Wanting to get back into IT

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Hi all, this is my first posting on Certforums although I have visited lots of times and have found forum to be most interesting.

I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction to relaunch my IT career. I spent 20 years in IT eventually leaving in 2002 (latest job was Project Manager). My skills were mainly legacy based (mainframe Cobol) although in my last few jobs I did have exposure to servers and PC/Internet etc but really only at a higher level. With the changing environment around the end of 2001 I found work opportunities dried up so I got out of IT.

Anyway 6 years later I now find myself looking for a new challenge and am trying to sort though the maze of ways of retraining and starting from the beginning. I would hope that I would have some benefit from my previous life in IT and am particularly interested in working towards a Network role.

Any advice on a way forward would be greatly appreciated.

 

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if you have 20 years experience then I would probably go down the route of doing the MCSE or the new Microsoft path (can't remember what it's called). I'm sure with your past history you wouldn't find it hard to gain employment.

 

6 years is a long time in technology, but you have project management skills to benefit from.

Also if possible look to update any certs you may have, update to newer programming languages (not sure if cobol is that much in demand although when it is ive heard its pretty well paid) and learn a more up to date skillset (ie VOIP, SANS, disaster recovery)

 

Hi Welcome

MSCA/E is the way to go for you.

 

Hi and welcome to CF!

Harry.

 

Welcome!

 

Legacy infrastructure and being away from IT for 6-years would make things difficult. However, there is always a need for folks that understand business processes. Your PM background will be an asset and should make finding a role easier.

Welcome to the forums…

 

Welcome to CF

 

I agree but with 20 years experience there isn't any point in him doing the A+ or network+ as these teach the basics and would be too below his knowledge level. MSCA/MCSE would therefore be the way to go.

 

Hi guys,

Thanks for the advice and welcoming to the forums!

I had wondered about A+ etc but will review after reading your comments and see if it would be too easy.

I am 46 which I don't see as old but I do have this vision of me stuggling to get reestablished and coming up against the ageist IT world!

 

A+ and Network+ maybe below his skill level, but may help make a start for revision purposes, and it always looks good on cvs and does count towards MCSA accreditation, it really depends on whether there are any knowledge gaps, as high end mainframe stuff and general pc work are not the same things, it also is an easy path to start from, plus if it may only take a month or so anyways lol.

I think the OP will know whether doing a basic course refresher would be of more benefit, as opposed to jumping straight in with client and server certs.

 

Again a fair point about it counting towards the MCSA/MCSE but with 20 years experience he should really know the basics that these certs test no matter how long he's been out of IT. Whilst things have moved on the basics haven't changed that much. If anything I would start on the MCDST as it's a little more in depth than the A+ and Network+ and also counts towards the MCSA/MCSE.