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Whizkidkyus 10-28-2009 21:06:16 64.130.131.20 250974 Report to Moderator	As some of you already know from earlier posts, I have been layed off since August. I'm trying to go back to school and I went yesterday to the Unemployment Office and took what they called a Careerscope Test. It takes about an hour and asks you a bunch of questions and problems in different fields and then it tells you what area or field you should get a job in. My results were Merchanical first , then Plants / Animals , then Scientific. My areas trade school ( with out driving awhile ) only offers a degree in Industrial Maintaince and ITS or Computer Networking . Around here most factories are leaving so the Industrial Maintaince Degree probably wouldn't be much use so I'm considering the Networking Degree . What I want to know is - what does Computer Networking entail or what exactly is it. How much does it pay on the average . Is it a high demand field ? A good field to get into ? Well, you get the idea . I'd like to hear input on both degrees . Thanks for your help. Whizkidkyus [Reply]   [No Email]
XRogerX 10-30-2009 15:15:45 99.240.206.160 251148 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to Whizkidkyus, 10-28-2009 21:06:16   My two cents, disregard if you like, but.. I was in the same boat as you 10 years ago. I went the IT route and got nothing but a big bill (a VERY big bill). I got all the certifications (MCSE,CNA,A+) and they weren't worth a damn without experience. Combined with the fact that there was a feeding frenzy in IT training at the time with no less than 6 "schools" turning out IT drones in a city of less than 1 million people, jobs were next to impossible to find at anything much above $8hr. I ended up much worse off financially by "bettering" myself. Of course, the skills I learned have been put to use many times over the years, but never in a career position. Turns out though, a much brighter future laid in store based upon the skills I had learned on the job, beginning with that first air brake compressor I pulled apart in 1994, not that that was clear to me at the time, and there were still plenty of lean times to go through before it all came good. With all your mechanical skills, I'd see if there is any power engineering courses available in your area. I have been reading through 4th and 3rd class power eng textbooks at work, and the skill set necessary to competently operate a steam plant, hydro plant, refrigeration facility etc. is vast. I guarantee it will be a challenge, and it is not uncommon for 1st class engineers to be in the 6 figure income bracket. It is something you definitely CANNOT outsource, and you can earn while you learn, like a trade. IT training is tempting since it promises a well paid career with light work and stimulating subject material, but there are plenty of ghetto IT jobs, like any other industry, and your financial well-being is always built upon shifting sand, depending on what technologies come and go. I have a friend who is high up in the engineering department at a major ISP, and he has his nose in textbooks all the time to keep abreast of whatever new technology is coming up to make his life more difficult, uh, I mean easier...   [Reply]   [No Email]
61-4010 10-29-2009 18:18:04 74.171.25.210 251061 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to Whizkidkyus, 10-28-2009 21:06:16   I"ve been in the IT profession for 25+ years now...and to be frank, network people are a dime a dozen. The market for network engineers, network administrators, etc used to be incredibily lucrative and easy to find a job. But today, to get into the networking field takes more than Cisco certification and a degree. The IT market right now is totally saturated with networking people, server administrators, etc. In the 80"s and 90"s those of us in IT found ourselves in the position of being able to change jobs at ease and increase our income in the double digits percentile yearly. But as technology became more common place, our skill sets became less and less needed. Think of it this way...in the 80s and 90s, the personal computer required true IT knowledge to setup and maintain. Ports were not color coded; plug and play didn"t exist. But as technology improved, much of what IT did became common place to the extent that today, hardware and software is childs play. The same has happened in the networking field to a degree. Today when I"m asked by college students what area to focus on in IT, I suggest Web Development and/or SAP. Reality is, everything is becoming thin client and using JAVA and a host of web development tools, PCs of tomorrow will need simply a monitor, mouse and keyboard. SAP developers can practically name their salary....very specialized area. Sadly, when I"m asked by college students today as to what field they should pursue, I tell them to avoid IT. The market is full of unemployed IT people. It isn"t uncommon for when I have an open IT position that we have those with PHDs, Masters, certifications galore applying for an entry level tech position. So today, I tell students that if they want to starve, go into IT. But if they want to be gainfully employed, go into nursing or education. Best of luck to you.   [Reply]   [No Email]
Doug - Iowa 10-29-2009 17:27:28 208.126.2.244 251057 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to Whizkidkyus, 10-28-2009 21:06:16   Don't want to steer you wrong but don't give up on Ind Maint just yet. Call around, lots of "non-factory" places need good mechanical repairmen - nursing homes, hospitals, malls, office buildings. A buddy of mine was let out when the factory closed as a machine repairman and now takes care of several leased offices. Lots of variety. much cleaner work, and good pay.   [Reply]   [No Email]
Mattlt 10-29-2009 05:25:50 209.95.240.241 250999 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to Whizkidkyus, 10-28-2009 21:06:16   Computer security related training and experience is where it's at today. Not easy for an entry-level person, but you've got to start somewhere. Network education is about the best place to start if you want to go down that avenue.   [Reply]   [No Email]
rhouston 10-29-2009 05:16:19 24.97.211.2 250998 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to Whizkidkyus, 10-28-2009 21:06:16   There is some very good advice put forth in the other posts. I would like to add that a mechanical aptitude is essential for computer jobs. The same thought processes that you use to daignose a mechanical failure are the similar to those used in the computer world. PC repair is a good place to start. Should you get a job in IT most of your time will be spend working on the PCs themselves unless it is a large IT shop. Find a course that offers you an A+ certification (you will have to take a test to get it) Just so you know there is very little money in repair of home PCs. You can spend hours on them and quickly exceed the cost of a new machine. I flat rate my home PC repairs not including parts costs. All of the Home PC work I do is after hours and most consists of Malware/virus removal. I don't guarantee fast just that it will be done right, AND you have to bring your PC to me I'm not sitting at your place for hours while some Virus/Malware scanner runs. Once you get your A+ cert then move on to Microsoft certs (More tests). Experience is the key here. It is hard to get and is easily outdated. Many small organizations want a tech but can only afford entry level pay. They are where you build your skills. If you can get into a Business that does IT services that is a golden oportunity to learn learn learn. My career started as a stock boy at a computer store in 1984   [Reply]   [No Email]
MarkB_MI 10-29-2009 03:32:09 166.217.31.2 250991 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to Whizkidkyus, 10-28-2009 21:06:16   IT skills tend to be ephemeral; the technology is changing very rapidly and skills that are in demand today may not be useful a year from now. If, for example, you had become certified as a Novell network engineer ten years ago, you would find that certificate to have no value today. Also, entry-level IT jobs that pay well are quite difficult to come by. Generally speaking, regardless of your education you'll have to start out in a low paying job and work your way into a better one. Another problem with IT skills is that they're easily outsourced. Not so with traditional hands-on jobs. Sure the factories are moving offshore, but for those that remain they have to have local people to do the maintenance. Howard gave you a lot of good advice. My advice is: 1) Look for a niche job that not a lot of people can do. Windows system administrators are a dime a dozen; Linux administrators are not so easy to come by. 2) Hands-on jobs are usually more secure than desk jobs. You can configure a router from India, but you sure can't pull a cable while you're sitting at a desk on another continent. 3) They used to say you need to be a jack of all trades and a master of one. In today's economy you need to be a jack of all trades and a master of THREE. (That last point comes from a Georgia Tech professor who is one of the top networking gurus in the country, by the way.)   [Reply]   [No Email]
Bendee 10-29-2009 04:57:51 124.254.65.130 250997 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to MarkB_MI, 10-29-2009 03:32:09   The correct saying , of course, is; "Jack of all trades and master of none". meaning a person that is competent with many skills but not outstanding in any particular one.   [Reply]   [No Email]
Concerned 10-29-2009 06:12:45 192.138.72.196 251005 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to Bendee, 10-29-2009 04:57:51   The original saying was "Jack of all trades, master of one". Commonly "Jack of all trades, master of none" but that was not the original.   [Reply]   [No Email]
MarkB_MI 10-29-2009 18:21:12 166.217.196.92 251063 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to Concerned, 10-29-2009 06:12:45   Actually, I think Bendee has it right. But that's not the point, anyway. Just to bludgeon it home, the point is that the average worker today can expect to have three "careers" before he retires.   [Reply]   [No Email]
Howard H. 10-28-2009 22:10:02 156.110.78.2 250981 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to Whizkidkyus, 10-28-2009 21:06:16   As a full-time IT professional, I don't want to discourage you, but you might want to start out as a PC technician and see how you like it. Unless you understand how computers operate in the first place, a lot of "networking" will seem pretty mysterious. Entry level "PC tech" jobs are much easier to come by than "entry level" networking jobs... And you can learn more about networking the whole time you are working with computers, anyway. Also, there are several specialties in "networking"... I've known guys that just specialize in pulling cable and fiber. Or that specialize just in programming routers and switches. Some of those guys can turn a thousand runs of Cat-5 & fiber wiring closet into an absolute work of art... A person can make a very lucrative full-time career out of just being very good with Cisco gear and IOS programming, but that is nothing for a beginner. Most any type of networking job at an ISP like the local phone company may involve a whole different line of equipment and networking than local office LANs. Those guys talk and live a whole 'nother lingo... I've known several guys that just specialize in that... Email me if you want to visit further... Howard   [Reply]   [Send Email]
IH2444 10-28-2009 21:44:26 72.147.27.221 250979 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to Whizkidkyus, 10-28-2009 21:06:16   Depends, Networking is at more than one level. Offices have local area networks or LAN's but the entire World Wide Web is just a network. Large corporations have Intra-Nets that are firewalled to the Internet, but seperate. Worker demand will be there but not as high as it was 5 years or so ago. All networks need repair and maintenance. I would think that the IT training would cover enough about networks to allow you to work of office LAN's. Another consideration is how far are you willing to move to get work? Are IT and network folks in demand in your area?   [Reply]   [No Email]
Whizkidkyus 10-28-2009 21:55:14 64.130.131.20 250980 Report to Moderator	Re: Computer Networking in reply to IH2444, 10-28-2009 21:44:26   Never really investigeted it IH 2444 , actually never knew where to go to ask anyone about it , except on here.Thank you for answering ,though. Whizkidkyus   [Reply]   [No Email]