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I want to go into the IT field but i don't know if i should go for a bachelors, an associates or, if i should just take certifications in IT.To get a job, do i need a certification after i complete. i am considering taking a student loan for the bachelors but, i don't need a student loan for an associates because the Fafsa would pay my tuition. Which of the 3 would give me job security for life and take me to great heights? I am thinking of going for a bachelors in administration with a concentration in Cyber securities OR, an associates in Computer information system with a concentration in MCSA so that i will be prepared to take Mcsa certifications.
Can't say for sure that any degrees or certs will help, but I will say than none of these will guarantee you anything, especially a job for life, and most of it will be completely outdated in 5-10 years.
You'll have to relearn it all constantly (as most things about "IT" are in constant flux). As far as taking you to the greatest heights, ... the willingness and ability to constantly learn, and change with technology as it changes will get you further than most anything else.
All of this is a little generic, since "IT" covers tons of different technologies, jobs, skill sets, etc.
My personal view is that I want nothing to do with the IT Security field because I find programming firewalls to be tedious and I have no interest in being the workplace villain who tells users they can't do things due to "security reasons."
But security's the IT field that's least likely to be outsourced, which is probably why it's so popular.
Get the degree, but keep your options open. There may be new career options by the time you get to the end of the degree.
No such thing as securing a job for life. The technical stuff of IT is always a moving target. Just going back 20 years Novell was big, there was this thing called Token Ring, Then came Windows NT, along come open source, now visualization, but the was always Unix quietly chugging along not needed a lot of work or changes. Hardware players were DEC, Compaq, HP, IBM and it only too a few years of DELL shipping out cheap servers for them to become a top tier manufacturer. IBM sold off Lenovo, HP and Compaq bought DEC and merged with HP. All this talk of going paperless has never materialized.
IT is the management of the technology to move and handle the data. Without the data, complex systems wouldn't be needed. The value is in the data, Database administration. The process, Project Management, the value to the business, Business Intelligence or Enterprise Resource Planning. What ever road you take, you better be willing to put more time out of the office to keep your skills up.
I think the firewall is one of the easiest things to outsource but the outsource company still needs hire someone. I'm not sure if you mean outsourced to mean off shored. The firewall requirements are some of the easiest to define. Developers say your firewall wall is blocking me, the firewall guru says, nope, here is your packet going in and out of the firewall, it is your application that doesn't work, call me when you fix it.
Nothing is better than experience. Certs are next. From a hiring perspective, degrees are only useful when company policy dictates one as a requirement.
Working in various niches within the IT field for two decades, I've seen a LOT of "educated" people that knew diddly squat about the technologies they were working with. Same with the "technical school" (e.g. ITT) grads.
I'm not saying that there's no value in acquiring those degrees, but do it while you're working in the field. That way, when you graduate, you'll have the degree AND several years of experience, which will put you head and shoulders above the candidates that only have a degree.
For the short term certs are fine. For the long term, are you ready to move to another state or another country in order to meet financial stability? If not, then choose another field. If so, then a foundation of a BS/BA is needed as most companies judge you based on having a title of a degree rather than the grades. During the time of getting your BS/BA you have to do resume building by attending seminars in your chosen field. Once you graduate get a job asap and not worry about what it pays. Its the experience you need for resume building. While you're at that job start working on certs. Be prepared to job hop to get to a level you want to be at. But be advised that you will attend seminars and get certs until the day you retire.
I usually agree with Pruzhany... but not on this one. I have to go with the post above from Swagger.
I've been in IT for almost 20 years. I've never had to move to gt a job. Hell, I never even had to cross the Cuyahoga River to get a job. (Have to be from Cleveland to get that... basically I haven't had a commute longer then 30 minutes... ever).
And... seminars? That wouldn't impress me much, if at all, if you were applying for a job at my office.
I've been in IT for almost 20 years. I've never had to move to gt a job. Hell, I never even had to cross the Cuyahoga River to get a job. (Have to be from Cleveland to get that... basically I haven't had a commute longer then 30 minutes... ever).
And... seminars? That wouldn't impress me much, if at all, if you were applying for a job at my office.
That was then and this in now. If you are in the mid 6 figure pay scale then you did fine for yourself. What we considered entry level pay over 20 years ago IS entry pay now.
That was then and this in now. If you are in the mid 6 figure pay scale then you did fine for yourself. What we considered entry level pay over 20 years ago IS entry pay now.
Is mid 6 figures $500,000 range? I really need to reevaluate my approach.
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So Many Changes
