RedM Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Fed up doing admin shite and I'm thinking I'd like to get into an IT role. What is the best way to get in this field? I'm thinking of taking a course (OU possibly) in order to be able to wave a bit of paper at people. I'm really crap with programming though. Is an IT career possible without an aptitude for it? What certifications/qualifications should I aim for? Also, I'm 35. Too old for IT? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daston Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Well I spent 2 years at college after I finished school doing a national Diploma in computing (programming, hardware & software support plus networking) and could I get a job? Nope they all wanted experience so I am now working at local gov as an accountant and working towards my AAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 hmmm interesting. OU do some good courses, but they consume time and at the end of the day an academic qualification is only part of the story. getting some experience any way you can is probably key. what sort of IT are you interested in? Some sort of IT administrative role is probbably the easiest way in, once you get started you can then bend the role a bit to help you get where you want to be. Vocational courses might also be better than pure academic ones. have you looked that those companies that train you and pay you a basic salary until you are trained? btw you are never too old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitesupraboy2 Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Well I spent 2 years at college after I finished school doing a national Diploma in computing (programming, hardware & software support plus networking) and could I get a job? Nope they all wanted experience so I am now working at local gov as an accountant and working towards my AAT exactly same as me, so i took an apprenticeship for 2 yrs was on £2.16 an hour or equivalant £4500 a yr. Now i have a good job, but the market is saturated with people, unless you really know your stuff and have experience it will be hard to earn good money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 I'd reckon if you can get yourself proficient in a useful programming language then you should be able to get a job if you are prepared to start on a junior salary. you could always go and do some short term contracts to get something for the cv (and possibly earn a fair packet) until you get enough experience to find a permenant position (if that is what you want). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted May 24, 2006 Author Share Posted May 24, 2006 I'm fairly well in debt so I can't afford to go working for silly money. I've seen an IT admin job in Leeds that I could walk into. It doesn't offer any increase in pay or really involve much more than making sure the IT guys have work to do but I guess it'd be a start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbeh Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Computeach, 30k and a company car Seriously, a degree will help you get your foot in the door at a lot of places, but as usual for decent paying positions they'll expect some experience too. So it might suck balls for a few years in a junior role and then move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Are you set on IT Martin? Being an electrician / plumber etc seems to be the way ahead at the moment, IT isn't what it used to be unless you have a niché Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 I've seen an IT admin job in Leeds that I could walk into. It doesn't offer any increase in pay or really involve much more than making sure the IT guys have work to do but I guess it'd be a start. It might be a useful foot in the door, worth a dabble if it's what you are after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted May 24, 2006 Author Share Posted May 24, 2006 I'd reckon if you can get yourself proficient in a useful programming language Peter Molyneux or GOD to his fans once said that if you can learn a French or German you can learn to program. I've never been good at learning languages and I can't program despite two years at college. I like to be able to see what problems or what needs doing. I like to be able to physically fix things. Programming seems like a bunch of vague, nebulous concepts that I just can't grasp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BASHTHEBISHOP Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Depends what you want to do in IT. Support, networking & infrastructure stuff i would probably say you want to take the route of doing an MCSE(microsoft certified service engineer). This entails different modules covering a wide variety of things. If you want to get involved in website, web design and that sort of area, yet again many courses available. Same thing again with programming. etc etc So basically you need to decide what in IT you want to get involved with. I am an IT Business Analyst - this involves looking at what software is out on the market for various things and how much benefit there could be in our company using it. Then implementing it as required. I enjoy this as i get involved in many projects but its not for our IT 'geeks' who just like looking at code etc etc. Hope this helps a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Yep, I would agree with Michael, the IT bubble has well and truly burst... if I had my time again I would be a builder/plumber/plasterer... those blokes make a packet and don't have any of the office/project politics to worry about.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 If you have an opening I'd go for it if you can afford it. After a few months you will have some experience, a better idea what you want to do next, a whole bunch of contacts. if you do well they may recognise you and promote you anyway... who knows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted May 24, 2006 Author Share Posted May 24, 2006 Are you set on IT Martin? Being an electrician / plumber etc seems to be the way ahead at the moment, IT isn't what it used to be unless you have a niché I've thought about the 'trades' too. A fair bit in fact. I enjoy working woth computers so IT would be my first choice but failing that.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 you might do alright being a plumber or plasterer but it's mind numbingly boring, I wouldn't do it even if it paid more! although IT doesn't pay what it used to, if you play it right you can still earn a tidy packet, more than most professions and you get to p1ss around all day learning new stuff programing is nebulous lol although it is a science/engineering task too I like it, but recently I'm moving to system architecture, which covers multiple diciplines, hardware, fpga, software, security and networking... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieSteve Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 My advice is don't bother. Other than that take on a helpdesk role. It's horrible nasty work but we all had to start somewhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted May 24, 2006 Author Share Posted May 24, 2006 TBH I'd just like to earn an extra 2k a year. I'd be well happy. I'm not greedy and live simply (bar the Supra). Thing is I've kind of reached the limit of pay in the field I'm in and I'm going to need to move into soemthing else to get increase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daston Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 I just advise all my mates on PC parts and build them PC's inexchange for optimax or beer money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieSteve Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 and how much would that be (sorry if I'm being cheeky)? Your first IT job will pay terrible and you'll only start earning real money after a few years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitesupraboy2 Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 what are you hopeing to get pay wise in IT? we may able to least guide you with a YES or No whether you'll get to that target easily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieP Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 bricklayer? i pay my guy £750 a week, most trades are £150ish a day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 £150 a day cash though *nough said* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted May 24, 2006 Author Share Posted May 24, 2006 bricklayer? i pay my guy £750 a week, most trades are £150ish a day Reliability is a good trait in these jobs. Am I right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieP Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Reliability is a good trait in these jobs. Am I right? spot on;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 lol that is a good trait in any job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now