Moving up and training

[db2995]

Hello,

 

I've been currently serving as an ICT Technician for nearly 4 year this coming August. I served an 18 month apprenticeship and gained a Level 3 qualification. As a result, I'm now in a position where I'm looking to move on but, these are the most common stumbling blocks when it comes to vacancies:

 

* SCCM and or MDT experience required

* Understanding of DHCP / DNS required

* Understanding of TCP /IP and LAN/WAN required

 

The situation that I've been in is that my role has been a more a 'jack of all trades' role where I can do various bits and bobs but haven't had the opportunity to specialise or gain a deeper understanding of any of the above barring doing the odd thing here and there.

 

What would be the best way to go about gaining more experience in the above or perhaps start studying it as such. I know that I'd have as much chance of getting funded for training by my current place as a 100/1 shot winning the upcoming Grand National. I know that there's a barrier to SCCM / MDT as such due to the fact that we only currently make use of WDS, Group Policy and Active Directory for the majority of our work.

 

Are there any books, courses or safe forms of self-study without bringing things to a standstill that I could perhaps look into to help improve my skill set?

[Ephelyon]

If I were you I'd look at setting up a home lab and installing one or more trial editions of Windows Server. You could supplement that with some of the Microsoft exam books (might have a few I don't need lying around somewhere).

 

I actually used to run these training labs (with coaching) for people to play around with - could possibly bring them out of retirement if there's some demand - but there's plenty you can also do yourself.

 

(It's also worth pointing out that, while you have to pay for SCCM, MDT is free and DHCP/DNS you can set up through a free Windows Server trial...)

[db2995]

Cheers for the advice. That is something that I've actually been considering. Might save up a few pennies here and there then buy some kit in later down the line.

[rom1984]

Does the school have beefy servers and a Microsoft EES licence? If so ask your boss if you could set up a VM of Server 20XX and put SCCM on it - this is what I did at my last school. The school purchased SCCM for me as part of my personal development and through the EES it was dirt cheap, like £10-15 IIRC, I even offered to buy it myself at that price but the school offered. Set it up from scratch and that can be your experience you don't need to implement it into the live network if the NM doesn't want to. If you server resources are good then spin up a Win 7/8/10 client and start testing SCCM, create a install package and deploy it to your test client.

 

Another tip i'd give, search for all the DNS & DHCP test commands (i.e dcdiag etc) and ask your NM if every week/month can you run the tests and report it to him every month. Search and learn for what your actual testing.

 

My most valuable book for learning about networking was CCENT (1st part of the CCNA) , get that and you will learn the foundations of all networks. Download packet tracer or GNS3 for free and you can work through the configuration as if you was building a network from scratch.

[mukz]

Get yourself on Microsoft Virtual Academy which has some great free training resources with virtual labs. Another option is the home lab as mentioned by ephelyon or the Test Lab at your workplace by rom1984

[Davit2005]

Don't wait for the org to provide training. You will be better of supplementing any apprenticeship with a recognized qualification i.e. Desktop and Server based MCP and a networking cert like Network+ or CCNA.

 

If the org won't fund these then buy the Official MS books and do it yourself, you will benefit.

Edited April 3, 2017 by Davit2005

[rickjames]

As per above, I wouldn't trust your employer to provide anything for you; only way you'll go up is by applying some good honest graft.

 

Can speak for myself currently studying Office 365 based stuff; employer said no to setting up tenant separate to the organisation, so I've forked out myself for it all. I'm fine with it to be honest, can't be relying on others etc.