Where to start? I.T

segasega

Ok, having looked around, I really don't know where to start. I am now 30 years old and want to go back to college, but will have to do it online/distance.

I want to do something in the area of I.T (desktop and/or hardware troubleshooting) , as I should of when I originally finished my LC. But it seems a lot of I.T degrees are pretty useless in a industry that is constantly changing and expanding.

So my question is, is anyone here doing a online/distance I.T course that they think will actually be beneficial to them when looking for a job?

Tom Dunne

segasega wrote: »

But it seems a lot of I.T degrees are pretty useless in a industry that is constantly changing and expanding.

I would strongly dispute that assertion. A degree is a measure of ability to study, assimilate knowledge, organise, deliver and much more besides. It is not just about content. In IT, you keep your content up to date with industry certifications.

segasega wrote: »

So my question is, is anyone here doing a online/distance I.T course that they think will actually be beneficial to them when looking for a job?

All the major institutions offer some element of blended/online/distance/part-time courses. Have a look around, post up a few and we can offer you advice.

Kinet1c

Tom Dunne wrote: »

I would strongly dispute that assertion. A degree is a measure of ability to study, assimilate knowledge, organise, deliver and much more besides. It is not just about content. In IT, you keep your content up to date with industry certifications.



All the major institutions offer some element of blended/online/distance/part-time courses. Have a look around, post up a few and we can offer you advice.

Agree with this. If you're out of work, look at retraining in FAS (or whatever it's called now). If you're in work, then you're going to want to decide what area of IT you want to get in to, it's a vast industry and it's best to find the path you want early on.

Eire Go Brach

Bare in mind. A lot of the multinational companies will only look at CV's from graduates.
I was recently made redundant. I kinda regret now not getting a degree or studying while I was working. I was bored in my Job the last couple of years. I could have easily studied in the evening. But I was Happy enough coming home and playing xbox (o: I was earning enough money to do what I wanted. So I suppose I just plodded a long.
But here I am now, unemployed. No interest in getting back into what I have done for the last 18 years. And Like yourself I wanna get into I.T.

I suppose what I am saying is Start studying now. Don't wait till something happens. I am assuming your employed. Start of Certificates.

I am doing as much courses as I can. Signing up to everything I can. At the moment I am doing a Course with Skillnet. They have a very high success rate with getting there students back working. I have also applied to go back to college as a mature student this year. Unless I get a job first.

Moonbeam

I would recommend doing a degree and applying for tech support jobs to get a foot in the door.

I would also suggest taking a look at -

A+
Network+
Voluntary IT work
LPI exams
Coursera courses
EDx Courses