Starting A Career in IT

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Hello helpful people,

So im new to the forum....

What im here for is information from you people who have a clear understanding and background of what is required - as i simply dont.

I'm a 21 year old man and i have had many different jobs in different sectors.... I've been a chef for Twickenham Rugby Stadium as well as cooking in the Royal Room for celebrities at wimbledon, I've been a construction worker underpinning footings, I have worked at a Plant Hire company as a Administrator and I am currently working at a Watermains company where i arrange work and manage our teams.

Now you have a background I'll explain to you what im asking.

When i was in school so 5 years ago i studied the Cisco CompTIA A+ course and easily enough i completed that... i then continued onto the next course.. possibly the CCENT but in all honest im not going to lie i was completed lazy and just like anyone back in school i really didnt care about anything but getting home from school and playing computer games and seeing girls, so therefore i failed by 2 odd % and i couldnt be arsed to re do the year.

I've currently been in my job for only around 6 months but im already seeing that i am going nowhere and this really isnt the job i want to pursue for the rest of my life!

I've always enjoyed working with computers whether thats a hands on approach or generic problem solving.

I now have a family of my own and i realise in need to get my act together and actually do something with my career that im going to enjoy as well as earn enough money to provide for my own.

I'd like to know where i can go from here to study? what courses? and what job roles are available? I have no background to the price of certain courses... although i couldnt really afford anything over £2000.

I really do appreciate all the help that is available.

Thank you

 

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Hi Batesi & welcome to CF

You have done the CompTIA A+ course - did you take and pass the 2 exams? If so, then you are A+ certified. If not, then it would be a good idea to sit the 2 exams and gain the cert.

After the A+, the recommended route is to take the CompTIA Network+ exam. Both the A+ and Network+ can be self-studied - so there is no reason to shell out a heap of cash for training courses.

NB

 

Thank you for the response.

Yes i do have the certificated for 2 parts of the exam... i did the exam 5 years ago so is this still a valid cert? by doing the Network+ what does that line me up for?

 

Excellent! Yes, if you did the A+ and passed the exams 5 years ago, then they are still valid.

The Network+ is an entry level cert, and as such, teaches the fundamentals of networking. These 2 certs give an excellent base to build up from.

NB

 

is it as simple as purchasing the exam on the cisco website site and revising/learning for core materials on the website? what sort of cost are we looking at and what role would this line me up for?

Thank you

 

The Network+ is a CompTIA cert, not CISCO, and the exams can be booked through Prometric.

If you are based in the UK, then the cost for the exam is £169 and the book would be circa £20-£30. Depending on when you plan on taking the exams, there are 2 to choose from. The N10-004 retires August 31, 2012 and is being replaced by the N10-005. So if you don't think you would be ready to take the N10-004 before the end of August, then you need to buy the N+ book that covers the N10-005 exam. Not sure what the recommended reading material for the N+is these days, as I took the N+ quite a few years ago - and the author has probably died of old age

NB

 

Sorry as you can tell im slightly out of touch with this. I think i will look into this course and see where that takes me. thank you very much for all the help.

TOP LAD.

 

I'm sure someone will be along that has recently passed or is currently studying for the N+, and can point you in the right direction of which book to buy.

NB

 

If you do plan to study for the N+ check out Professor Messer, CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, Microsoft Certification Training. There is on-line training videos on his Website that you can watch which will help you too gain your N+.

Good Luck if you do pursue studying the N+, I am doing that after I have achieved my A+.

Regards

Rob

 

Mike Meyers - All In One Network+ Book
Sybex - Network+
Professor Messer Free Network+ Videos - essential viewing

I used these 3 resources to self study and pass the Network+. I'll be bold and say that Mike Meyers and Prof Messer will come highly recommended here. I think the N+ should be done before the CCENT. N+ is a vendor free exam unlike Ciscos CCENT.

 

Like you, I too was looking for a career change back in 2008 at the age of 23. I always had an interest in computing but had no qualifications. I had experience of building PCs and overclocking for family and friends. Whilst I studied for the A+ and N+ at home, I aggressively pursued a 1st line role to get a foot in the industry. Lucky for me, I got moved into a 2nd line desktop role within 3 months. 3.5 years on, I work in a 3rd line role and looking to move to a different technical role.

1st line roles for the inexperienced won't pay much. Get a temp contract, even if it pays £13-17K. The experience will be invaluable and open you to the vast array of careers you could pursue in IT. An experienced 1st line role should pay £17 - 22K, 2nd line £22-28k and 3rd line £30k+.

Good luck!

 

So after completing the network+ does that open you to entry level help desk roles?

I really enjoyed learning the a+ at school... we used the cisco online training center which i found really easy to learn? does CompTIA use this?

I guess the following best courses to do will continue from the Network+ and I'll be able to choose my path?

 

Depending on how technical a business wishes of its help desk, you can get a job with or without A+ / N+. I would advise you start looking an applying for 1st line roles now. Experience and qualifications go hand in hand, though in your position, experience will be far more valuable.