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In about a year i'll hopefully be starting a Computing degree :) I was just wondering, how many people here have computing degrees and how many have got into this area through other means (like training...not bribery!)
Also, any tips regarding which area to go into? I'm really getting into security at the moment so maybe i'll be able to learn more about that.
Ah, Ha... A question I can relate to. (Some Advice From Expierence) I started w/ my A+ and some other certs, and realized that I wasn't getting the raises or promotions I should because I did not have a college degree. Just to let anyone know, your pay rate, no matter what field depends on your amount of education. Once I got my bachleors I recieved a 10,000/yr raise, and once I got my master, I started making 25,000/more a yr. Your certs may get you in, but your degrees get you the money... Right now computer security and forensics is the best field to get into.
Well, unfortunately, I did not get a degree. I am a couple semesters from an AA in Information Systems, and I really do intend on finishing it. I will be going back this Spring as a matter of fact. However, I feel that I have done pretty well to be degree-less. I went from working in a Call Center taking service calls to taking nothing but calls from people that were somehow pissed off to an Internship in IT to a position as a Tech with the very same company to a Network Security Admin - all within 3 1/2 years! I will tell you this though: if I could somehow return the books I have to be trees, I would have a small forest of my own! :) No, but seriously, it took a lot of hard work (a whole lot), and maybe a degree would have made it an easier path for me. But, I can tell you this, a lot of people that have degrees don't know a damn thing about what's going on in this industry - most definitely no offense intended to those with degrees! I admire you for completing the journey. It's all about how you apply yourself - it can be a "piece of paper" or it can be a badge of honor/rite of passage/accomplishment... It can be no different from the thousands of "paper MCSEs" we have out there. You have to be able to apply what you have been taught; if you can't, then you mind as well had been at square one with me when I started my Internship. Prior to that, I had no IT/Networking experience. The only experience I had was as a user and wannabe home technician...adding hard drives and RAM and things of the nature...look at where I am now. I do feel, however, that I will soon reach a plateau that I will only be able to conquer if I get a degree...that's just how it is in Security. In any event, good luck on all of your future endeavors, and get that degree...use it, study hard, and stay focused on your goals...hate to sound like a commercial, but it's so easy to get off track or get discouraged, but pray about it if you have to! Take care.
Peace and Blessings.
I'm working on my A+ cert right now.A close family friend went the degree way,and makes plenty of money,but he said that if you want to gain knowledge that's going to make you money before it's obsolete certs are the way to go.He got his masters and 99.9% of what he learned while in school is useless now.(Keep in mind that he earned his degree about 8 years ago.)Not trying to discourage you,as I would like to get a degree or two under my belt eventually,but if your looking to get into the job market and earn some cash as well as hands on experience while you go to school,certs seem to be the way to go.Either way good luck in your studies.
I got my B.S. in MIS in May, now working on M.S. in MIS. A friend of mine got $48k a year from Dell doing Web development, and that was with just a B.S. Hopefully, I'll be able to pull in more! :D Good Luck!
I agree with the above. I have a degree in CS (a BS in Computer and Information Science). I started at ~50k and make just under 90K now and have only been working for 5 years. I am also very focused. I worked for SAP America (http://www.sap.com) for my first 4 years and now do SAP development work for a SAP customer.Quote:
Originally posted here by Tek Weasel
Ah, Ha... A question I can relate to. (Some Advice From Expierence) I started w/ my A+ and some other certs, and realized that I wasn't getting the raises or promotions I should because I did not have a college degree. Just to let anyone know, your pay rate, no matter what field depends on your amount of education. Once I got my bachleors I recieved a 10,000/yr raise, and once I got my master, I started making 25,000/more a yr. Your certs may get you in, but your degrees get you the money... Right now computer security and forensics is the best field to get into.
Cheers,
-D
I also have to agree with the advice listed above so I'm also going to add my story. When I graduated high school, my parents had no money to send me to college so I enlisted in the Navy. I thought, what the heck, they'll pay for college and all I have to do is give up a few years and travel around the world. I had a great career as an Intelligence Specialist until a car accident ended any hopes of retirement.
During my last year in, I started going to school at night to get my MCSE. It enabled me to get my foot in the door to a good IT company. In that job, I've grown from a Requirements Analyst to a Systems Administrator in less than 2 years. I was very lucky, in today's market, to find a job that pays good money to people without a degree. (Currently making a little under 50K) But I'm also going to school at night to get my BS in info tech to give myself more options down the road.
So to sum it all up, if you are just looking to get into the field, a certification could do the trick. But if you want to give yourself a chance at other opportunities out there, go to school, get your degree and work hard. This career field is about constant study to keep yourself current on today's technology. I personally wouldn't change anything about the way I started out but that isn't for everyone.
I've been lucky to have 2 careers that I love dearly and the best advice I can give you about chosing a specific area to study is to go with your heart. Do what you love to do. If that's security...great but if it isn't....I'd rather make slightly less money doing something I love than a lot of money doing something I hate. When chosing a field, you have to want to get out of bed everyday to go to work for 30-40 years. That's a long time to do something you aren't passionate about.
This is just my 2 cents worth. Good luck.
I have to agree with you there Curious One - very good point. I have been blessed enough to work in IT for the last 2-3 years. If you are not happy doing what it is you want, then you will never give 110% just as you would if you were in the career that you really wanted to be with. It was something I dreamed of for a long time. I had the interest in IT since I was a young kid with my Commodore 64! :DQuote:
I've been lucky to have 2 careers that I love dearly and the best advice I can give you about chosing a specific area to study is to go with your heart. Do what you love to do. If that's security...great but if it isn't....I'd rather make slightly less money doing something I love than a lot of money doing something I hate. When chosing a field, you have to want to get out of bed everyday to go to work for 30-40 years. That's a long time to do something you aren't passionate about.
Go for what you know...
I've got a great job right now working as a systems administrator for a large company making ~50K. Although I did have an MS cert going into the position, I don't think they were looking for anyone without a degree. Luckily, I do have my BS...in political science! Sometimes, it doesn't matter what field the degree is in, so long as you have a degree. As was mentioned above, certs can get your foot in the door, but a degree can get you the money.
so what sort of level in a company would a degree get you to?