Self-taught or classroom-taught??

I've been interested in security, programming, networking, and various other related topics for some time now. I have faithfully read various AO posts, every 2600 issue from the last 5 years, and any other article I could find, and have been in awe of the various knowledge that the authors and AO posters possess. But a question occured to me that I've been pondering for sometime...

Are more of these people self-taught or classroom taught??

Personally, I plan on being a combo of the two, class-taught for some, self-taught for other stuff. I'm just curious as to what others have done and how they have acquired their knowledge.

Any comments appreciated...

alph

Personally I think it is a comination of both...right now I'm in college learning what I can majoring in Digital Technology and hopefully getting a minor in Information Sciences and Technology to get some schooling with all of that...plus learning what I can just working with computers and coming to AO to absorb some info. So yeah, it's definitely a combo for me, but I'm sure others have gone about it in somewhat of a different way. Any thoughts?

Mainly self taught but with a BSc in programming & systems management & change.

The really usefull stuff is self taught.

I myself am primarily self taught and am just now taking some classes in college.

I picked up a c programming book about 4 years ago, got a job doing software testing not long after that....and nowadays I do software development in a few languages in e-commerce and mmog's.

Self taught since I was very young, but went to college and majored in Information Systems - so I've got 4 years of classroom experience and about 15 years of self teaching.

One of the keys in this business is having the ability to learn on your own, primarily because of the nature of technology. Things advance so quickly that you can't stay in school your entire life learning - you've got to get a base understanding of things, then stay up on the technology on your own.

It's worked for me so far!

As far as getting jobs too....it seems that experience is just as necessary as having any sort of degree in your interest...because of how quickly things seem to change lately. Any thoughts on the job market these days?

I'm mainly self-teaching myself the basics and stuff while experimenting at home with anything I can get my hands on. Going to school too though for Computer Engineering and Technology. I work in a bank too as assistant system admin. but not much is being learned here lol...nothing ever happens.

Quote:

---

Originally posted here by manicchester
As far as getting jobs too....it seems that experience is just as necessary as having any sort of degree in your interest...because of how quickly things seem to change lately. Any thoughts on the job market these days?

---

Experience is most certainly good to have, but some will ask, "how am I supposed to get experience if I can't find a job without having experience?" That is true, that's why sometimes you might have to take a lower paying, less desired job to get that key experience to where you can move on up down the road.

And things have dramatically changed for the IT industry. I know that when I started college a few years back, there weren't enough IT professionals - as soon as they were coming out of college, they were being picked up and payed well. I was thinking good, that'll be great when I graduate. By the time I graduated, that position was shot all to hell and all of the sudden it was alot tougher for IT pros to find work. But there are still jobs out there, they might just be tougher to find. I've got some friends who are sitting tight right now, but when the economy gets better (and it will, no doubt about that) they will be looking to move on up...

I was able to acquire a great job by a matter of circumstances, and I'm still here today..

I am definetly both. I have taken some classes, but most of my learning has come from poking around and "breaking" the OS's that I have come in contact.

Self taught here, but as my career progresses opportunities for classes come up and I never turn one down. I eventually got my BAS in I.T. for a personal goal. Come to think of it, I did get turned down for an Engineering job once because I didn't have one. I guess I took it a little too personal and went out and got one. ;)

I have taken jobs in the past that reduced my paycheck to learn something that I knew would pay off. So I would consider using those opportunities if they pass your way. Experience goes a long way and I weigh that heavily in interviewing someone. Some people I know in the business are the opposite but that is their style. If I can tell someone is totally motivated by absorbing all they can and actually have fun doing the job, they get my vote every time.