Going back to school..

[SARGE]

i have an opportunity to re-enter the scholastic arena ..

here is some background ..

all my life .. i have done things " just because they felt right.."

in the Service, i had a chance to actually go into a career that would teach me something.. but i wanted to fight.. into the Infantry i went ..

after i left the Marine Corps .. i went into radio..had a great career in the States for many years ..

then .. i moved here where my so-called "accent" kept me from doing something i had 20+ years in..so i went into the M/C industry.. something i had a definate interest in..

recently got sick of working for cowboys and at the end of the day, being exposed to bikes 6 days a week actually started killing my passion for them.. i spent the last 6 weeks at my last shop commuting in the cage ..

now .. i have the chance to get into something im real keen on.. a Bachelors Degree in Advertising at AUT..

im mid-40-ish in age and i hear that you've got to be one of the " beautiful people" ( i'm not..) and mid-20's to even get a sniff

either that .. or go get my MCSE and go into the IT industry..


opinions?

[Sniper]

Go for what you want. If they tell you that you are too old, ugly, Un-PC or rude, just head off to something else.

I didnt do any degree in programming or IT, I taught myself with the help of a friend and although Im still far off the skill required to get a job in programming, I do enjoy it. Im also a money hungrey bastard and could do with more.

S

[SARGE]

Go for what you want. If they tell you that you are too old, ugly, Un-PC or rude, just head off to something else.
.

S

yea well i am old, grizzly-lookin, Un-PC and Rude .. i'd hate to waste 3 years in school to find out something i already know ...

[Colapop]

You will 'waste' 3 years in school learning shit you already know. BUT you'll have the bit of paper that proves that you know it. No-one trusts anyone anymore or even gives too much of a shit so that bit of paper will get you in the door.
It's going to be tough - you've forgotten more than the other students have learned in some things but they'll know stuff about things that blow your mind. Go for it and never let it get too much for ya. You'll be better off in the long term and still be doing something you want to do.

[The Pastor]

Go bust up all the radio presenters untill there forced to hire you.

[Bend-it]

Advertising?!?! it'd be a major miracle getting into the industry at your age, and if you do get in, it wouldn't be the degree that got you the job in the 1st place... Unless you start up your own business, in which case you don't need a degree, just some business courses.

[SARGE]

Advertising?!?! it'd be a major miracle getting into the industry at your age, and if you do get in, it wouldn't be the degree that got you the job in the 1st place...

yea .. thats what i thought too.. and the fact that im no good at kissing ass

[Beemer]

You're never too old if you have the passion to do something new. I retrained as a journalist in my thirties and have had a great time since then. (If you don't count last weekend's exercise with the defence force - all day in the rain at Landguard's Bluff in Wanganui - man, won't volunteer for that again!) I mostly work from home and make a pretty good living from it. Amazingly, I was told I would be one of the oldest people on the course when I started - and yet 11 years later, I am one of only a small number of people from that year who are still working as journalists.

I'm currently studying extramurally for my Graduate Diploma in Journalism Studies. It's not easy (especially doing three papers a semester while still working!) but it's rewarding and interesting and it's keeping my mind active!

If you WANT to do it, DO it! And good luck!

[Krayy]

yea well i am old, grizzly-lookin, Un-PC and Rude .. i'd hate to waste 3 years in school to find out something i already know ...
Can't wait to see your first shot at an advertising campaign for "Womens Products".

"Shove one of these up you and you can take up skydiving!"

*Duck and cover time* :dodge:

[Flyingpony]

opinions?
Follow your heart Sarge, only you know what it says.
Ask yourself the following questions:

Where do you want to be in 4 years time
Are you studying part-time or full-time

[SARGE]

Follow your heart Sarge, only you know what it says.
Ask yourself the following questions:

Where do you want to be in 4 years time
Are you studying part-time or full-time


where i want to be in 4 years is 28 years old and not feeling like ive wasted the last 30 years ...

would have to be full time man ..but i have no problems working nights

[DMNTD]

Hey man...do whatever feels right but there are a couple of valid points made. Due to your age you prolly would find it hard to acquire employment after said courses are complete,sorry but fact.
In saying that...if it feels good...do it cause life's way too freck'n short to bollix about.

[McJim]

Opinion?

Advertising is alright - some people are knobs but you'll get that in any industry.

Welcome.

[Colapop]

How about a Diploma in Management? It can get you into management in a variety of industries and job roles. I reckon you'd be pretty damn good at marketing. I'm studying it and the options seem boundless. (TWR can give you some info - I knew you wouldn't mind me dumping you in it Bill)

[Lias]

I dont want to rain on your parade man, but I can comment at least on the IT path.

Anyone can get an MCSE these days, with places like Hands-On. However unless you have a decent chunk of IT experience under your belt, you mayswell wipe yoru arse with the pice of paper you get, because most employers will take experience over quals. Or they will take experience AND quals. Very few places will hire someone with a fancy piece of paper and no experience, and those places that will are generally looking for people the younger side of 25.

That being said if its what you really want to do , do it.. But dont be under the illusion that an MCSE is going to be an instant job ticket for a someoen your age with no IT industry experience.

You did sales at the bike shop yeah? Talk to MDU, hes an IT sales bitch and loving it last I heard. IT sales might be easier for you to get into that the actual IT technical side.

[T.W.R]

How about a Diploma in Management? It can get you into management in a variety of industries and job roles. I reckon you'd be pretty damn good at marketing. I'm studying it and the options seem boundless. (TWR can give you some info - I knew you wouldn't mind me dumping you in it Bill)


:shit: You dumped me in it Col :dodge: nah alls good!

Honestly Sarge, If you feel inclined to study your way into a new vocation go for it :yes: There are plenty of options on where & how, and if your in the position to be able too, do it full-time as it allows you to get into the mind-set to be able to attack things fully. Plus you have a better focus on the goal to achieve.

The atmosphere of the learning enviroment takes a bit to get used too after being in the workforce for so long but you adapt to it easy enough. Time management is the biggest issue, but nothing that can't be overcome.

I got my Diploma it walked me into a job easily enough but I've come back to a vocation that's my passion & a position that allows me apply what I've learnt to the whole business instead of just part of a company.

There isn't anything such as the perfect job, but there are positions out there that you can be happy with & keep you happy, it's just how you apply yourself to it that counts :yes:

[Jeremy]

What do you want to do in the IT industry?

[Swoop]

yea well i am old, grizzly-lookin, Un-PC and Rude ..

If you are un-PC, and involved with the edjumacation system in NZ...

The flash-bangs are gonna be worth shit. You'll need Willie-Pete on those fu*kers.

[SARGE]

What do you want to do in the IT industry?

i've always been keen on network security..wouldnt mind getting a sniff into that area ..

the Mrs is a supervisor at the University of Auckland ITSS Helpdesk.. i dont think i have the patience for that though..

[Big Dave]

When you asked me the other day I wasn't sure where you are coming from.

Personally - I think your education in the school of life puts you in a better position to understand the nuances of advertising far better than any Degree course. 'taint rocket science.

Read these quotes from my hero of the game and you have years worth of theory sussed:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/david_ogilvy.html

You will also see he indicates that creative 'weirdos' are sometimes worth a punt.

Talk about it on FJ day tomorrow.

[SARGE]

When you asked me the other day I wasn't sure where you are coming from.

Personally - I think your education in the school of life puts you in a better position to understand the nuances of advertising far better than any Degree course. 'taint rocket science.

Read these quotes from my hero of the game and you have it years worth of theory sussed:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/david_ogilvy.html

You will also see he indicates that creative 'weirdos' are sometimes worth a punt.

Talk about it on FJ day tomorrow.

cool man .. any idea what time ya wanna hook up?


i like these ..


Hire people who are better than you are, then leave them to get on with it. Look for people who will aim for the remarkable, who will not settle for the routine.


There are very few men of genius in advertising agencies. But we need all we can find. Almost without exception they are disagreeable. Don't destroy them. They lay golden eggs

[Big Dave]

cool man .. any idea what time ya wanna hook up?

Late morning. I'm going to work till the end of the NFL replay at about 3.

11.00 AM under the big boat and we'll make it up from there?

[SARGE]

Late morning. I'm going to work till the end of the NFL replay at about 3.

11.00 AM under the big boat and we'll make it up from there?

sweet.. i'll be all over the gridiron myself ..ill ring ya about 10 or so

[SuperDave]

Hey Sarge, a Bachelors Degree in Advertising at AUT?
Are you referring to the Bachelor of Communication Studies majoring in advertising creativity?

[R6_kid]

now .. i have the chance to get into something im real keen on.. a Bachelors Degree in Advertising at AUT..

im mid-40-ish in age and i hear that you've got to be one of the " beautiful people" ( i'm not..) and mid-20's to even get a sniff


you'd be lying if you didnt say you have 'an eye for it'

[Big Dave]

sweet.. i'll be all over the gridiron myself ..ill ring ya about 10 or so


bueno - ist gut.

[SARGE]

you'd be lying if you didnt say you have 'an eye for it'

i do man... but only one ..:shutup:

[Biff]

My mother went back to school when she was in her late 40s in order to get her basic qualifications. She was in school with my younger brother .

My memories of shouting, " bye bro, bye mum have a good day at school, I'm off to work" in the mornings was weird.

In her 50s she went to university. She's now a director of a well known public organization in the UK.

And she's met the queen. And the Queen gave her a nice badge. God bless her.

[Jeremy]

i've always been keen on network security..wouldnt mind getting a sniff into that area ..

the Mrs is a supervisor at the University of Auckland ITSS Helpdesk.. i dont think i have the patience for that though..

Then an MCSE is possibly not the best starting path. What's your experience with networks or unix? Do you want to do network administration or just the security consulting?

http://www.kiwicareers.govt.nz/default.aspx?id0=103&id1=J80237 < network admin or whatever they want to call it this day of the week.

Pity they don't put flowcharts for skills or promotions on that website.
But I'd say that a system admin is a computer technician, who can also use unix, and who understand how to read the technical documentation for network architecture and can implement it.

From scratch the computer technician is probably about a month of study, unix another month, and the network side of it a month or two including basic security and physics.

[SARGE]

Then an MCSE is possibly not the best starting path. What's your experience with networks or unix? Do you want to do network administration or just the security consulting?

http://www.kiwicareers.govt.nz/default.aspx?id0=103&id1=J80237 < network admin or whatever they want to call it this day of the week.

Pity they don't put flowcharts for skills or promotions on that website.
But I'd say that a system admin is a computer technician, who can also use unix, and who understand how to read the technical documentation for network architecture and can implement it.

From scratch the computer technician is probably about a month of study, unix another month, and the network side of it a month or two including basic security and physics.


i have a "bit" of experience back a few years ago of finding holes in security.. more of a hobby really :whistle:

i have a copy of Eeye Retina that i use to play on my home network and i'd like to get into doing it on a larger scale i think..

the future is wide open...(Tom Petty)

like i said . im still really keen on the Advertising / Marketing arena but i guess it pays to have a backup..

[dhunt]

i have a "bit" of experience back a few years ago of finding holes in security.. more of a hobby really :whistle:

i have a copy of Eeye Retina that i use to play on my home network and i'd like to get into doing it on a larger scale i think..

the future is wide open...(Tom Petty)

like i said . im still really keen on the Advertising / Marketing arena but i guess it pays to have a backup..
Sarge what I would do if you are interested in going into Advertising/Marketing etc and prepared to spend the x years studying is try going to the classes for a few days and if you can handle/like the course enough, carry on through.

With going for IT stuff - I actually think teaching yourself is the way to go. A lot of the courses seem like a total waist of time - you come out knowing nothing and feeling light in the pocket. If you want some qualificatons it would seem the microsoft courses are quite popular (Self study) and quite good. Otherwise I would suggest buy/borrow some books/look at internet stuff and teach yourself.

[Street Gerbil]

Good job Sarge!
I think it would be very helpful if you'd find a way to take some classes in IS, especially content management. Today it is all the rage.

[SARGE]

Hey Sarge, a Bachelors Degree in Advertising at AUT?
Are you referring to the Bachelor of Communication Studies majoring in advertising creativity?

no.. they have a Bachelors degree program with a major in Advertising that i was looking at pretty seriously