OCR A+ Certification?
24 January 2001, 12:30 AM
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I am looking to start in the IT world and was thinking about doing this course as a first step into IT.
Has anyone got an opinion about this course or could you recommend another/better starting point into the IT world?
I currently don't work in IT so I am unsure if this is the right course. I also am not sure which specific area I would want to specialise in, so I am looking at getting a taster of different IT Fields.
Thanks for any help or advise
Ian
Has anyone got an opinion about this course or could you recommend another/better starting point into the IT world?
I currently don't work in IT so I am unsure if this is the right course. I also am not sure which specific area I would want to specialise in, so I am looking at getting a taster of different IT Fields.
Thanks for any help or advise
Ian
01 February 2001, 02:37 AM
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Sorry for not replying sooner and thanks for all those links GT.
I have the option of starting on a, level 0 in Computing in a couple of weeks time which has various modules, some of which are Computer Hardware, Introduction to software Development, Introduction to Programming, Human and Social aspects of computing.
On succsesfull completion of this course I would then be able to do a Degree in either Communication system design or Computer System Engineering.
Both of the courses have the facility to find you a work placement for 1 year, half way through the course and so giving me that vital work experiance in the IT field.
What I am thinking is that there would be a quicker way to gain qualifications but at the expense of not having any vital practical experiance and also not the Networking that I would gain from fellow students on the degree course.
As I dont know anyone offline in IT, I feel that it would be much harder for me to get my foot in the door given my late start and lack of relevent work history. So I am tending to think that maybe the degree is the best option given my circumstances, unless there is a way that I could gain some form of work experiance while I was doing other courses off my own back.
I would even be prepared to not get paid in exchange for the experiance that I lack in IT as this would surely be the biggest hurdle no matter what Certificates I have.
Have you any thoughts about the direction I should take as I am totally unsure and I am not sure if the advisor's at the University are just interested in filling there student quota.
Any feedback greatly appreciated
Ian
I have the option of starting on a, level 0 in Computing in a couple of weeks time which has various modules, some of which are Computer Hardware, Introduction to software Development, Introduction to Programming, Human and Social aspects of computing.
On succsesfull completion of this course I would then be able to do a Degree in either Communication system design or Computer System Engineering.
Both of the courses have the facility to find you a work placement for 1 year, half way through the course and so giving me that vital work experiance in the IT field.
What I am thinking is that there would be a quicker way to gain qualifications but at the expense of not having any vital practical experiance and also not the Networking that I would gain from fellow students on the degree course.
As I dont know anyone offline in IT, I feel that it would be much harder for me to get my foot in the door given my late start and lack of relevent work history. So I am tending to think that maybe the degree is the best option given my circumstances, unless there is a way that I could gain some form of work experiance while I was doing other courses off my own back.
I would even be prepared to not get paid in exchange for the experiance that I lack in IT as this would surely be the biggest hurdle no matter what Certificates I have.
Have you any thoughts about the direction I should take as I am totally unsure and I am not sure if the advisor's at the University are just interested in filling there student quota.
Any feedback greatly appreciated
Ian
01 February 2001, 09:26 AM
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Hello,
I assume you have ha a look at the other thread on IT Advice.
If you want to be a programmer then I definatley reccomend university. Most programming jobs need a degree and the skills you can learn will be easy to apply as programing is a fairly theory based dicipline. I think that possibly to be a highl skilled communications/networking person you should consider a degree as well.
However if you want to get working asap then support is fairly easy to get into quickly BUT there are less jobs at the top that pay well in support.
Most of my IT mates and myself went in young after school and just worked hard (and are clever) but I think the days of that are over (im now 29) becuase more people are going into IT the competition is harder.
If you have a degree and your 1 yrs work exp then you will be OK at most interviews becuase everyone else with a degree will be in the same position. Some interviewers will want experiance over a degree, but you cant be all things to all people.
I think in summary your long term earning prospects will be better with a degree, but then again I have done fine with just an HNC.
I assume you have ha a look at the other thread on IT Advice.
If you want to be a programmer then I definatley reccomend university. Most programming jobs need a degree and the skills you can learn will be easy to apply as programing is a fairly theory based dicipline. I think that possibly to be a highl skilled communications/networking person you should consider a degree as well.
However if you want to get working asap then support is fairly easy to get into quickly BUT there are less jobs at the top that pay well in support.
Most of my IT mates and myself went in young after school and just worked hard (and are clever) but I think the days of that are over (im now 29) becuase more people are going into IT the competition is harder.
If you have a degree and your 1 yrs work exp then you will be OK at most interviews becuase everyone else with a degree will be in the same position. Some interviewers will want experiance over a degree, but you cant be all things to all people.
I think in summary your long term earning prospects will be better with a degree, but then again I have done fine with just an HNC.
01 February 2001, 10:07 AM
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Ian,
If you want to get in quickly then the best route I've seen in action is doing the MCSE stuff, especially if you've got any knowledge of PC's.
Then you'll find it relatively easy to get a PC support job and start working up, my brother was an electrician and is now supervising a Helpdesk in just 1 year from deciding he was doing his MCSE at one of these bootcamp things(worked through a few PC support contracts then got taken permanent, plus was building and selling PC's from the house just for profit and experience).
I've been in IT 15 years and I was amazed at how quick he got going, and he's just Mr Average. This was not even in SE UK where jobs abound.
Cammy
If you want to get in quickly then the best route I've seen in action is doing the MCSE stuff, especially if you've got any knowledge of PC's.
Then you'll find it relatively easy to get a PC support job and start working up, my brother was an electrician and is now supervising a Helpdesk in just 1 year from deciding he was doing his MCSE at one of these bootcamp things(worked through a few PC support contracts then got taken permanent, plus was building and selling PC's from the house just for profit and experience).
I've been in IT 15 years and I was amazed at how quick he got going, and he's just Mr Average. This was not even in SE UK where jobs abound.
Cammy
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