Need Help, Want to get into IT

[youtalk]

I'm looking to get into the computer field, but I need some direction. I have always been in sales, and I'm looking for something a little more stable now. I have always been naturally good with computers, but I have never taken any training. I don't even know which each field does.

 

I have a bunch of questions, and need help.

 

Which classes are a must to take?

Is "information technology" the right degree to go for?

 

 

Thank you all in advance for your help!!

[Pangloss]

Sure, it's a perfectly viable path to take. Information Technology is typically an extremely practical degree, focusing on things like day-to-day operations -- networks, servers, user administration, security policy enforcement, etc. These roles are becoming increasingly sophisticated -- in the old days it was enough that you knew how to change a user's password or plug their computer into the network. Today you really need a lot of diverse and detailed knowledge -- the more the better.

 

IT degrees are extremely broad in scope, covering subjects as diverse as network topology and database management. As such, they also make a good basis for further academic study, like a masters in CIS or MIS, if you're so inclined, which can lead to a more advanced career in something like IT security management or project planning, which would also build off your career experience.

 

Post more questions if you like; folks here have a variety of experience you can tap into.

[youtalk]

Sure, it's a perfectly viable path to take. Information Technology is typically an extremely practical degree, focusing on things like day-to-day operations -- networks, servers, user administration, security policy enforcement, etc. These roles are becoming increasingly sophisticated -- in the old days it was enough that you knew how to change a user's password or plug their computer into the network. Today you really need a lot of diverse and detailed knowledge -- the more the better.

 

IT degrees are extremely broad in scope, covering subjects as diverse as network topology and database management. As such, they also make a good basis for further academic study, like a masters in CIS or MIS, if you're so inclined, which can lead to a more advanced career in something like IT security management or project planning, which would also build off your career experience.

 

Post more questions if you like; folks here have a variety of experience you can tap into.

 

 

Thank you so much for taking the time out to repsond.

 

So basically for someone that is not in the field, and has never been in any computer fields.. this would be a good way to go to learn??

 

The school I'm looking at has the IT degree with emphasis on Networking. After doing a little research, I think I like the Networking stuff the most. But again I'm still trying to figure this out.

 

Does networking have many job positions, and how's the pay?

 

If I go this route with the IT Degree, what other things could I take to get more indepth in the Networking?

 

It seems most people I ask about the IT, they are kind of beyond that. Most people say its a good stepping stone, but I don't hear people say thats what they have. Is this pretty much a low step on the ladder?

 

Sorry for all the questions, but I so need help.

[foodchain]

Thank you so much for taking the time out to repsond.

 

So basically for someone that is not in the field, and has never been in any computer fields.. this would be a good way to go to learn??

 

The school I'm looking at has the IT degree with emphasis on Networking. After doing a little research, I think I like the Networking stuff the most. But again I'm still trying to figure this out.

 

Does networking have many job positions, and how's the pay?

 

If I go this route with the IT Degree, what other things could I take to get more indepth in the Networking?

 

It seems most people I ask about the IT, they are kind of beyond that. Most people say its a good stepping stone, but I don't hear people say thats what they have. Is this pretty much a low step on the ladder?

 

Sorry for all the questions, but I so need help.

 

 

Look up and read IT job descriptions from say job search engines. They will give you industry desires for an employee in general, more so in a modern sense. I think the questions you ask are good questions actually, more so in light of degree choice or elective choices in college.

 

From what I know IT is a general term for a multitude and of course growing list of general tasks plus niche specialization, such as networks, or security.

[lukey]

Hey I'm not sure exactly what kind of job you're after but I'm doing a Bachelor of Business Information Systems which is like IT crossed with business, so you can still learn your IT stuff but also have skills in business-related fields, ie. management, economics, marketing

[Pangloss]

IT with business emphasis is big right now. One of the things that so often happens with business majors is that they really don't know IT, but IT is critical to basic business functioning these days. Your typical MBA-weilding manager is really pretty daft about what constitutes an efficient network, and his network is often one of the biggest cost-drains on his enterprise. If you can storm in there with a lot of IT knowledge AND a lot of business knowledge, you can really grab the bull by the horns. I've been suggesting to a lot of our BIT (bachelors in info tech) graduates that they pick up an MBA, which from what I've seen has got to be one of the easiest Masters degrees on the planet (a joke in many schools -- come on, 8 classes???) which gives them a very diverse background. Imagine the power of walking into an interview with a bachelors in IT and a masters in business administration. Very impressive. (This also applies strongly to the administration of network security, btw.)

 

Just to give you an idea of another direction IT folks can go with their careers, I have a BIT and a Masters in CIS (basically IT with a little more emphasis on CS theory and basic programming techniques), and I'm currently working on a PhD in Information Systems (an NSA-approved security-oriented program), and I had about 45 people in my class last term. Most of the students were in their late 30s and early 40s, and many of them are employees at such places as Raytheon, IBM Research, the Pentagon, Cisco, Microsoft, and so forth. They're not engineers or scientists, and they haven't been inventing products. They're network administrators, network security personnel, software testers, etc, who have decided to see if they can explore an academic level to cap off their careers. The main thing most of us will focus on after graduating is either teaching (that's me) or working on developing/supporting/implementing better IT security systems.

 

The point being that computer science is kind of an equal-opportunity arena. Everyone gets a chance to explore pretty much anything they want. That's one of the nice things about the field.