at college and a L2 for english ( L2 is the highest level they do on the test )

I have programed a bit, bit of HTML, CSS, Very basic PHP, and played around in visual basic.

Im not too keen on management, even though i am predicted an A for buisness. I would like something that i can enjoy and something that wont be the same boring thing every day. Im not too sure how hard the programming would be as i have never seen anyone look for programmers on sites such as monster.

I will defo do the Cisco part 1 course.

Im just not sure if i should go into networking or programming, i think i would enjoy both.

If i went the programming route would i defo need to get a degree to get anywhere?

merlinormartin

Hi techterry

I completed a BTEC National Certificate in Computing then spend a year "upgrading" to a Diploma. I found the course covered all the basics "system specifications" "life-cycle models" "design" etc. During the BTEC we covered Pascal and VB; I felt the "programming" modules should have gone into more depth and covered the basics of other languages like Java C++ that are used at university level.

Good Luck with your course, if you have any specific questions feel free to ask

hodgey87

hi ive completed the exact same course as you are going to do, i found that this course covers the basics of alot of areas in IT i decided to go into the networking route which was very interesting, it all depends on your interests and what you want to do in the future

Blacksheep1979

Tbh if I was you I wouldn't look at the programming router - you need strong maths skills for it. From what you're saying the networking type role seems best.

ManAtHome

Disagree about the need for maths skills unless you're planning on working at NASA or BAE. Plenty of common sense, lack of assumption, enquiring mind, "stick-to-itness", and a bit of lateral thinking goes a long way.

Been programming, analysing, PMing, techie-ing for around 30 years now with fairly average qualifications.