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wyonewk... I thought about it because it does pay well but for my situation it would take 6 years to do. There are alot of requirements today that weren't in pace in the 90's. I could be a pharmacy tech but they get paid around 40,000 if your lucky. I'm not looking for a quick fix but also know my limits.
I do agree its a great career.. and if i was younger and had more time it would be fine. Truth is i will still need to work to pay for school and that may be pushing it to hard.
I agree that IT and computer related courses are probably the most marketable for the future, but I still wouldn't spend money on a degree these days unless: 1) you are independently wealthy; 2) you have a full scholarship; or 3) you can somehow do it without incurring any debt.
I agree that IT and computer related courses are probably the most marketable for the future, but I still wouldn't spend money on a degree these days unless: 1) you are independently wealthy; 2) you have a full scholarship; or 3) you can somehow do it without incurring any debt.
So, the OP should continue to work crappy jobs for crappy pay rather than taking out some loans to invest in his future? That's a born loser's philosophy.
I would be very careful about pursuing a degree that you have no background or interest in merely because it is "in demand." Today's in demand fields quickly become tomorrow's oversaturated fields because everyone is enrolling in those programs with hopes of landing a highly paid career right out of school. When I was in school in the late 90s Chemical Engineering was the "hot" field that everyone was pursuing. Everyone was guaranteed a great job out of college because there weren't enough Chemical Engineers to go around. The problem was once everyone graduated the field was oversaturated and a lot of people had to pursue careers outside of Chemical Engineering. The economy moves so quickly these days that I would not bank on ANYTHING being "in demand" 3-4 years from now. Not too long ago LAW was considered an "in demand" field. Do you think anyone would agree with that now??
There is no "magic bullet" degree that will guarantee you riches right out of college. It is part of the mix, but a successful career depends on equal parts drive, brains, personality and education. I think too many people focus only on the education piece and forget about the rest. It is easy to do given our society's obsession with higher ed these days.
IMO, given your objectives, I still think your best bet in terms of opportunity is to build on your management experience and get some sort of business degree. This will open up your options tremendously once you graduate. Of course only YOU know what you want to do with the rest of your life.
I would be very careful about pursuing a degree that you have no background or interest in merely because it is "in demand." Today's in demand fields quickly become tomorrow's oversaturated fields because everyone is enrolling in those programs with hopes of landing a highly paid career right out of school. When I was in school in the late 90s Chemical Engineering was the "hot" field that everyone was pursuing. Everyone was guaranteed a great job out of college because there weren't enough Chemical Engineers to go around. The problem was once everyone graduated the field was oversaturated and a lot of people had to pursue careers outside of Chemical Engineering. The economy moves so quickly these days that I would not bank on ANYTHING being "in demand" 3-4 years from now. Not too long ago LAW was considered an "in demand" field. Do you think anyone would agree with that now??
There is no "magic bullet" degree that will guarantee you riches right out of college. It is part of the mix, but a successful career depends on equal parts drive, brains, personality and education. I think too many people focus only on the education piece and forget about the rest. It is easy to do given our society's obsession with higher ed these days.
IMO, given your objectives, I still think your best bet in terms of opportunity is to build on your management experience and get some sort of business degree. This will open up your options tremendously once you graduate. Of course only YOU know what you want to do with the rest of your life.
Excellent advice, especially about the business degree. Having a degree is okay. Having experience is okay. Having a degree and appropriate experience in a related field is golden.
I will also add that general human nature is that you'll do the best in something that strikes your interests
With your background something in accounting, operations management, general business management, etc could be a relevant build upon your experience - if you like doing it.
I really can't comment on the quality/reputation of various IT programs or paths .... I'm sure there are threads here that have some information, but I couldn't speak with authority on the best way to go as it's out of my realm.
If that is an interest or if some of the other skills are an interest many CCs offer adult education / specific career courses - these are typically shorter in duration, cost, etc and could give you a less expensive foot in the door with the opportunity to build on it later.
Or you could look at taking some individual courses from a CC just to see if something really does fit your interests
Given your geography and background if at all possible I would probably look to take a program that was predominately brick & mortar from a public NJ college and focus on some form of business and take some IT/computer courses as well - maybe even look for certain marketable certifications
There are a lot of business centers between NYC, NJ & Philly and many different industries need people with those skills
With your existing background I could definitely see you adding some more accounting/finance knowledge, some computer knowledge and some operations knowledge and being able to at a minimum work in operational support for a wide number of industries.
There are also a ton of insurance companies in that area - many good career paths within that industry and they frequently have trouble attracting new talent
So, the OP should continue to work crappy jobs for crappy pay rather than taking out some loans to invest in his future? That's a born loser's philosophy.
It's not a born loser philosophy, it's the philosophy of people who realize that astronomical tuition and an almost zero-prospect job market makes taking out a ton of non-dischargable loans to get a degree a loser choice.
Thanks Arthur, Linda and Finger lake. All really solid info. I think your right. Better to build on what i got. It will only improve my chances in the future. I love what I do but missing the degree to take it to the next level.
I'm gonna go for some type of business degree and think about getting a couple It Certs as well. I could get a A+ and CCNA Cert in a few months with some good studying and prep work. Take a few business courses and I will be a stronger candidate for positions I just cant get now.
Can you guys tell me your thoughts on this college below. Its in NJ and seems to be public . It doesn't seem like a Phoenix or berkeley deal. It has a regional Accreditation .I'm reading good things about it ??? ANy thoughts ??
If not I think I'm gonna look in to middlesex county college but this seems to be all online if needed . Where middlesex i would have to do a 50/50.
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You are not sure???
