MCITP/MCSE - what do you actually do?

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Hi,

Could someone spare some advice?

Some background:

Ive been into everything IT for years, i fix all my mates and colleagues computers, and have recently been thinking of a career change, into the realm of IT- im currently a quality controller in a factory (boring!). I have been applied for a course with the training provider QA as an apprentice, as i am under 25 (by 3 weeks) i qualify for this. The deal is they pay me £100 per week for 10 months and i get Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist (MCTS), Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications, City and Guilds Diploma and Certificate, Essential Skills for Apprentices, and a Business and IT Sales Certificate, at the end of it. The thing is i have been through all the job sites, the MS website and a lot of the training provider websites trying to find out what type of job i can get (or what type of thing i can expect to be doing), and can find no real answer. Its a big step for me, and a huge loss in earnings for the ten months.

My question:

As someone that works in the IT industry, what type of thing do you think i would be doing with the above qualifications? and what does the job entail?

Also, I obviously have some savings as i am able to survive on £100 a week for 10 months, id say roughly £5-£8k. Do you advise taking the apprenticeship route, opposed to home learning? My own thoughts are i will gain experience in this way that i wouldn't if i studied from books, but as i don't know what type of thing ill be doing I'm not sure if its the direction i want to go.
I would like - within a few years- to be maybe a sys admin at a large business, looking after the network and all the computers etc.
My worse nightmare - sat at a desk answering phones and answering the same questions daily - such as when you phone an isp's tech support number.
So, do you advise doing it myself from books and home-study or going on a "crash course" - ie Koenig solutions .com or risking it and doing the apprenticeship scheme?

A big thanks to reading that i know its long, Any help or comments you can give me is appreciated!

Luke.

 

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the main fact is that you shouldn't do the MCSE until you have 12-18 month experience as a systems engineer. There are certs for begginers which A+,N+ and MCDST and certs for people who already work in IT which are the others.

 

err thanks for the advice, but it doesnt really answer my question:

The deal is they pay me £100 per week for 10 months and i get Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist (MCTS), Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications, City and Guilds Diploma and Certificate, Essential Skills for Apprentices, and a Business and IT Sales Certificate, at the end of it. The thing is i have been through all the job sites, the MS website and a lot of the training provider websites trying to find out what type of job i can get (or what type of thing i can expect to be doing), and can find no real answer.

As someone that works in the IT industry, what type of thing do you think i would be doing with the above qualifications? and what does the job entail?

luke.

 

Like GBL stated the MCSE is designed for people who have 12 - 18 months experience with the technologies not for someone who hasn't worked with them to be used as a way into IT. It's pretty much the same with the MCITP (although not all of them because the Support Technician ones are not as senior as the Administrator ones).

Personally speaking if I interview people and they don't have the experience to back up the certifications they have they won't be getting interviewed anyway.

I would honestly go down the route of self study and get a position where you will gain more experience and work towards the certifications after you have some 'commercial' experience rather than just mates.

I should warn you that getting into IT atm isn't easy because there are people around with more experience who are struggling.

 

Thanks Ken,

That answered my question perfectly!

but just to clarify you say we're not talking MCITP but that is the qualification being offered through this scheme- unless you have spotted something on there website that i missed !?!

http://apprenticeships.qa.com/apprenticeship-programmes/microsoft-advanced-apprenticeship

Luke.

 

From that link you posted, it looks like the apprenticeship is for 16-18 year olds? Can I ask how did you get into it if you're 24 at the moment?

If the scheme is open for up to 24 year olds, I'd rather go through the apprenticeship route instead of self studying. More hands on experience along the way as you get the certification.