Need advice for IT education

I'm considering bachelor program in Information Technology. It's an attempt to improve computer skills and knowledge, as I predict the future for IT degreed persons is good. However, without computer science education, I wonder if my hands-on experience in Windows environment is sufficient. Does anyone have helpful tips as to whether or not accredited program for bachelor and masters in IT is a good idea; for individual in late 50s, anticipating that I will be living another 30 years, I believe it's better option to remain independent in the future.

I've come to find out that a degree is just a piece of paper that will allow you to make more money, and will make you more marketable in the IT field. As far as actual education goes, that will vary on your current level of expertise. Going the college route can take some time. There are certifications you can get that will also increase your marketablility, and will teach you quite a bit.
From some presonal experience...I've been in the IT field for about 4 years now, and only have my associates degree. Not having a bachelor's degree will no doubt hamper my progress within the IT field. That's why I'm going back to college to finish.

My advice? If you're serious about working in IT, then get your bachelor's degree, and get some certifications.

I think it also depends on how far you want to go in the field. I have been doing IT for 25 years (yah a long time). I do not have a degree and am currently in middle management. I have not had any problems to this point but I can forsee that if I want to proceed any higher in management it might be a problem.

I completed a Bachelor of Computing a few years ago, and found that a degree is simply a piece of paper that gives you a competitive advantage over other candidates going for a job. My course briefly dabbled in security, but the security side of the subjects was mainly focused on encryption and looked at security from a very high level, likewise with networking.

2 years ago I got a job with a company in the Network Security field, and found that I learnt more in 3 months than I did at University for 4 years.

I suppose that what I am saying is that, my opinion about Tertiary eductaion is that doesnt necessarily give you the skills required for a job in IT, but it increases your chances of getting your desired IT job. Once you start you job, your skill set really starts to kick off.

I suppose what I am trying to say is that maybe people shouldnt that that completing a University degree will give you the necessary skill set for your choice of employement, it simply looks good on the resume, and in todays world, employers expect such qualifications (even though they dont understand them)

Good luck with whatever path you choose.

Its been my experience that the people with the degrees make more money. If you get a chance, do an internship somewhere and get free experience. One last thing that other members may disagree with me about is, don't waste your money on getting your MCSE. I've seen a lot of companies higher these guys and quickly fire them because they can't perform.

Nathan

Well hopefully I am not giving my age away me'ah but I will tell you a few things from my experience in the corporate world:

Degrees: I hate to say this, but even though I have traveled around parts of the world, I can't be sure if Bachelor's degrees here in the US are equivalent to other 4year degrees across the globe. In short - get your Bachelor's. If you are in IT, it may be obvious to target a complete IT degree, but also make sure you have project management and 'soft' or people skill type classes in the mix. Second - if your brain can take it - go for your Master's. Again - if you can handle it, get the Bachelor's and dove-tail right into the Master's. Hell - you have the rest of your life to sleep - right?

Certifications: I can tell you this, I work for/with/on/in a F500 company and certifications for IT are alright, but not the end-all be-all and I am in central IT. If you are going to go for certification, I would suggest the CCNA, CISSP, and even though you're degree may have it, get certification in Java and C++. As this is my 'weakest area' this is what I will be targetting after my Master's. Because I love education I may also pursue project management certification.

OJT: as others have stated here, the education is very important, and just as important is getting the experience in your field(s) whereever possible.

Anywho my 52 cents worth.

Good luck.

:thumbsup:

contect IIIT hyderabad or IIT's in india they have some seats reserved for foreigners they are wordl class institutes and not too costly

Quote:

---

2 years ago I got a job with a company in the Network Security field, and found that I learnt more in 3 months than I did at University for 4 years

---

My experience has always supported this. The government spent 9 months teaching me to do my job before deploying me to my base when I was in the military. I learned more doing on-the-job training in a month than I did the whole 9 months of school.

Classroom learning is almost always theory. It helps and its nice to know the theory, but I think most people learn a lot more and a lot faster making mistakes and actually doing the stuff and seeing it firsthand.

Quote:

---

One last thing that other members may disagree with me about is, don't waste your money on getting your MCSE. I've seen a lot of companies higher these guys and quickly fire them because they can't perform.

---

I think the key to this statement is that they couldn't perform. I agree that you should not pursue an MCSE in a vacuum where you just study books and cram for tests. If you can't actually DO the stuff you're certified for you will be found out and fired. But, if you can actually perform, the MCSE may open some otherwise closed doors.

Quote:

---

Its been my experience that the people with the degrees make more money

---

I agree with this statement. But, I think that you can get in the field and work your way through for 5 to 10 years depending on your career path and possibly up to middle management before it becomes an issue. I think you can get a certification or two and an entry-level IT job and start your OJT and earn your experience. You can take a class here and there on the side over the next 5 to 10 years and by the time you hit the ceiling where the bachelors degree is "necessary" you will also have that many years of actual experience to go with it.

My $.02

There are plenty of people that have had successful careers without university IT qualifications. But of course there are also plenty with them. I think you need to consider the area within IT that you would like to work and what skills are needed and typically what employers are looking for. A bachelors degree is a significant investment in time and money and you may learn more skills in a similar timeframe with a lesser qualification and on the job experience. Again it depends on the area you are interested.

Personally I submajored in Computer Science in my undergraduate degree and after a period of work condinued on to do a Master of Information Technology. In the current gloomy IT job market I haven't found them to be that great a benefit. In fact from my Masters course the majority weren't working in IT 6 months after graduation. More people have subsequently found IT jobs (graduated mid 2001) but a computer degree will not be a garuntee to a good tech job.

Good luck with whatever you choose. I hope you get everything you want from it.

I'll take a well certified, experienced tech any time over someone with a degree. Just my 2 cents ;)

Certifications and a Tech degree are WAY better in the Short Term...they give much better real life experience. A 4 year degree is a piece of Paper that is outdated by the time you want to use it, but it carries alot of weight with some large Corporations.

Quote:

---

Originally posted here by machinehead
I'll take a well certified, experienced tech any time over someone with a degree. Just my 2 cents ;)

---

Are you in HR? HR will useulay count a degree over anything besides 10 years of experience. If you can't get past HR you don't get a job

With out a degree you will very quickly hit a Plato in your career unless you are self employed. and you will never get chosen for a position vers some one with equal experience and a degree (the degree doesn’t have to be in CS but it helps). In the current economy there are a lot of people with degrees and experience looking for work so you wont get a decent job without one. I agree if you are not going to be a programmer a CS degree seems like a waste, but I am not an HR rep...no one here is an HR rep, an HR rep wouldn't be able to figure out how to open a web browser let alone log into antionline :) but they control access to jobs. HR considers degrees all-important then certs then experience...its stupid, it sucks but its how life is.

Now I would suggest going to the least expensive school you can find (read a state school) but get the degree.

It took a friend of mine a year to find a job after getting laid off in 2001, he had 5 years of experience, MCSE NT and 2K, and CCIE...he didn't get a position until he finished his associates.

It took me 15 months to find a position after I got laid off, it’s at less pay then I was getting at my last job and I am A+, Network+, Server+, CNA Novell 5, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE 2k with 5 years of professional experience…certs are not all that great.

Quote:

---

contect IIIT hyderabad or IIT's in india they have some seats reserved for foreigners they are wordl class institutes and not too costly

---

Man I wish I would have known about that school before. I would have worked to get into there and/or MIT. 'Course I would have also had to have been a lot smarter, but oh well.

Overall I would say again the key is three-fold: formal (university) ed + certs (in your desired field(s)) + experience. Once you have those, then you have to stay current in IT with news, trade-rags, and more classes. It never friggin' ends, 'course we're geeks and that's what we do. Well, that and collect coffee mugs, pens, and t-shirts from vendors.

My advice is get some practise tests.
Find out what is your skill and move on with that.

The best way to learn things is first hand pratice so learn to hack what you are using. Books come in handy.
Visit:
http://www.transcender.com
http://www.certify.com/
http://www.mcseguide.com/

Best way to learn is like said 'first hand practice'. Get around with your box. Find every possible exploit.

I think what matters most is what youve learned and not the degree matters. Here in our place, IT is a very high commodity for most establishments making our place an IT Hub in the entire country. Thats what they think. IT grads here doesnt have enough knowledge and comprehension to satisfy the needs of the employer. Its quiet sad though and to tell you the truth, I know IT grads here dont even know how to make C\C++ programming or even understand simple HTML codes...

The degree is of course important, but it's not the only thing. If a company sees that you can do something, they can usually get around not having a Bachelors.