[oldspice]

What is the best path to becoming a network engineer.Many of my friends are making over a 100,000 a year in this field and many of them started answering phones at isp's.I am seriously considering entering this field.Could anybody guide me or give me some advice regarding this.
Ihave a few options that I am thinking about:
1. go to Tech school
2. learn on my own and take all the certification tests.
3. go to a University.
4. beg for a JOB as an intern for virtually no money.

This is a serious question..please let me know if any of you have any advice. Thanks.

[clutch]

A tech school is a good way to go, as you may be able to get your certs there too. In addition, they usually have placement services to get you into your first job. A lot of these schools offer varying schedules so you can keep your cuurent job, and you can get loans to keep you in your classes. I went to ITT Tech for electronics, and wound up getting a position as a Hardware Specialist for PCs because it was my hobby. The job was advertised at the school, so I applied and got it. Now, in my current job, I am the IT Coordinator and I get to play with toys all day long. Understand something, there is a STRONG possibility that will not make a large amount of money for a while. But if you want to have a rewarding career, IT is a good way to go. Also, if you can, get into a position that allows you to play with a lot of different things (like network admin, PC tech, databases, and such) so you can get a well-rounded start in the business.

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Regards,

clutch

[Brian Frank]

I was looking at ITT, but it was a total of $27,000 8) UP FRONT! 8) And other colleges wont accept them, not to say ITT is a bad college, but that's a lot for a 2-year degree. I'll will probably pay $6,000 for classes AND books by the time Im done at the college Im going too for virtually the same thing.
Also, one size does not fit all either.

But, a two year tech degree is probably the wisest choice out there. Where Im going and the same is true with ITT, they dont give you a bunch of BS you dont need---they give you the minimal gen ed classes possible and get right to the dirty work.

[This message has been edited by Brian Frank (edited 09 April 2001).]

[Brian Frank]

BTW, Im going for my AS in PC Repair/Networking Specialty and am almost half-way through.

[clutch]

Just so you know, it's not up front. You can pay by semester. And yes, mine was $21,000, but for 108 credit hours (vs. the usual AS which is about 60 credit hours). In addition, you can get your BS in 3yrs, and in some courses get your Masters in 4.

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Regards,

clutch

[Brian Frank]

Thats what they seemed to be pointing at at the ITT I was looking at. Anyway, that was pretty expensive, but they were more concerned about getting you in the right college for you, even if you didnt go to ITT. They are definitely in it for your benefits and not theirs.

[CrazyKillerMan]

If your planning on getting some decent exp, I would suggest enrolling in a Co-Op course. I am in a 31 month Computer Engineering Technology course, that out of the 31 months has about 11-12 months of work expierience. After i graduate i can join numerous technology and engineering organizations that will get me anywhere i need to go. Plus i have heard that some of the salarys ppl make from courses like mine, out of school, but without the work term can be close to $70K a year. So hopefully i can move outta saskatchewan and go somewhere were stuff happens :P But keep in mind....starting at 70K a year is merely luck. I have heard about orgz from Cal comming to alberta canada and giving out signing bonuses and what not. I will get my diploma in computer engineering and will be able to get my degree in a few years afterwards. Then hopefull i can get my BS and go somewhere in which winter means no snow

[oldspice]

THANK YOU! EVERYBODY! Anyone else who has something to contribute, will be appreciated as well. There is a ITT school close to my house, and that is a possibility. I am 35 years old and everything I own is paid for so money is not an issue even though my wife may disagree
My father is a Computer Science teacher at a University and he says that company's will look at you with with one eye closed when you tell them you have a tech degree and nobody will respect you unless you have a BS.I tend to disagree. All the real people I have met on the road in my life who have entered networking have all done very well(making atleast 30,000 up to 110,000).
Can anyone else say something good about ITT(the school), because I really do not want to have to go back to college and take all the bogus filler courses like library technology and political science(my apologies if I have offended anyone)
Thanks to all who participate..

[clutch]

ITT is fine, and I have found jobs very easily in networking even though it's an electrical eng tech degree. However, for their accreditation, they have some of those "filler" classes as well. A B.S. is fine if you have the time for it (I may go for mine, since my job would pay for it), but for me I really needed to change career modes fast. In addition, the only people that I have seen with a use for the B.S. degrees have been programmers and some IS managers. Most of those degree programs do not focus very much on the actual technical aspects of networking, PCs, programming, and Operating Systems and rather focus on "management" of a department. Such as budgeting, scheduling, ERP (to some extent) with a minor focus on true technology. Also, along the way in a technical college you can get prepped for various certifications like the MCP, CCNA, and A+ certs to make it easier to get a tech job.

Two things to remember wherever you look for a school though:

1. Make sure the equipment is up-to-date (and that there is a lot of it), and

2. Try to get a hold of current and past students to see what they are doing.

In addition, you can check their placement success and see what current job postings are like from various companies. A lot of companies like to "sponsor" local tech schools in an effort to get their foot in the door for the best and brightest students. The schools will tend to host job fairs and have area companies come in to show what they do and list what they are looking for in candidates.

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Regards,

clutch

[Brian Frank]

Hey, good tips, Clutch Im too impatient to go for a full 4-year degree. I want to get my degree and get out ASAP!!

Im definitely looking at the network stuff more, since thats a real biggie in the world.

[HarU]

While i agree that schooling is very important, i did not follow the same route as these guys due to the fact that i didn't want to be in debt for the rest of my early adulthood. Anyway, when i was 18 i got a job building PC's for a web-based software company. I did not know half as much as these guys at that time, but i was extremely anxious to learn. Anyway, it was a low-paying job, but had a lot of room for advancement. I am almost 20 years old now, and I am a Network Engineer at a large web-software/telephony company. School will never teach you the same stuff that hands on experience will. And, if you get lucky, and find a company that will give you a chance without schooling (which i did), then i would not hesitate. I get to play with all kinds of things now.. ie: cisco switches, routers, pix firewalls, fiber, VOIP technology, basically you name it. I am starting my own business now with some co-workers of mine, so i won't need to adhere to others' requests of education necessities. Again, i guess you could say i got lucky.

Anyway, to make a long post end quickly, my point is simply this. As a 19 year old, i would be involved in interviewing other MCSE's that have their degrees, but didn't know there a$$hole from a phillips screw driver. Experience will get you higher paying jobs faster, but in the long run, if you have education and you work on the experience after, it will pay off.

Just some thoughts you can ponder....

[This message has been edited by HarU (edited 10 April 2001).]

[clutch]

If you can "luck" into a job that will hire somebody with no experience and no education, then by all means take it. Those jobs are extremely rare, and they tend to lead to bigger and better things. However, the current "best shot" at getting into a job like this as a civilian is to go for technical education at a place that also offers placement assistance. If you decide to enter the military (US, as I am not sure how other nations select recruits) and get into networking, then you tend to have an even better shot of getting a good job afterward. In addition, the US Military will usually foot the bill for your certifications (a friend of mine got his MCSE while in the USAF this way) as long as you can show that they pertain to your job.

Wherever you get your job, take anything they offer in terms of educational benefits. One job helped pay for my degree, and this one payed for my MCSE. Don't fall into the trap of only seeing the salary as what you are getting. I get to spend about $5,000-$10,000/yr on classes, and another $5,000 or so on seminars.

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Regards,

clutch