NON I.T. Graduate with no experience

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Hi

New to this forum but it has come up along my few months of researching. I graduated a few years ago with a science degree. I have been exploring options and, with many trial and error scenarios, I.T. has been my main interest. I have always been interested in I.T. but was put off by career counselors from school.

So what I am asking is what should be my first step. I have looked into postgraduate conversion courses in Computing Science but for most you need some level of I.T. practical experience. A full degree would be far to costly and I don't have the funding. Training providers all seem to be dodgy and no one seems to be able to name one that is reliable/non-corrupt. Self-Studying is a great option but I have no idea where to start...what programmes to learn first. I am, long term, interested in a role as IT consultant maybe a CITP status but that's at least a decade away. Is there honestly any roles I could apply for that at least will bulk up my I.T. knowledge or is at the bottom of the I.T. progression ladder.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

 

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What area of IT do you want to work?
areas: development, technical, helpdesk, server... plus many many more

 

Development would be my first choice

 

My degree is in Physics and Astronomy, so there's certainly no reason that a Sci-degree should be a negative with regards to an IT career.
It did involve computing/computers to a certain extent though obviously, so I'm not entirely sure strict Bio or Chem degrees would have the same exposure..?

I'd always, to everyone interested in taking up IT - from whatever background, point them towards the CoompTIA A+ syllabus, as this is always a good marker as to what is/will-be required to get "in the door" (I am not, though, saying that it is a pre-requisite to take or pass the exam. For the record; I have not...).

HTH

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Ah, having just seen your reply, you may as well ignore mine.

Development is not 'strictly' IT, in that there are no certs that will really help (unless you have been pointed towards a specific one by an employer), and it does not follow the same 'career' and 'employment' rules.

You will need to be able to demonstrate exposure to development tools and experience with programming languages. Which are you most proficient at? As this will give you a pointer as to where you would wish to aim your applications.

 

Development, as I stated, would be my first choice but I am not limiting myself. To further answer your question I really have not be exposed to any in a real sense. CoompTIA A+ syllabus was also recommended to me beforehand so I might look into that.

 

lbiu, if your wanting to go down the route of development, then I wouldnt really recommend the compTIA A+ as one for yourself, if however you want to get in to the technical / helpdesk role then the compTIA A+ would be a good starting ground.

 

Thanks for the advice. Well I guess I have to do a lot more research on the different I.T. roles. consultation has been the only one I have been exposed to as my previous job had us liaising with a I.T. Consultant.

 

Please don't take my reply as trying to put you off development in any way. It's just that developers are a different 'breed' to those that "work in IT".

There are cross-overs, of course, but very generally speaking, those that program don't really need to worry so much about the in's and out's about how the technology works - only how the development 'platform works for them.
It's a little like comparing "someone who learns to play the piano" with a "pianist", there will be times where the former becomes the latter but, again very generally, those that support and administer IT systems (as someone who learns to play the piano) are those that can and will learn new skills that take them along the path until, for whatever reason, they are happy to stop - at which point they have chosen their role within IT.
Developers (pianists) have a type of 'gift' which means they are able to pick-up programming languages - few people 'become' developers or programmers over many years, most just 'are', if you see what I mean?

Just a side-note, consultancy isn't really a role, as a consultant will be one that has specialised in one (or several related) area(s), be-it a particular software, OS, network, or business set-up of some kind. Enough to be able to sell his expertise to a business for a particular end result. Strictly speaking there is no reason that a Support Analyst, Systems Admin or Network Engineer could not also be (or become...) a 'consultant'.

HTH