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Hello all. This is my first time posting on the boards. I am looking to get into the IT field and wanted to know the best route to take. Things that intrest me are Network Security and Computer Forensics. Would it be best to get a four year degree or start with certifications. I am currently in law enforcement and have been for over 6 years. I am 25 years of age. All help would greatly be appreciated. I was unsure on who to ask.
Thanks
I would go with the college route. Earn a few credits then jump onto the college job placement program. You may land a good-on-the-job fortune 500 or 1000 company. This is a great way to see if you can handle 'IT' type pressure and not from some case study or textbook. When the smaller companies see how dedicated you are, they see you as an investment since worked for a company worth billions. And the cycle seems automatic from there. Some companies will pay for your training. Just make sure you document you journeys.......aka how well you did to correct a bad situation.
I learned this secret from the military: You can earn college credits by just completing bootcamp and other simple things. Next you take some more test without setting foot in a college. At least this will accelerate you getting into the college job placement quicker. Plus all those college credits will follow you for a long time and it's official. As a bonus, you get some document from the military that tells your interview that you are a "badass" when it comes to IT. All that security clearance and your current background, I see the FBI in your future
I'm also cop, currently specializing in Cybercrime Investigations and Computer Forensics. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.
To start, I'd suggest you take some classes that are geared toward computer forensics. There are absolutely tons of them, but you'll have to pay for the intense ones. The National White Collar Crime Center (http://nw3c.com/) puts on some great intro forensics and Bag/Tag classes (I'm an instructor in Identifying and Seizing Electronic Evidence) that are free to and restricted to Law Enforcement Personnel.
PM or email me with anything else.