Should I go back to college?

Jfla

A bit of advise needed. I'm 23, working in manufacturing and I'm want to go into IT. I have a higer cert in computer engineering. I've appluied to go back to college full time in september to get the ordinary degree. I have to pay full fees which will be €3000. My current employer wants me to stay. He says he will fund any IT coarse's I want to do in New horizons. CCNA, Unix fundiments certified ethical hacker etc. Is an ordinary degree going to help me break into IT or am I better off following the certs path?

Static M.e.

Is an ordinary degree going to help me break into IT or am I better off following the certs path?

Just my opinion but why not do both?

At the present you doing Certs will get you an entry level IT job? Thats not really a problem.

Its later on in life when your 26/28 that you will wish you had that degree, to move forward in the top positions or management you will definatly need a primary degree at the least but more likely a masters. Dont get me wrong alot of people have moved up and their are always expections to the rule but as a general rule you will need one.

Without a degree you will need experiance, heck even with a degree you will still need experiance.

How much experiance do you currently have?
What can you currently do?
What would you like to do?

You need to start working in IT to get experiance which will help you decide where you want to go in IT but I would also urge you to do the Degree course part time. It will stand to you in the End.

Tom Dunne

I would completely agree with what Static said.

To get anywhere you will need the degree+experience+IT certifications, as I am finding out now.

Sounds like you have a good employer - stick with him and do the degree part-time, then do the certifications.

~~SKYHIGH~~

Do Your degree lad!

Tomy:)