Hi all - I am 45 years old, a resident of Des Moines, Iowa, and have been working in the food service industry since graduating from high school. About three years ago I was bitten by the computer bug and began teaching myself Windows, both 98 and XP. In August of '05, looking for something new to tackle, I began experimenting with Linux. Nowadays I have two machines, triple booting one with Ubuntu, Debian and XP, the other set up as a backup server. I'm no guru, more of a "confident user" or "advanced hobbyist" and have found I have a real passion for Linux.
What I'm curious about is how does one go about getting into the IT industry? I would like to attempt one of those mid-life career changes and need advice on a course of action. I am unencumbered by family or financial obligations so at this point learning and pursuing my passion are more important than monetary gain.
Are there jobs in the field that don't require formal education? Entry level positions with on the job training? If school is the way to go what courses and degrees should I be looking into? My primary interests would be systems administration image processing/graphics.
This is a long post with many questions so I appreciate your time and considered opinions.
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