What do you do?

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Cool, I still windsurf/surf and sail as well as alot of other things. Today i am going away sailling for the weekend, F4 and sunny...excellent.

 

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Heck, I'm pooped just reading your post, Angus

Still, hope you're as active in here :P

 

Thought I'd post to tell you a little about meself.

I was born, then this and that, then I went to school.Got out at 16.
Got 7 GCSE's at school so though I'd at least better go to college.

I did business studies at college but I fell out of the course just after a year.I just couldn't be bothered, I wanted to get into the "real world."

I've had various jobs from working in a shop to fitting windows seven floors up.My main job has been working in a spectacle manufacturers in which I did all sorts from ansering the phone, computing (simple DOS thing) to actually making specs.

I walked out of the job, then vame back a year later then walked out again a year later.

I hadn't filled my potential by a long way (I'm a dissapointment to my parents, thought I was Uni material) but you gotta live your own life.

I signed up with Computeach which is like Nitl C in January 2002.

I knew zip about comps but they gave me this mad test, which I passed and they said I was clever enough to pick it up quickly (what happened :? ).

I learnt about computing basics, how to do biary, hex, how CD's Dvd'S work, all that lot.

Then I did networking essentials.I have a Computeach diploma in networking essentials.I haven't a clue what thats equivalent to but it was all about topologies, protocols, IRQ's, OSI, that stuff.

I've been doin this stuff for 1 and a half years so I expected to be well ahead but then again I'm totally new to this game so I'm takin me time to get warmed up.Mind you, I spent months off the course doin nothing but gettin drunk and working.

I gave up full time to do part time and gave up fags and I hardly drink these days.
Changed my whole attitude because I thought it was about time to make summit of meself.

I'm going through a bad patch at mo but I'll get there

I'm 23 by the way and live at home in Sunny Southport.

OK I've bored you enough.

Cheers!

 

As requested, short bio aiming for prize of wierdest career path.
Started playing with computers in mid 80s pre college (hence the ZX81 mention in my introductions post). Did Electronics at Uni and learned such power languages as PASCAL, FORTRAN and COBOL (I remember this new language called C - I think - coming out...wonder if that ever took off ). Left Uni and joined audit firm in London to do chartered accounting training - purely for the money. Realised after one week that this was BIG mistake but stuck it out for 3 years to get qualification. Then spent 5 years in London working for investment banks in various accounts functions (again nasty jobs with decent pay). Finally got fed off with working my ass off in jobs I hated so got my scuba instructor rating and left for the Caribbean.
Eight years later I am now about to return back home and looking to move into IT - every job I have had I have been heavily involved with the IT area (even out here in the Caribbean) and this has usually been the most enjoyable part of the job.
So, I am currently reading through Michael Meyers A+ book and trolling through internet sites looking for good training options to get in to pc / network support / admin. Look out for my "I need advice" posts that will start to pop up on the other forums.
Well, that's about it - did I win the prize for strangest career path ?
Cheers,
Neil
ps Before anyone asks, I am not mad leaving the Caribbean for the UK - you have to live on a small rock in the middle of nowhere before you truly understand what that can do to your psyche (plus the added factor of dealing with US tourists on a daily basis ).

 

I hope that I am posting into the correct thread :?:

Here is just a bit about me....Not telling my age though *heehee* you all will figure that one out at some point. Let's just say that I am old enough, or should I say too old

http://www.certforums.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=548

 

Well I read the first two posts and discovered they were both posties... I certainly hope I havent fallen into a den of Royal Mail workers here... I get enough of them at work

So... from the begining...

My name is Russell Moir, I am 27 and currently working for Royal Mail. I don't deliver much - generally office work (admin, dealing with special deliveries... techincally called Delivery Support work!). I have been in Royal Mail for 7 years, although I did take time out to do a HNC at a local college - I did a Business Information Systems course. Was great fun but never followed it through with the HND (I wasted 2 years at University and couldnt afford it - which is why I was working for Royal Mail as a stop-gap!!!).

Anyway, after trying for promotion in management and being knocked back 3 times (despite the Sector Managers recomendations) and applying (and getting down to the last 10) for two IT jobs in Royal Mail pre their outsourcing deal... I gave up and decided to look else where.

After considering quite a few ways of getting an MCSE qualification, and taking advice from people in the industry, I chose to stufy with CT. There is a lot of bad things said about them, but Ive been around and seen / heard about other places and I do not thing they are all that bad for my needs... maybe noty suit everyone but they suit me.

Another training company who came for an interview did nothing but lie and pester me for a decision - especialy when he heard CT were also coming to see me. Later on I heard quite bad things about them from IT people.

Anyway... So here I am 9 months after starting the CT course. Ive struggled so far in 2 areas... Motivation and remembering stuff!

Its not a matter of knowing the way computers and the OS works.... I have used (and taken apart, built and fixed) computers for a long time. Its just remmebering all the little bits of info that they require for the exams!

CT now have a student site with a chat engine and forums - this has been great as until 2 months ago most of us were blind and only bumped into each other if we managed to find places like this.

I am not on CT's Stage 3 - which is studying for the Windows 2000 Professional and Server exams. They are bugging me for a mock exam already! They can just wait - although I did take a 3 week holiday in August!

I will find time this weekend to read through some of the other posts here.... and maybe even read some other posts!

 

Thanks for that, kelton - CertForums can never have too many Posties !
:P

 

Hmmmm !

i'm 30 (well for a few more weeks at least) been married for 6.5 years and have got 3 little monsters (errr, kids, 2 boys & 1 girl) i left school at 16 with 5 GCSEs and went straight into an IT related job, 18mths later left that and started out on my own, at the age of 25 had to give up working due to a health problem, recently told by doc i can start looking for work again so i rang up about a couple of advertised IT jobs, basically was told that with no certs or recent experience i had no chance, so i looked into a few different courses and ended up with Nitlc, started Technical & Systems Engineer course at the end of july and am currently studying for the A+ cert.

well there you go thats me in 1 paragraph !

Justin

 

32 from yorkshire england
currently unemployed
got into computers when started getting back probems whilst doing warehouse work
started with the usual stuff excel, word, database, powerpoint then the internet
did those courses for couple of years then saw the a+ course advertised and as it was free cos im unemployed thought id give it a go
started in may 2003 gave us a big fat book to read sybex complete A+. as i dont like reading just did alot of the tests u can download from the net
beachfront, examdrill, shredder etc.

 

Well, welcome to both of you, JR and shyguy

Sounds like Certforums is just the place for you - most us have similar tales to tell, so make yourselves at home, and be sure to join in a-plenty :P

 

Lspace wrote

Not by a long shot.

I'm married and have 2 boys and live in switzerland. I started to work at 17 doing a drilling program (as an underling) for a mineral sands company and ended up running the show 6 months later (big mine there now). Moved around working in various gold and diamond mines and also a laboratory for a diamond mining company. Between times I've pumped petrol, served burgers, cleaned toilets, been a farmer and worked on a vineyard making wine.

I then ran my own business refilling toner cartridges for laser printers which got me hooked on computers again. I then thought "cool, I'll go to uni" but ended up burnt out from all the mathematics, statistics and physics. Spent most of my money in the bar.

I wanted then to be a dive instructor so I got certified for that and also as a Dogman (the depp at the bottom of a ten story crane, directing the crane operator) but no work available.

Between all these times were extended periods of unemployment and just one for drinking. To my good luck I met a swiss girl who gave me a good wake up call and I came over to Europe (UK). Worked in a pub, a video wholesalers wharehouse and a construction equipment hire company before coming to switzerland.

Got married here and worked for the Swiss Post (common theme here) for 4 years before landing a great job with my current employer. For the last three years I've been working as a research assistant doing genetic research on drosophila melanogaster (fruitfly) for cancer and diabetes and recently diagnostics for alzheimers.

This has led to me getting hooked on computers again so I've decided to do something about it and here I am.

Thats it.

 

Since this thread has "gone the distance", I might as well repeat that I'm working for the US Postal Service as my day/slave job. They managed to cut me loose for most of the day so I can do an OS Migration project in a little burg about 20 miles from here. Since it's the first delivery day after a three-day holiday (Columbus Day here in the U.S.), it was a major feat to get them to do this. The buy off is that I get to put on my little blue super suit after the project is over and rush back to Boise to help deliver the overload of mail. Still, much as it's been a thrill, I'd leave it all behind for the right offer in an IT job.

 

Man, that brings back memories of the genetics labs during my Biology degree :roll: The irony is, I now drive a fruit van for a living, and am constantly plagued by the little blighters daily at work Now, I can identify any mould on the produce as and when required

To think I was once an imminent scientist as well - looked great in a lab-coat, too

 

I don't know about fruit flys but I loved studying bar flies, fascinating creatures

 

I bet that experience comes in handy!

 

I'm currently employed as the Network Administrator at an automotive metal finisher in Ontario Canada.

I have a medium sized LAN, about 250 users and about 20 servers. We're a small dept of about 12 total including IS and IT with most of the 'talent' falling on the development side of the fence and only 3 of us on the tech side.

-=J=-

 

Hi Tweak,

Why not drop a post in the New Members Forum ? You are most welcome :P

 

I'll have to post another one. I work as a temp IS worker for a small, local city called Nampa. We support about 300 end users and maybe 10 servers...at least those I'm aware of both off and on site. We have 5 IS/IT staff including little ol' me. The job lasts until January. The gal I'm replacing is away on maternity leave. I also do a bit of technical writing on the side.

 

I've just realised that I've not posted here.

I'm now 33 and after 10 years working for the tax office I found out I wasn't going to get put in for a NVQ in IT.I decided it sucked and if I wanted to get into the IT industry my chances would be better so I resigned.

I moved to Manchester and was lucky enough to find a brilliant training centre which offered free Network+, MCPs and MOS courses. Over a period of 6 months I gained 3 MCPs, Network+, 2 MOS Expert certs and a job

I've now been working for IT Base for about 5 months Offering User support,maintaining the infrastructure as well as setting up classrooms for MOS & MOC courses and have just passed my MCSA.

I'm the tech monkey with 4 MCT/MCSEs knocking around but I do get a good chance to have a go at most things. Despite been the newbie I think I've gained enough trust of my colleagues as well as been placed on the fasttrack to becoming a part of the team, hense I've installed and set up a couple of servers on the network, made changes and even been involved in the upcoming migration from Exchange 5.5 to 2K

 

I am 21 years old, I started work (part time) at 14, in an Internet cafe, this was my first real exposure to networking, by 15 I had an NT4 MCSE and had done my first migration from NT3.1 to NT4, which was challenging to say the least
I then got a full time job through one of the customers working for an IT services company at 16, some of our major clients included investment banks and insurance companies, in stark contrast to my roots
I then moved over to work at a Web design company when i was 18, this didnt last too long as I ended up doing more and more desktop support, which p****d me off
I left there and by this time had an MCSE:NT4, MCSE:2000 and a CNA
after a brief exposure to Cisco and network design, I decided this was the path for me, and got my CCNA, CCDA, CCNP and CCDP and CCIE Written in the following months, I then took on a job at an Investment bank and have worked there ever since, I resigned last week due to the dwindling challenges and have decided to upgrade my certs once again, this time with MCSE:2003:S+M, CCIE, CCIE-Security and CCSP (also Wireless Specialist i think)
so this should brush me up to some modern standards, currently in the process of aquiring kit with some friends for our Cisco LAB and MCSE Lab (just lost the bid for a 3030 VPN concentrator doh)

based in south london if anyones interested in our study group

Moderator Note: Removed unnecessary bad language