IT School

B

braidman

Gawd
Joined
Mar 6, 2003
Messages
862
So I've flunked out of college (the ME program), I dont have a job, and dont know what to do next.

When I found that server the other day it got me thinking......"IT types get to play with this stuff all the time"...

So I am thinking of attending a technical school here in town and possibly getting a degree in IT and getting a job in that in a coupla years. I set up an appointment (and gave them all my info...grr.....) and am gonna go visit the place on monday.

How many of you guys out there on the hardforums have gone this route, and what kinda success did it grant you? Honestly I am really only looking for a way to get a prosperous job that can help me pay off my current student loans and possibly fund getting back into college and one day getting my ME (or maybe Industrial Engineering) degree. Oh and that whole marriage and family thing is on my mind as well.
 
I'd think long and hard about whether this is the right career path for you. It It industry has become very competitive and bay far it is not a "get rich quick" scheme any longer. You will mostly have to put up with a lot of jobs you don't like before you get the opportunity to make a decent living. I know after i graduated all my friends that didn't even attend college were making a lot more money than i was doing other things.
 
As oak said, if you want a decent paying job, avoid IT. It's over saturated with people at the moment, and even were it not, I don't think a "fresh out of school" job would pay much anyway.

You want a good paying job, go look at the city. Garbage collectors and the like make a great deal of money, and most of them get off every major/minor holiday. Plus weekends.
 
XOR != OR said:
As oak said, if you want a decent paying job, avoid IT. It's over saturated with people at the moment, and even were it not, I don't think a "fresh out of school" job would pay much anyway.

You want a good paying job, go look at the city. Garbage collectors and the like make a great deal of money, and most of them get off every major/minor holiday. Plus weekends.
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You mean over-saturated with under-qualified people at the moment. Two reasons the IT bubble popped: Nothing being produced and too many idiots in the field.

IT guys with A LOT of experience make the big money. I know quite a few people with 30-40 years in the field who walk into six-figure jobs all the time.
 
oakfan52 said:
I'd think long and hard about whether this is the right career path for you. It It industry has become very competitive and bay far it is not a "get rich quick" scheme any longer. You will mostly have to put up with a lot of jobs you don't like before you get the opportunity to make a decent living. I know after i graduated all my friends that didn't even attend college were making a lot more money than i was doing other things.
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The building boom is going to pop. Too few non-residential projects from business & government, too much competition for building materials from other nations, increasing interest rates, gas prices keeping commuters closer to jobs, and longtime residents getting sick of watching this half of California being turned into LA, are all going to align soon.
 
Snugglebear said:
The building boom is going to pop. Too few non-residential projects from business
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I seriously beg to differ. There's still rapid growth going on in my area (Bay Area, San Jose).
 
It really really looks like this depends on your place and perspective.

I would be inclined to say there's a lack of IT types in my area, but then what do I know?

I know there's no lack of ppl studying it, but the amount of ppl with the passion for it I have is very small. Of course I know that doesnt actually translate into anything. Which is why I am thinking of going to tech school.

I talked to my brother about this tonight, he's in IT and went to a private school for MCSE for about a year and stopped going. He says as far as he knows no one in that class ever finished thier MCSE. Lotta good it did them huh? My brother thinks the schools are wretched places that are a waste of time and money.
 
I am in my third quarter at ITT at the moment so I can give you the student perspective. Overall I would say that it is ok. I think that you need to have some basic knowledge of the industry or be willing to teach yourself alot. They try to cram alot of information into a two year program. The teachers that I have had so far are all very experienced in IT, some are just better teachers than others. The one thing that you want to be sure of is that IT is what you really want to do. The jobs don't pay as much as they used to, due larger to the fact that there are still tons of halfwits passing themselves off as IT pros. I hope that this rambling made some kind of sense, it's late and I should really be in bed. If you have any questions about the school just let me know, I will answer the best that I can.
 
Like you, I did the University thing, and it didn't work out. I started a family, and got into IT. I did one year at $13/hr, got some experience, and now am making $17/hr, but that is the top for my position. I started taking a CCNA class at the local CC, and they are always posting jobs for $10-14 for part time computer repair and cable pullers. This is a great route if you want to be a tech forever.

My advice, STAY IN SCHOOL!! Drop engineering and get a Business Administration degree with CIS emphasis. Then when you have that piece of paper that says you did your 4 or 5 years, get your A+, Network+, CCNA, and be the head of the IT department.

Best of Luck
 
Drop engineering and get a Business Administration degree with CIS emphasis.
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I agree with this, or get a MIS degree. Seems to be a fair bit more jobs for MIS and BA w/CIS, than CIS by itself.

I've got a two-year degree in CIS: Network Administration, and I haven't found a job in my field yet. Though, I live in Missouri, which was the top state for job loss, last I checked. :( Two of my friends graduated with me, one just got laid off from his summer job setting up a K-12 school network. The other is continuing his job as a janitor, and started his own business repairing computers, thus far he has only had one profitable month in the past year.

Of course, in two years, if there's an upswing in the economy, the demand for freshly trained IT people is likely to be higher.

My vote is MIS or BA w/CIS. Unless you're *really* dedicated, and fairly talented, and go for your CCNA.
 
What's CCNA Cisco Certified Network Admin?

I am out of univ. cause I lost my funding and am having a REALLY hard time getting a job, I am down to applying at restaraunts. Although I am gonna talk to my uncle in a minute about going down to florida to help with reconstruction@$100/day... o_O

And if I am gonna work towards something for four year it's gonna be engineering. I didnt join the program for monetary reasons (they are just a nice side effect). It's because the kind of things that constantly fly through my head are those kind of things. Not business crap......

i.e. I would hang myself if I had to go through business classes

And btw, I could deal with $13/hr no problem, i am trying to stay out of $6/hr territory
 
i make $9/ HR + tips for busing tabels at the local golf club, and my other job is $10/ hr for making tables. Ther is plenty of money out there if your willing to work for it, at least in MN. Good luck and keep the schooling suggestions coming cause im in need of advice as well.
 
Hey guys,
An opportunity came up today...i think I will take it, I think I might be crazy not to.....

My mom's cousin (my cousin) and my uncle are going to florida, to help rebuild. They are offering me $150/day to drive a truck from a site to a dump and back. In daytona beach....for four months.....and maybe a big bonus at the end....

I think I'll start packing tommorow (leaving tues). This could pay off my student loans, and maybe net me alot of additional money.......for ...whatever....

So like...I'm gone I think...

I have till tommorow at 6am to decide.

(edit: and thanks for the replies and input guys...)
 
draconius said:
good luck
have fun
may the force be with you


life's short, don't let money run it ;)
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AMEN!
But student loans suck and any other procedure would take at least years to pay them off.
 
Well I'm back....
Essentially the whole deal was crooked and too good to be true... :/
 
and ironically, they get hit by yet another hurricane
damn
I am glad I live not there
 
Yeah that's why I had to get the heck outta dodge. I think my boss and company got out as well.....
 
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