other than certs...

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Other than just certs... what else is needed to get ahead in the IT Career Ladder, especially when my current employer does not provide opportunity

 

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To go up the IT career ladder, you might have to hop from company to company to get where you want to be. However, if you are in a production type role, for the company or clients you are currently working for, get to know their network and systemes infrastructure inside out. Additionally, get to know the companies policies and procedures like the back of your hand. With this knowledge you become extremely useful to the company especially when a big incident strikes. This might then open up some doors for you.

Also, take a look at management training, or project management.

 

Experience is essential and being on good terms with your boss helps.

I have unfortunately only ever worked for employers that don't pay for certs. I generally fund them my self. I often find that I progress faster than my current job.

 

I have spoken to my boss before about career development, I received no response. I am happy to pay for my own certs also, when I passed the A+ for example and became certified I notified my manager and received a response of merely "well done" and when one of my colleagues said that he has the A+, N+, MCDST to name a few they were also not bothered... only more bothered to say that please ensure you are at work on time and do the best you can do.

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I am not a member of a professional body / membership and do not have a degree as I decided a long time ago to try and work my way through instead of going through the University option.

Experience I come with many years worth, and have always helped others with their workload in some respects to gain further experience.

I remain with a positive attitude at all times and then have a moan when I get home about how the day went, rather than putting a downer on things while still in the office. I have asked about job shadowing either people in networks or other tech's but that has also received no response...

Currently studying towards the 70-680 as an investment in myself.

 

in regards to NVQ levels, what does the A+ fall under?

 

quite a big exam to get through so i would have thought it was higher than this, well I am not going to worry about nvq levels comparing

 

Sadly if that's how the company are I think you'll struggle to develop and push on if you stay there. From their response it just smacks of a place where you're there to do the job, nothing more, nothing less, so certs etc won't really matter to them.

My advice would be start looking for a new role, that next step, the little (or big depending on how brave you are) jump up from what you are doing now.

I've found it's the best way to develop, push yourself out of your comfort zone, although I've been reasonably lucky that places I've worked have been ok with giving me training, some more than others though.

Where I am now seems good, as long as you can say there will be business benefits to the training you can stick your name down for stuff and from what I can tell you can usually get what you asked for.

 

monkeychops, I sadly agree with you and have began job searching but not an awful lot around my area at present so will have to monitor that situation as time passes

 

I've been in a similar situation before. Was at a company where I enjoyed the job and people, but had hit a wall with regards to career progress.

Had 2 choices, sit there and wait it out (someone would leave meaning there was somewhere to move up to, eventually, but then everyone else was also sat waiting), or push on elsewhere.

Ever since then I've always moved on to jobs which are a step up and usually out my comfort zone but it's been the best way for me to do it.

 

I feel that is probably the best option for myself also.

 

Play with the software and hardware to get a feel for what the likely issues are in a real work environment. There is VMware, Virtual PC and others out there you can use as a lab to install and gain useful insight.

Read technical white papers, books and watch CBT videos as certication is good but the experience ultimately is what potential employers crave for.