IT school or bust

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Walter Cook

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I have been reviewing some forums on IT tech education and boy my head is spinning on what approach I should take. Initially I was considering Associate degree in networking, based I'm what I'm reading it sounds like this could get me in the local supermarket. Network security appears to be the angle but now what is the proper school. My research has me leaning to High Tech Institute in Orlando, has anyone gone to this school?
I am currently working in a bank and carry 5 years experience in management of several different positions. I am starting a new job on 3/28/05 as a systems admin in the systems and project management group. This is with the same bank. The job details table changes in the ACAPS decisioning system with some project work. I was going to give all that up to go to school for an IT degree hoping to start a new path. I'm really not sure what approach to take.....take some certs and stay put seeing I'm already in the door and headed in the right direction.......do an online school and continue to work. HELP!I
 
Your experience working as a systems admin will mean more than an assoc. degree or certs. A few years as a systems admin, and that time will mean more than a bachelor's. Your management work and the fact that you work for a bank will both speak highly of you.

If you want pure IT job later, you are in the right place.
 
Thanks for the great advice, if I were to pursue any certs. what would you reccomend to prepare for more IT positions that are more hands on trobleshooting.
 
This is a difficult one. Certs used to mean quite a bit, but as a side effect of the 90's .com boom, we have cert "stores". They teach you to pass the cert test, not to know the material. As a result, certs don't mean much to many IT people, although they can help you get past Human Resources.

With that in mind, it depends on where you want to work. What is going to make HR say "wow". Anything with Microsoft in it (so MSCE, MSCA, MSCD). MSCE is the most widely known.

Now that I've said all that, you need to build a stragegy. You need to figure out the anwsers to these questions:
- How will I find a potential employer?
- How will I get past HR to get in consideration by IT?
- How will I get past my first IT interview?
- How will I get past my second IT interview?

With the IT job market flooded with entry to mid level personel, you need multiple points to leverage yourself. For example, if you wanted support work with a software development house or department: "I am an MSCE and MSCD, so in addition to being an expert in Microsoft infrastructure, I am well versed in software development. This gives me the prospective of your development staff so, compared to your average support tech, I have a greater understanding of the needs and challenges of your staff."
 
This is very valuable information thanks for taking the time responding to my post. I took a few minutes to look at your site and I'm impressed. If during some period our institution is reviewing technology updates to our existing systems I'll be sure to pass along your name. During the past few years we have focused on acquisitions so it's a matter of time before systems are faced with overload.
 
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