Help for 2 Year Experienced Young IT Technician

[Jamie2217]

Hello,

 

I am 18, soon to be 19, and I have been working for a company who looks after infant, junior and primary schools. I have been working for this company since an apprentice in 2010 ( NVQ Level 2 IT Practitioner ). I also hold a full UK driving licence and own my own car. Although I have some experience in the trade I am finding it almost impossible to find another job, could this be due to my age or possibly not enough qualifiactions?

 

I am soon to start on a course which will cover and qualify me in:

•Windows 7 configuration

•CompTIA A+ training essentials

•CompTIA A+ training for practical application

•CompTIA Network+ N10-004

•CompTIA Server+ SKO-002

•CompTIA Security+ SY0-301

 

I feel schools are the way forward for me as I already have experience working in schools; although i am willing to work elsewhere.

 

Does anyone have any Hints/tips to help?

 

 

Thanks in anticipation of your help,

 

Jamie

[Edu-IT]

I feel schools are the way forward for me as I already have experience working in schools; although i am willing to work elsewhere.

 

Does anyone have any Hints/tips to help?

 

 

I'd say, to be honest, it's the current climate! In my opinion the education sector isn't particularly strong at the moment for jobs with there being cuts left, right and centre.

 

Have you tried applying for jobs in business?

 

ESP - Education Support Professionals is a good place to get in touch with too.

[Alpha2x]

To be honest Jamie I have found that currently people are after experience more than qualifications. The other thing I would say is if you are interested in earning what some may call a larger salary, education really isn't the place to be. Like Edu-IT has said, cuts are being made!

[basicchannel]

Don't underestimate interpersonal skills either. Qualifications are all well and good, as is experience, but if you can't handle human beings you won't get very far. Especially in a school environment.

[DadRocks]

The course is going to pay for your exams for all that? Thats at least a year of hard study for all those certs.

 

CompTIA exams do expire and cost a hell of alot! I also don't think that there particularly recognised either. I know alot of jobs ive seen about are ill asking for ITIL. It would be straight forward to do this with self study and u can do the exam at your local exam center.

 

I would get your Enterprise Desk Support Tech if your doing 70-680.

 

I would also look at perhaps doing some sort of Academic qualification as in the long run this could help you when you go for higher level jobs (specially management).

 

Don't limit yourself to working in schools (where it feels comfortable perhaps?) that would be, well, ignorant. School tech work is badly paid and frankly schools are so bitchy and political.

 

Do you have some sort of picture in your mind of where you want your career to go and how you are going to get there? This would help.

 

There are jobs out there just keep looking! Perhaps your next step would be service/help desk/field engineer type work.

Edited March 14, 2012 by DadRocks

[Trapper]

It's hard getting into education IT - not many schools are recruiting and those of us in are battening down the hatches and holding on to the jobs we have whilst riding out the storm.

 

Volunteering at one, especially over the summer during big projects could be a help.