kissofdeath Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 Like PP's there weren't really many computers when I was at school (I'm 34) but I have always been into gadgets and games consoles. I actually got kicked off my A level classes for poor attendence as I had discovered boys and having a social life! My mum got fed up with me being at home and got me a job with the company she worked for as a trainee CAD draught person ( I had done work experience there) and I loved it. I always picked stuff up quickly and was always asked to training new starters and graduate engineers. I did apply to transfer into the IT department there but they turned me down. When my contract came to an end the company who supplied our CAD software and support took me on to run their helpdesk. The best part of that job was when the company who turned me down had to pay me to come in as a consultant to translate drawings that I had done into another package! After various other IT/CAD jobs I gave up work for 5 years to be a stay at home mum. I saw an advert in the local paper for a ICT technician role at a local secondary school and was lucky enough to get it.
Advocate Posted February 11, 2011 Author Posted February 11, 2011 If you're as old as me they hadn't even thought of GCSEs, let alone ICT when I was at school. We did O'Levels. We didn't do it the long way round, so much as the only way round! Similar to this, I started life using Dos and playing with hardware out of necessity - there were no IT subjects, we didnt have computers at school. If you are aged 30 or under PC's wer in all your schools and IT was treated as a subject, it barely existed in my school days.
X-13 Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 I'm also 22 (23 in a week, woo hoo!) Happy Early Birthday!! [i just noticed this... 6 cups of coffee and I'm still half asleep.] Most of my technical ability is from playing games on an outdated PC.
Hecate Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 Like Jax I went to school back in the days of inkwells and nib pens and before the calculator was even dream in someone's eye. I did an engineering degree which included a computing course - mainframe and punch cards and then forgot all about computers for several years. In those pre sex discrimination law days, jobs for women in engineering were hard to come by so I tried various jobs including science teaching which didn't work out and then got married and started to raise a family. At home with a small son I started to get bored so my husband bought me a ZX81 and I was hooked. I started off largely self taught but realised if I was going to get a foot in the employment door I needed something on paper so I signed up at the local adult education college for an 'open college' IT course; with this under my belt I landed a P/T job in the Education IT department at a teacher training college. This was just as Windows 3.1 came out and I've grown with the systems ever since. (from Beebs to W7). When I moved to my current job I was the only technician in a school with a small IT department and my only experience of network management was an RM NetLM (pre CC) demonstration network. Fortunately the local university started a course aimed at new network admins which I was able to do whilst working and this remains the only formal network training I have. As our network and support staff increased I have taken on a more management oriented role and have been sent on courses to support this. I doubt anyone can follow this route now. I got in when educational IT was in it's infancy and learnt as I went along like everyone else at the time. Anyone starting now probably needs some sort of qualification although from a recruiters point of view we tend to look for people who've done the practical route starting as apprentices or similar with basic qualifications and then worked their way up.
clareq Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 I when to Uni to read Chemistry, dropped out after 2 years, married and had 2 kids. I started work as a Classroom Assistant, first on a voluntary basis and then paid, when my youngest started school. I did that for a few years and got our first home PC. My stubborn nature meant that when it broke I was determined to fix it myself - I wasn't paying to get it fixed if I could do it, and I was hooked. I then got a job as an ICT classroom assistant and took on more and more techie jobs until I became System Manager.
Gibson335 Posted February 14, 2011 Posted February 14, 2011 In my 11 years here, we have have advertised for technicians on numerous occasions and in all that time I have received just a single application from a female. Does my reputation as an ageing lothario precede me, I wonder ;-)
tazz Posted February 14, 2011 Posted February 14, 2011 Total fluke - got sacked as a receptionist at a fork lift truck service company (hot engineers!!) due to personality clashes (PMT between me and boss!!) and desperately needed a job to pay the loan on my first car. Got two interviews, one sales, one basic follow a script and tell someone how to install a printer over the phone at an IT call centre - Dad said IT is the future - literally begged for the call centre job and got it 14 years ago. My last job was NM at a secondary school for 3 years, and again NM 2 years at another secondary previous to that. My only qualification is an MCP in 95! Found schools tight on the old training budget and couldn't fund any myself,but I've done well none the less.
LisaW Posted February 14, 2011 Posted February 14, 2011 I was interested in computers from early on and taught myself programming in the back of a high street computer repair shop. There was no O level in computing way back then but did A levels in Maths, Further maths and Physics followed by a Mechanical engineering degree. Worked in R & D in various places for 10 years. After 1st child got chance to program and wrote Retail Management software for some of the London Museums. After 7 years and second child was asked to join local school as Learning support assistant and gradually did more and more IT until that became my job. Have now been there 10 years, no formal qualifications, just self taught. 1
elsiegee40 Posted February 14, 2011 Posted February 14, 2011 I agree with witch... she, chrrb and I probably don't count due to our antiquity! However, in the early, 80s I did Maths, Further Maths and Physics at A'Level and then went to uni to study Accountancy and Economics, studying Computing as a third subject in my first year. Lancaster has a system whereby all first year subjects are equally weigted and at the end of the first year my marks reflected my interests; I graduated in Computing with a minor in Economics! I went on to a be a graduate trainee programmer (Mainframe PL/1, DB2, CICS) with London Electricity Board. Left after 18 months and became a Junior Programmer with a large insurance company. After about 3 years programming and promotion I moved to Technical Support as a DBA and the rest is history! I was interested in computers from early on and taught myself programming in the back of a high street computer repair shop. There was no O level in computing way back then but did A levels in Maths, Further maths and Physics followed by a Mechanical engineering degree. Worked in R & D in various places for 10 years. After 1st child got chance to program and wrote Retail Management software for some of the London Museums. After 7 years and second child was asked to join local school as Learning support assistant and gradually did more and more IT until that became my job. Have now been there 10 years, no formal qualifications, just self taught. ...and LisaW has more or less given that history Are we related?
GNewnham Posted February 15, 2011 Posted February 15, 2011 Anybody remember these? http://www.maximumpc.com/files/u69/IBM_Punch_Card.png Well, that's how long! Started as a programmer in the early 80's (Cobol, Fortran on punch cards for an oil company), then moved on up to systems analysis, design, project management etc etc mainly for insurance companies. 4 babies came along and kept me busy for a while and then ended up working part time (!) at a school managing the MIS, intranet. Now where did I put my teeth and my zimmer frame?
witch Posted February 15, 2011 Posted February 15, 2011 Now where did I put my teeth and my zimmer frame? sorry, my memory isnt quite what it was.....what's a zimmer frame?
Hecate Posted February 28, 2011 Posted February 28, 2011 Anybody remember these? http://www.maximumpc.com/files/u69/IBM_Punch_Card.png Well, that's how long! I remember the cards but have long forgotten the Fortran IV that went with them
elsiegee40 Posted February 28, 2011 Posted February 28, 2011 Anybody remember these? http://www.maximumpc.com/files/u69/IBM_Punch_Card.png Did my degree on 'em The insurance company I worked for used them for output until the mid '90s. Apparently the brokers liked them because they were in different colours according to the currency of the transaction. Sterling was white, USD Blue and Pink (forgotten what currency that was). When we finally got rid of our card punches, one went to the Science Museum and the others went to our failsafe company who had two other clients still using cards!
Tunster Posted February 28, 2011 Posted February 28, 2011 I'm a bloke, but interesting to read the routes the ladies have taken! I'm a non-uni techie. Always had an interest (being Autistic helped!). Finished with good A-Levels including the best IT grade (Double-Award AB grade in Vocational IT) and then went down the apprenticeship route (wouldn't ever recommend it though!). Blasted through 6 months of the Level 2 NVQ in IT Practitioner course while earning £80/week at the school I'm still working at now. Promoted twice up to Network & Systems Administrator role and still here 5 years down the line. Almost completed my Cisco CCNA course now and looking to move on into commercial/and/or the City. Have no MCSEs/MCSAs. Might have to just do the exams to get them on my CV if interviews don't come by . We need more ladies in IT for definite!
coconurtaler Posted February 28, 2011 Posted February 28, 2011 Did A levels in Maths, Further Maths, Economics and Computer Science - ours was the first year to study Computer Science at our school. Then got a job as a computer operator for an insurance broker - Mainframe, CICS, TSO and I remember those punch cards! Many years later after doing various jobs at the same company, including systems programmer for several years, the mainframe was finally outsourced although they still haven't stopped using it yet. I have now been an IT Technician in a high school for 3.5 years. Have learnt loads in that time but still miss the mainframe on occasions.
GrumbleDook Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 Resurrecting a thread ... could folk who have contributed here also add something to http://www.edugeek.net/forums/general-chat/109125-jobs-girls-encouraging-girls-consider-qualifications-careers.html ? Many thanks
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