Age of starting in IT

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I no im new here but thought i would up my posts

i jus thought it would be interesting to know about different people ages upon entering the IT world

i have been into computers an all kinds of gadgets since i was a kid. I lived on a building site where my dad was building our house so didn really have many people in the area to play out with so used to sit in an ass around with computers. Not havin clue and breaking them more than fixing them so had to figure out how to fix them before my mum found out then i just became that member of family who everybody would call on.

went to college to study computer hardware and software but the college was rubish so didnt really gain a great deal from it.

I got my first IT job when i was about 18-19 for my uncles haulage company then quite after a year (never work with family). then started to work as a doorman expecting it to last a few months that was 6 years ago. Im jus starting to get back into IT. Im now 25 and working for the council using a computer but not really in the field i want to be but its a foot in the door an the council has opportunities to move around

i passed my A+ an now going on to microsoft certs and hopefully cisco after that

has anybody ever tried and succeeded in getting a career older than me

 

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I sure hope to have success in getting back into IT at an older age than you. I am 33 yrs old and did tier 1 and tier 2 support when I was a bit younger and have decided to get back into the industry. I've added a couple certs and I am going back to school. I have also decided to go back to school. I don't think it's ever too late as long as you are willing to start on the bottom of the totem pole!

 

I was 25 when I graduated from a Technical College in Information Systems. I dropped out of a university college at 20 to take care of my sick mother. She passed away a few years later then I went to the Tech College.

I got my first tech job working first line support for an Internet company at age 24. I did that for a year or two before I switched jobs and started working for software company in their Support department. Two years later I moved into the Quality Assurance department. Three years after that, I am now the Manager for the QA department.

Working on the back end of software is not really what I want to do. I told myself a year ago I wanted to get my A+ and Net+, and then self study for MCSA/MCSE. And some where in that time frame try to get a job more in that area. Either with the same company or with a new company.

I'm starting to get a bit discouraged as I have no experience in this area and I know experience is needed. I've thought about trying to get a first line desktop support job, but this would be a step back in pay for sure. So now I'm kind of at a point in my life/career where I need pick a path and get on it.

I just turned 32 and I feel like I still have a long way to go. I am also getting married soon and all the wedding planning has put a dent in my study time. After the wedding, I'm planning on really getting into the books making an effort to move into something different. I only hope it's not too late and I can find something I really enjoy doing.

 

at 14 I did work experience for an Internet Cafe on New Oxford Street then took a part time job with them on weekends due to the success of the work experience
I passed my MCSE, A+, N+ after that and have been stuck in IT ever since

I'm now a Senior Consultant for a leading solution provider in the pacific north west, based out of Boise but frequently travel to our other offices in Portland, Seattle, Olympia (less so to Spokane and Anchorage)

 

Mate, I started working in IT at 31 years old in June 2008 doing 1st Line Support.

Currently doing 3rd Line Support, Project Work including Cisco Line Migrations, Server Migrations etc.

I made a post about my first twelve months in IT here http://www.certforums.co.uk/forums/thread33359.html

In relation to certificates I have achieved, they can be seen below, currently working on upgrading on my MCSEto MCITP:EA and I will get my VCP later this yeat

 

I started working working in IT at the age of 19 as a desktop support tech and over the period of 3 years moved to a network admin position.... I don't think that age matter as much as people think it does... we all have to start somewhere.

 

Started in the world of IT at around the age of 25! I'd always been the sort of unofficial office IT guy before that but dropped out of working during 97 to go to Uni. During that time I built my own PCs and flogged them too but it was nowt serious. After Uni I was just drifting from temp job to temp job then I got a job teaching drums at a private school. 3 months later the head offered me an IT technician job and the rest is history! So proper IT experience is probably approx 10 years! However, my mistake was that I got involved with large companies after the school tech job...all being PLCs and one local county council so I always hit the progression/promotion issues as the 3rd line depts were either 200 miles away OR no-one ever left 3rd line. The current new job is just me...so I hope to gain a lot of experience!

 

An interesting (if worrying) post. Does anyone have any thoughts on a maximum age at which it's possible to make a career change? I mean, if you haven't made the move before the end of your 30s, is there any likelihood that you'll get taken on?

 

Hmm...I think that most people's 'energy' to make a career change declines as they get older! That's just my opinion of course! Of course, some people - as they get older - turn their hobbies/past times into something that can earn them a small amount of money...a retirement career I suppose!

Depends on the person and what they expect I suppose! However, I'd say before the end of your 50s to stand a chance of getting 'something' back from a career change effort! But then again, it also depends on the career choice!

Anything is possible!

 

I started in a mom and pop style shop, repairing customer computers at the age of around 21. I had finished my Bachelors and Army service, and not knowing quite what to do, working freelance for a few video game companies (my name can be seen in the credits of a few well known games ;) ), I needed more money and began fixing computers.

A year or so later, in 1999 to be exact, I started working for my first large company (agribusiness). A few years later, did my MCSE, went to work for a pharmaceutical company, and another few years later, I went to work at a Bank. And two months ago I quit for my current position which I think is the best one yet.

anyway...

I don't think there's a maximum age at which you can do a career change. It may not be easy to get hired at the age of 60 into an industry in which you have never worked in before, but probably not impossible...
It's all about peoples perceptions. They don't want someone too old, too inexperienced, too expensive, etc. Unfortunately it's probably a 1 in 100k chance that someone over 50 with no previous experience in IT, could land a job in anything else apart from phone support... :\

 

Started in IT at 18, and now about to go into my 4th job in 2 years (this is permanent) on 18k more than what I first started on only two or so years ago.

As for landing a role, if you can get interviews then it is just a matter of finding the place where your face fits. Whether that takes 5 or 10 interview depends on the person interviewing you each time.

 

Spent 7 months doing desktop support as part of my degree, i was 20 then.

Was 21 when i got my first permanent job after leavign uni.

 

Started in IT when I was 18. Had some success and progression for about 5 years but then got made redundant. I ended up finding a new job in a technical operations department but not IT based. Thought it would last a few months, but ended up running the department and stayed for nearly 8 years. Been made redundant again now aged 31 (tomorrow)and looking at getting back into IT again. I know I'll have to take a pay hit to start with but hoping with a few certificates and 6 to 12 months experience to refresh myself, I can get back to where I was or beyond. Also hoping that management skills I now have can help in the future too.

 

Got my first IT role at the age of 21 and I'm still here 4 years later. Currently looking for opportunities to move on.

I don't think age should be seen as a barrier to get into IT, its about skills, personality and work ethic.

 

I started in IT at the tender age of 26 after having spent 10 years in the British Army (yes, I joined at 16). Having recently turned 40 I like to think I am doing ok for myself.

 

I only started in IT about 2.5 years ago and am 30 this year. I would guess it is all about finding the right job for you to start in and just coming across better than other people.

 

32 and a bit

 

I've known several people in their 50s to get started in IT. Theoretically, there is no "maximum age". You could die tomorrow or 50 years from now - who knows?

I got my first "real" IT job at age 28 after being the "unofficial go-to computer guy" at work for 6 years.