Good I.T. Courses?

[Racey Rider]

I've been looking for a change in direction for employment. And being that I enjoy fixing computer problems (don't laugh David) , are looking into what training courses are available.
Rather than just pick one randomly, I thought I should ask you lot about your experiences, to see if there are any courses to avoid, or what questions to ask before signing up?

Anyone done such a course by correspondence?
ie 'Scotts'

Do these courses go 'out of date' quickly?

I have a few places in New Plymouth that do computer training of different sorts. Would any main stream computer tec training be acceptable to the industry, or do I need to go to a 'Harvard' of computer schools?

Whats your thoughts of the industry? Are there too many getting into this already?

Cheers.
Racey.

[Karma]

Dude... don't bother.

There are far too many IT professionals in New Zealand driving taxis and serving burgers at Wendys.

Best bet, you'll wind up in a call centre or something doing tech support

Better to find something else eh, some of the more basic skills are actually in demand from what I understand, things such as plumbing, builders, mechanics etc...

[Racey Rider]

Thanks. Well I did start training as a Motorbike mechanic years ago,,,
not that you'ld know it now
Anyone need one of them???

[Drunken Monkey]

...There are far too many IT professionals in New Zealand driving taxis and serving burgers at Wendys....

I would like to qualify that with "too many inexperienced IT professionals (I use the term 'professional' loosely)". There are still shortages of skilled, experienced technical staff.

[Karma]

Well that's true... but then you don't seem to learn much at these AMES places and that from what I understand.

Plus the definition of experience over here is somewhat loose... apparently anything you've done outside of NZ doesn't count...

[GR81]

yea, IT is saturated... and even jobs building pc's for $10/hour are few and far between these days lol

but if you insist on it, experience is the best bet in IT nowdays.

too many people with 8 week courses out there trying to get $80/hour jobs lol we see em all the time, its quite funny really.

[Lias]

COMMERCIAL Experience uber alles in the IT market.
Most prospetctive employers dont care about your chairyt/school work etc, just what you've done in a paid position in a commercial enviroment.

If you are going to go on any type of IT course, at least go for Industry Standard courses, even if many employers only want the quals in conjunction with 2-3 years minimum experience.

To give you an idea of some possible quals..

Basic break/fix type quals
Comptia A+ http://www.comptia.org/certification/a/
MCDST (Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician) http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcdst/default.asp

Entry level networking qual:
Comptia Network+ http://www.comptia.org/certification...k/default.aspx

Entry level sysadmin type qual
Comptia Linux+ http://www.comptia.org/certification/linux/default.aspx Generic linux cert
MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) Microsofts entry level syadmin cert

Other stuff:
MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) basically the top microsoft sysadmin/engineer cert
RHCE (RedHat Certified Engineer) the more advance Redhat cert
CNE (Novell Certified Network Engineer) Novell's equivalent, but Now's prolly not the best time to be studying for a Novell cert :-)
Assorted Cisco certs (such as CCIE)

[DemonWolf]

Yeah.. what Lias has mentioned go with industrial standard qualifications

[RantyDave]

Rather than just pick one randomly, I thought I should ask you lot about your experiences, to see if there are any courses to avoid, or what questions to ask before signing up?

Get some work, fixing computers, somewhere. A uni or polytech, some business somewhere or some collection of businesses. At this stage in the game nobody gives the first flying fuck about courses - they care about whether or not you can fix the damn computer, and whether or not you can do it now. Get in, start working up the alleged ladder, and if you can fix computers you'll find yourself in demand.

With some paid experience under your belt you'll be able to get a job with a larger place ("Inifinity" is Wellington's a good example of a low-end computer fixing gig) and they may well pay for the training for you. The reason they do this has nothing to do with wanting you to be better at your job. Instead, they sign contracts with medium-large clients who insist on having someone with MCSE on call, or someone with MCSE available, or someone with MCSE do whatever. We really are talking about having someone with qualifications move a computer from one desk to another. Or drive round a dozen sites swapping backup tapes over. Or any one of a hundred "coffee holder" related tasks. This is because Insanity are hired by a middle manager who, when it goes to custard, doesn't want his arse kicked and covers himself by saying that everyone who was hired had the appropriate certifications.

You will get pissed off with this because everyone does.

No, what you need is the next bandwagon and not the one that "my" generation have already run squarely into the ground. Perhaps go talk to these people?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3689309a28,00.html

I guarantee there will be a whole shitload of sitting up poles plugging things in, digging trenches and fighting invisible problems with B-grade network gear that costs more to buy than your yearly salary. But it'll have a future, particularly if you're in at the start, and it beats scampering round offices having asswipes tell you that they need their laptop fixed for a critically important presentation to the board tomorrow, that they thought someone else magically backed it up for them, and it is just not possible ... NOT POSSIBLE I TELL YOU ... that they picked up the armada of trojans by visiting 'interesting' sites on the weekend.

Dave

[James Deuce]

The only job worse than IT is the cleaning lady in the Mr Creosote scene in Monty Python's Meaning of Life.

Don't do it. If you want a satisfying, creative job, become a chef. Don't waste you life licking everyone else's boots.

Seriously.

[Str8 Jacket]

If you want a satisfying, creative job, become a chef. Don't waste you life licking everyone else's boots.

Oh I dunno there Jim, I worked as a chef for a few years a while back and believe me you'll be licking the "head chefs" boots, arse and any other body part they demand you lick until you are the said "head chef".

[James Deuce]

It goes without saying that every job has a boss. The only job where everybody you ever deal with commands more respect than you ever will is IT.

How many times would a Head Chef demand that you stop cleaning dishes because a chef at another restaurant wants you change a bog roll in yet another restaurant's toilet?

That's the simplest analogy for the IT business model.

[Str8 Jacket]

Well when you put it THAT way... I just have bad bad memories of my cooking years!

[WRT]

I think you will also find mechanics have a similar lot to IT. Only difference is they have a different person shitting on them each day, rather than the same croud.

Whether this is more appealing or not, I leave up to you.

[Lias]

When you think about it, with all the abuse shit heaped on IT workers, its a surprise that we arnt all Scat loving masochists.. Well cept wolf :-P