Where do I start? A+, MCSE, ECDL, etc....

[Megabyte]

Hi all, im very new here. Ive spent the last 2 hours tonight searching through all you'r post trying to find the answers to my question. I have picked up many of your thoughts and suggestions but they're no good right now because im lost.

 

Im 23, working in lower management in retail. And i've had enough of it all. I really want to get into computers seeing as I seem to know so much already, due to years of trial & error from hardware setups down to boot.ini and system software repairs.

For months now i have been researching companies claiming to give you the right qualifications and set you up with the right job. Some seem too good to be true and others are asking for silly money. I have narrowed them down to ones that the Microsoft Website considers 'a partner'.

i.e. computeach and joskos, etc.

What im finding confusing is the route that all the companies advertise. They all seem so very different and im worried if i choose one i might miss out on some very important knowedge..

What i would like to know is what course/qualification should i expect to do first. What is the next step and the next step and the next step.

 

thank you, if you can help.

[meastaugh1]

I recommend whichever certification route you choose, you try and get some experience at the same time. Imo, certification without experience isn't worth much.

 

The cheaper option (for the Microsoft certification at least) is to buy the books, self-study then pay the £80 to sit each MCP exam (which can eventually make up MCSA/MCSE).

 

When I've seen job ads that are asking for commerical qualificaitons, they've tended to look for CCNA (Cisco) and/or MCSA/MCSE (Microsoft).

[sqdge]

A lot of the courses that are advertised online only go as far as teaching you what you need to know - they don't actually provide the exam or give you the qualification. That may explain why some of them are really cheap.

 

One way of finding out which qualification to get is to look at the job adverts. Find one you would like to apply for, and see what qualification they are looking for.

[kestrel1]

What certification you decide on should reflect in what area of computing that you want to specialise in.

[Joedetic]

I agree with kestrel1 there.

 

I'm currently 1/2 way through a CCNA (Literally, CCNA1 and CCNA2) but by the end of next year I should be most way into a CCNP and I'll also have done some modules for other cisco stuff like the VoIP.

 

Think about where in computing you want to go whether it's networks, desktop support, server support etc etc then choose the qualification best suited to you.

[Guest Guest]

^ same as you mate, abit further through my ccna though, and like you im learning my ccnp at the same time.

 

 

Megabyte - you want to figure out what you want to do.

 

CCNA- Network type stuff, programing routers, setting up and managing physical networks etc. Id say get this program, some cisco IOS images, and some learning material.

 

MCSA/A+/N+ - Network tech/manager, running the network and its software. Id get VMware workstation, a copy of win server2003, learning material.

 

Programming - Massive field here from games to OSs. Ive just read recently that MS C# is free so i guess that and learning material.

 

 

Try the above out and see how they go. You might think now that you want to design and build networks but i can tell you the course isnt as fun as it may seem. Figure out what you like and then pay for the course. And like people have said you *need* experiance.

 

Personally id start with the MCSA/A+ route and get playing with server2003 as much as possible, see what it can do. If youo like it get on a course.

[kestrel1]

Another thing to remember is that most certificates require you to take the exams again after two or three years or so.

None of the courses mentioned will be easy or cheap & you normally have to pay for the exam seperately.

As mentioned above, experiance is essential.

[Megabyte]

thanks for the posts. A bit more jargon than what i was expecting. I've never heard of CCNA before.

 

I will be aiming to get a basic techie job, but first i want to get an idea what level of knowledge im at now.

 

Im thinking of taking up comptia A+ at the local college costing about £400.00. Then Netowork+ (self teach), maybe security+ (self teach).

According to the many posts i read last night MCDST is the next step to follow. I do not understand which comes next... is it MCSE then MCSA or vise versa?

 

Can i ask, is this sector worth it all.

Because i have given up on retail and would much rather sit quietly in an office or lab

[kestrel1]

If you want to sit quietly, then education aint it. In my experiance (22 years, 7 in ICT) you don't get a chance to sit quietly for very long, if at all.

I should have been off for most of the summer hols, but this hasn't happened. I have been in practically every day, but it is more enjoyable without the kids & teachers getting in the way.

I would say that MCSE would follow, as this is more hardware based. MCSA is more for system admins.

Good luck with what ever you get into.

[webman]

If you want to sit quietly in an office, you will want to be in management.

[ChrisH]

I was in a similar position to you 9 years ago. I read the A+ but never did the certificate. I then got an it job which paid marginally better than the job I was doing then stuck with that for a few years while I got a career development load and did an MCSE course.

Its all bene worth it end the end. I am alot happier and of course getting paid alot more money.

[strawberry]

Can i ask, is this sector worth it all.

Because i have given up on retail and would much rather sit quietly in an office or lab

 

as someone who made the same transition i can heartly recommend it. Working with computers and people of a certain education is much nicer than working with people who are probably horrible ( 90% were when i left) and having a client base that feels free to abuse you!.

 

My recommendation is to find a job where they embrace your service skills and are willing to develop your skills. I was lucky to find a job where they threw me in at the deep end and supported me while i found my feet.

 

You will probably have to take a small pay cut for a few years, but longer term the money is better and the job is much more rewarding.

 

good luck!

 

oh, and i did A+, N+, ms 270. Soon i'll do ccna and the rest of the mcsa.

[Megabyte]

hi all. In the last month i have signed up for a+ and ABC book keeping at the local college. Thats £770 that could have gone to a car ive been eyeing up; so im really going to have to put my head down and make this worth while. Im off to purchase a couple books from amazon to get a head start.

takecare

[tech_guy]

and would much rather sit quietly in an office or lab

 

In IT in education?! ROFL.

[bishopsgarthstockton]

from my experience. start with the A+ and N+ then do the mcse course. dont go with any companies. if you ar disaplined to do it your self then good for you... do it. if not, then pay the money to go through college etc, but it will take a billion times longer. if you have qauestions where you feel you are not to confident/sure about what you are learning, this is a good place to ask. i took on a company and spent 3k+ 4 month later they went bust, had to pay money back. A+ can be done by buying mike myers A+ book. i did both exams for that course the same day. more than welcome to pm me if you like

[broc]

As with many situations, most employers want staff with experience. This may sound harsh, but as a Network Manager, when I am looking to fill a vacancy for an ICT technician, unless it is a very junior/trainee position where we are prepared to provide training I will be looking for evidence that the candidate has experience first, qualifications second. I think it's a shame that people are often exploited by training companies and even Colleges to spend time gaining qualifications at considerable expense when the chances of getting a job based purely on their qualifications is so slim.

 

You only need to take a look at how many dead-end jobs are performed by university graduates who lack the experience to work in their field of study to see what I mean.

 

Whatever else you decide to do about getting 'qualifications', look for ways of getting experience too, even on a voluntary basis.

 

I would echo the sentiments of others on this thread and try and get your qualifications by self study rather than pay out large sums of hard-earned money.

[Megabyte]

Im not disciplined study wise. Ive always felt like studying but when it comes to the hard work, I drift and only take it serious at the last moment. Ive even walked out at the beginning of an exam once.

But… I really need this, its going to open many doors for me. Do not know why I did not take it more seriously back in school and 6th form. Maybe I was chasing girls or something.

Ive found another helpful forum and I have purchased books that have been recommended by almost everyone. Mainly that Mike Myers one. The only thing im not to keen on is losing working hours at work. I hate losing money!

I think im ready to better myself. Ive got my personal laptop, my girls dead laptop, my previous PC that I’ll get my mate to fix so I can practice on it and a very old PC that has a 4Gb hard drive lol. Im going to do this!

 

Many of my mates that have graduated are in the position you mentioned, regarding job experience. Some are taking up to three voluntary jobs just to get up to speed. I have one mate in Microsoft and another in a computer based company I cannot remember. I am going to run down their phone batteries trying to get hooked up with a job.

[Halfmad]

Ive got my personal laptop, my girls dead laptop, my previous PC that I’ll get my mate to fix so I can practice on it and a very old PC that has a 4Gb hard drive lol. Im going to do this!

 

You shouldn't be relying on your mate to fix that PC, fix it yourself as that's the quickest way to learn. Struggling? have one PC next to you on the net and play with the broken one, I'm Google qualified..