[Wolves] OT: IT career advice

[Paul Harrison]

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Andy Wootton wrote:

>>  Today I have had a
>> letter from them, offering an option of...wait for it...training to
>> MCSE status.
>>  
>>
> I think you'll find they are offering to sell you that training. If not
> then the government are paying. I would find that a disturbing use of
> the tax I pay.

Don't worry, I would be paying :-(

> That doesn't mean you shouldn't try. The current shortages are
> information security, Microsoft .Net programming and Linux system
> administration

I'm looking at agencies that offer .Net training too.

>> * What might a mid-30s teacher have to offer in the IT sector?
>>  
>>
> Teaching ability. Very few IT trainers know how to teach. Most IT
> courses don't require much IT knowledge.

I'd noticed the quality of IT training for teachers, don't worry.
With one exception, it has been worryingly poor.  Hence my thinking
that I might return into teaching and do IT training.

>> * Despite what we might think about Mr Gates, is MCSE a good means to
>> getting into the industry?
>>  
>>
> MCSE and all the others are a good way of working into poorly paid jobs
> on Microsoft systems. The experience you get in those jobs with the MCSE
> might get you a much better job. Someone will have to pay to keep
> renewing the rental on your MCSE.

I thought this might be the case.  I've been led to believe from
various sources that the MCSE is a "gateway" to other things.  I'm
happy to go down in salary before I go up, as that's what I would
expect to do anyway.

>> * What other avenues might I explore in terms of advice on
>> qualifications, training or employment?
>>  
>>
> Tricky without knowing more. What did you teach and to what age range?
> Do you have a degree? If so, what subject.
> How much Linux do you know? - Can you program, set up systems,
> networks.... ?

History graduate, fourteen year's experience of 11-16 teaching, incl.
ICT to pre-GCSE.  Linux user for two years, run small home network,
just getting into shell scripting.  I'd like to start having a go at
setting up my own web/mail server(s) with Smoothwall/DansGuardian
firewall, as that seems a reasonable way at home of getting on the
nursery slopes of Linux admin.  Or am I deluding myself?

> You should go to your nearest LUG and meet some IT people. That should
> put you off ;-)

I'm familiar with the process.  Over the years a number of people have
asked me about teaching as a career.  None of them ever did it :-)

Paul
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