Your career in computers

[linuxbun]

Ok, this is a really strange topic, would appreciate all your views.

At present, i'm currently un-employed. I don't have any quals to speak of (long story, but my schooling was cut short due to family problems).

Anyway, now has come the time to do something about it! I'm still sort of young (22 yrs old). Even tho on paper I look as thick as brick *****, I don't think i'm quite that bad (lol), I simply just haven't been given the chance to prove myself. Since the age of 16 I've been self e-mployed. I'm a quick learner and sometime this year I want to chuck myself into college.

My question is, what is it that you do and what quals did you need for the job? If it's possible,I'd really love to do some linux course, I absolutely love it! I'm not sure it would pay at all tho, if I could find the course that is.

I would greatly appreciate all your views including any suggestions, I really want to do this. Only fussy bit is that it has to be with computers, I just love em so much! :mrgreen:

[utabintarbo]

Ok, this is a really strange topic, would appreciate all your views.

At present, i'm currently un-employed. I don't have any quals to speak of (long story, but my schooling was cut short due to family problems).

Anyway, now has come the time to do something about it! I'm still sort of young (22 yrs old). Even tho on paper I look as thick as brick *****, I don't think i'm quite that bad (lol), I simply just haven't been given the chance to prove myself. Since the age of 16 I've been self e-mployed. I'm a quick learner and sometime this year I want to chuck myself into college.

My question is, what is it that you do and what quals did you need for the job? If it's possible,I'd really love to do some linux course, I absolutely love it! I'm not sure it would pay at all tho, if I could find the course that is.

I would greatly appreciate all your views including any suggestions, I really want to do this. Only fussy bit is that it has to be with computers, I just love em so much! :mrgreen:

Can you cough up a bit more info? Location? What you did in your company? Any college at all?

Insufficient data to make recommendation....

[linuxbun]

Oh soz...

Not been to college at all. Done a handful of self employment courses, nothing that granted a qualification though.

Location: Devon

I previously was selling on eBay (junk for other people), making websites, bit of servicing & a little bit of computer building.

[Dragonbite]

There are a lot of possibilities in a "career in computers" from code-jocks to retail computers salesman.

For example, I had a (BS) degree in Business Management specialized in Accounting and was working in Accounting when I realized it was sucking my soul dry.

I heard about and wanted to learn Microsoft Access databases so I started using it to assist me in my duties and made darn sure anybody in IT would see it if they came into my cubicle. When the person they had running the data warehouse left the company, my name came up on the short list and I took it.

While I was working with a SQL server, my side-duty (wasn't technically in my job requirements but close enough) was distributing the data to our sales force which led me to learn to program in Active Server Pages (ASP, scripted web pages).

I primarily worked in SQL and ASP, both of which I self-taught myself with the help from books from Wrox. I got trained in the mainframe and VB6 which I used very little of (but did use some). Then they got rid of me (and about 1 person from every department across the company).

I landed in this position based on my SQL, ASP and Accounting knowledge.

Our Intranet is ASP.NET based, but they figured it was close enough and have since sent me to multiple training classes.

I have been sent to train in SQL and am using it very heavily.

We also use Crystal Reports and was scheduled to take a class but found that to be irelevant as the topics they were going to go over I pretty much covered and used in a short while teaching myself.

So being a quick learner is very important, and if you can tie-in any other knowledge you have (I assume you haven't been in a coma for the past 6 years) then that may get you started.

I'm not a heavy-duty or hardcore programmer and probably never will be. I use Linux because it is fun(:D ), Free(:-k ) and free($). I think of myself as a mild "power user" and my experience with Linux has helped me in Windows and vice-verse.

Good luck on your endevours!

[BigDave708]

Location: Devon
People are employed in industries other than the farming industry in Devon? :-k :)

I'm afraid that this is a likely case of having to climb the employment ladder right from the bottom. After a few years of labour-intensive work to push yourself through college and potentially university, hopefully you will find a decent job.

Good luck.

[doobit]

At least you have time to do it. I dont' consider myself dense, or unable to learn, or even skillless, but at my age (over 40) employers in the computer industry don't even want to talk to me, even though I probably could solve all of their life problems.
You might also consider becoming an entreprener, if you don't want to be dependant on somebody else to pay you for the rest of your life.

[gonesolo]

I'm in IT for 11 years now but when I started out I was much like you. I did finish secondary and did my leaving cert but in my opinion didn't do great.

Like you I was/am a quick learner and I liked building/upgrading/repairing computers.

I got a job working in a call center when I was 21, it was my first IT job. I had no qualifications, no expierence. just what I had learnt myself messing around with my own pc. But the job gave me a tech test - which I passed and then they gave me all the training I needed to fill in the gaps.

Those jobs are still out there and are a great stepping stone if you want to get into IT. most will give you a tech test (which is usually basic enough), they pay decent enough and you learn ALOT while you are there.

The really good companies will give you the support to educate yourself on the job and move up within the company.

So theres an option.

Me, thats what I started doing and now 11 years latter I've been a field engineer, network administrator and IT contractor all from starting out in a desktop support call center.

[Daveski]

Qualifications get you in the door, but as Dragonbite showed it is getting your skills noticed which really gets you into an interesting position. I love IT and I always have and I do have a combined degree in Computer Science and Philosophy (go figure) - but if you can turn your hand to aspects of Computing then with patients and being in the right place at the right time will get an interesting career.

There are loads of well qualified experts out there who couldn't work out the day to day problems you encounter. Expose yourself to as much of IT as you can and see where you start to excel. (No pun intended).

Good luck by the way.