Career advice needed

slick31

Hey to all,
Recently made redundant. So I'm no looking for a career change. I've decided to go the computer route. Basically cause I'm interested in computers and there appears to be jobs in this section - but I've never done any computer courses (unless you count ECDL) before.
I've done a lot of research and I'm more confused now than before I started. Can anyone point me in the right direction please? Should I do a cert, diploma or a degree? I was thinking of doing a cert in information technology (advertised on springboard). Will this be any use to me or just a startin point? Fás are also doing online courses in Comptia A+ 2009 and Network 2012 and Cisco. Would these be of benefit to me?
If anyone can point me in the right direction of where I should be startin with this I would be eternally grateful as I'm totally clueless!
Cheers,
Slick

Hijpo

most entry level jobs seem to be in the programing side of things, very little on the tech side from what can see and believe me iv tried everywhere. Unless you have a second language, that seems to be handy to get a tech job.

druidhill

there appears to be jobs in this section

What source(s) are you basing this on?

It is always good to have a mixture of an academic qualification and professional certification like A+ when starting out - try and build up your work experience fast. Cisco CCNA should not be your starting point.

Have to agree with Hijpo. Software development seems to be the best in terms of entry level jobs (as in some chance to get on the ladder), but even those seem to want experience or a portfolio of work. Not too many jobs in tech support for total beginners unless you have another language, it is one of those areas where there seems to be an oversupply of entry level people. Location is important too - jobs outside of Dublin are pretty scarce. As tough as it is out there with the jobs market, the best advice is still to pick something you like as opposed to following the areas where you think there are jobs (this may not even be in IT for you).

Good luck.

Nabber

CCNA without exposure to live environments isn't a good choice. Home labs and packet tracer can't replicate a live environment.

Can't comment on FAS or the springboard course as I have never done them.

Comptia A+ then Network+

That should give you a nice broad start.

Hijpo

Nabber wrote: »

CCNA without exposure to live environments isn't a good choice. Home labs and packet tracer can't replicate a live environment.

Can't comment on FAS or the springboard course as I have never done them.

Comptia A+ then Network+

That should give you a nice broad start.

CCNA via icnd 1 and icnd 2 isnt a bad way to go about it. you get ccent for passing icnd1 and you get ccna for passing icnd2.

Nabber

That's the best way to get it

But I still think CCNA is better left until you have the prospect of using it. As a CV filler, you could leave yourself exposed to some hard line questioning

I can only talk from my own expeirence, anytime I am sent out to interview with a client/customer they like to question the cisco certs I have. Even tho the job is not a networking one.

Maybe it's just me. But it's something I have nocticed.

slick31

Hey again

Need some more advice -
I've been accepted on to Springboard course for a Cert in information Technology Evening 1year https://www.springboardcourses.ie/Certificate-in-Science-in-Computing-in-Information-Technology/Science-Mathematics-and-Computing/Computing/Computer-Science/ViewItem.aspx?ItemTypeID=2&ItemID=1325
But I've also been accepted for a FÁS course in IT and Business Communications daytime 14 weeks - which basically would give me a Cert for Microsoft Office Specialist.
So apparently I can't do both. So I have to choose. Basically I don't know what the best one to do is? I'd be really grateful for any input on this - someone please point me in the right direction.

Cheers
Slick.

Hijpo

slick31 wrote: »

Hey again

Need some more advice -
I've been accepted on to Springboard course for a Cert in information Technology Evening 1year https://www.springboardcourses.ie/Certificate-in-Science-in-Computing-in-Information-Technology/Science-Mathematics-and-Computing/Computing/Computer-Science/ViewItem.aspx?ItemTypeID=2&ItemID=1325
But I've also been accepted for a FÁS course in IT and Business Communications daytime 14 weeks - which basically would give me a Cert for Microsoft Office Specialist.
So apparently I can't do both. So I have to choose. Basically I don't know what the best one to do is? I'd be really grateful for any input on this - someone please point me in the right direction.

Cheers
Slick.

the computer science and IT qualification is what i would pick.

starlit

I say start off small with ECDL if you haven't done any of that stuff before, it take time to get into the more advanced IT stuff depends how quickly you learn and how interested you are. I say do the ECDL before the computing course. Determination and motivation to do it to advance your IT skills beyond ECDL would be paramount before getting into IT of any sort. Also have an idea what route to take, loads of options in IT not just a career option. Technical support or programming be the usual starting point.

Speaking from experience, though its getting harder to get into technical support jobs these days without a cert, experience or a foreign language, (a college IT qualification is good to have but not enough depends on what the qualification is) which I am finding it hard to get back into the field myself.

I worked in the area before but struggling to get a break in that field without a techie cert but not sure if I want to go that road though love to but still up in the air what career path I follow so looking into all possible avenues like programming in particular web programming/design or multimedia/social media/cloud. I've looked into cisco myself but up in the air about it really can't decide on it.

I've a business (admin/information systems) background so not totally stuck as to what path to follow blends well with IT all the same! Personally still don't know what I really want to do as my job hunt has to proved fruitful what ever path I am trying to follow may it be IT or business.

Just having an interest and liking IT isn't enough you have to really like it and enjoy it for it be any bit of a successful career path.

I would advise to start off doing ECDL and then think about doing the computing course plus a Techie cert. You can study ECDL and a Technial support qualification like Compita+ and others like it by self learning/online distance learning but for you maybe it be best to learn in a classroom situation. What Nabber mentioned I would agree with in a previous post:

CCNA without exposure to live environments isn't a good choice. Home labs and packet tracer can't replicate a live environment.

Unless you have worked in the area already and have had some work experience and exposure to it would home labs and packet tracer be worth learning from. You'd really need to have some kind of hands on experience to an extent and have some kind of IT qualification of some sort before doing cisco to get far with it, you be thrown in the deep end if you hadn't a clue what networking and routers are all about!?

Having some knowledge of it before a cisco course is worth having. If you want to go that road, read up on it or order a book related to it and read up on it gives you more of an idea what to expect. The compita+ might be a good option rather than cisco but CENT be a better option than CCNA as it be an introductory course to networking before CCNA for me CCNA and maybe compita+ be a better option as I covered a module in my hdip that be similar to what you'd learn in a CENT course and already having worked in technical support gives me more of an insight of that area.

I'd nearly do the two courses you want to do if you can manage it?

Best of luck with it!

Sykk

slick31 wrote: »

Hey again

Need some more advice -
I've been accepted on to Springboard course for a Cert in information Technology Evening 1year https://www.springboardcourses.ie/Certificate-in-Science-in-Computing-in-Information-Technology/Science-Mathematics-and-Computing/Computing/Computer-Science/ViewItem.aspx?ItemTypeID=2&ItemID=1325
But I've also been accepted for a FÁS course in IT and Business Communications daytime 14 weeks - which basically would give me a Cert for Microsoft Office Specialist.
So apparently I can't do both. So I have to choose. Basically I don't know what the best one to do is? I'd be really grateful for any input on this - someone please point me in the right direction.

Cheers
Slick.

Stay away from the bolded. It's not going to teach you anything you can't pickup as you go along.

I done the CCNA a couple of years ago and still haven't had the opportunity to use it. As someone already mentioned is quite difficult and most definitely not a good stepping stone. Any Cisco related work generally requires 5+ years experience so it's better to do this once you've got some other general networking experience under your belt. (Who's to say you might not prefer software development or something other than networking anyway!)

That springboard course doesn't look too bad. It's certainly better than the FÁS course.

Ideally, IMO, you should do some sort of mature students degree in IT - this way you can branch into whatever you like once you've got to explore each field.

Good luck!

Moonbeam

Do the springboard cert and then maybe look at a degree in the area.

There are no shortage of IT jobs out there but the problem seems to be they are all for people with experience.
There is alot of competition for entry level jobs so you need to set yourself ahead of the pack.
Having worked in the area for along time there is no point getting a CCNA with out real networking experience.

slick31

Thanks Hijpo, Sykk and Moonbeam - I've decided to go with the Springboard It Cert. As Sykk pointed out the Fas stuff I can pick up as I go along. Cheers for all the advice its very much appreciated.
Slick

slick31

Hi - A friend of mine is thinking of doing this course but I can't see why. Is there any point in someone with no computing background at all doing this course? Cheers for any info.
Slick.:pac:
http://www.springboardcourses.ie/Certificate-in-Fundamentals-of-Networking-and-Cloud-Technologies/Science-Mathematics-and-Computing/Computing/Computer-Science/ViewItem.aspx?ItemTypeID=2&ItemID=1296

slick31

slick31 wrote: »

Hey again

Need some more advice -
I've been accepted on to Springboard course for a Cert in information Technology Evening 1year https://www.springboardcourses.ie/Certificate-in-Science-in-Computing-in-Information-Technology/Science-Mathematics-and-Computing/Computing/Computer-Science/ViewItem.aspx?ItemTypeID=2&ItemID=1325
Cheers
Slick.

Hey got a job so won't be able to do the springboard course. Job is a 6 month contract so I'd still like to get started on a course at night. Anyone know of a good IT night course in the Dublin area (preferable southside).
Cheers again,
Slick:D

starlit

Congrats Slick! Good luck in the job!

Hijpo

is it an IT job?

slick31

Hijpo wrote: »

is it an IT job?

No not in IT I've no background in IT - was gonna try switchin into that area. Its in a biotechnology. Any ideas of a good night course in IT in Dublin?
Cheers
Slick:D