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IT career Advice (IACT)

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  • 12-10-2008 8:29pm
    #1
    The Stand
    Closed Accounts Posts: 51 ✭✭


    I was wondering if you guys could help me out a little.

    I’m interested in a possible career in IT (surprise, surprise) I have a general knowledge of computing and IT, I decided I’d do the ECDL first, just to make sure I’d all my bases covered.

    Anyway, I finished the ECDL with IACT on Stephens green and was wondering what I should do next?

    I was thinking about doing their PC trouble shooting course and then move on and do their A+ and take it from there.

    I enjoy the physical aspect of taking things apart and figuring out problems so that’s why I’m looking towards that course.

    I really don’t like maths so I guess that counts me out of the programming end of things.

    My question is, can I hope to find a IT job in the new year with just a A+ and the knowledge I’ll learn from a trouble shooting course, or do I reaaly need to return to college and study fulltime?

    I’d always like to know if anyone here would recommend IACT as the best place to study.


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    #2
    JDLK
    Closed Accounts Posts: 183 ✭✭JDLK


    I cant help you with IACT as Ive no experience there but the A+ and Net+ is a good place to start- they will give you a vendor neutral view of how IT works in an organisation.

    From there I would recommend applying for junior helpdesk roles, whether its on the phone or going to peoples desks the A+ and Net+ should give you some basic knowledge of how to solve common issues and get your foot in the door.

    The best thing to do then is look at the organisation you are working for and you could choose 1 of 2 routes

    1.Stay with the org and try to work your way up in their IT dept- to do this talk to the your supervisor or manager about potential roles. Places are more likely to recruit internally. Find out what systems they use- ie if they have Microsoft Servers maybe get the MCSE, if Novell get the Novell Certs and so on

    2. If you really want to work in a specific area of IT such as security, networking or with a specific vendors systems Microsoft, Cisco etc that your current org doesnt have requirements for then do some evening courses and apply for jobs in those area's.

    DO NOT spend the next 2 years studying for things like the MCSE, CCNP etc and expect to go into IT straight off as a sys admin or network engineer without any IT work experience, while certs are nice if you dont have the hands on experience to go with them you wont get the jobs they're designed for and may feel like you wasted your time.

    The A+ and Net+ will be good enough to start you in IT, from there take courses that suit your career path. You dont know what opportunties will come up when you get into IT so dont spend time, money and effort on certs you may never use, get your foot in the door, see what opportunities come up and if you want to go for them then skill up and do the appropriate courses unless you really really want to get into a specific area.

    Edit: If you want to study full time for the next few years then do a degree- a degree will give you more scope for getting into almost any industry or career than an IT cert


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