Ordinary Degree in Computer Networking - Job Advice

offalyguy25

Hi i was hoping maybe someone could help me out here, I have just completed a 3 yr BSc in Computer Network Administration, and was wondering where to go from here? Im a mature student, 32 yrs old, and there is a 4th year that has now been added for the Hons Degree, but i dont know if i want to do another year as I have been back at education for the last 5 years, Before this course i did a cert and city & guilds diploma in IT. That was a 2 year course. I could also cross over and do 4th year in software engineering, which would mean spending the summer studying Java etc, so I am not sure what route to take, as i dont know if i could even get a decent job with the qualifications that i have. I have no certification in Microsoft etc, and no hands on experience as such in the Industry. I have always had a keen interest in computers, small bits of repair and trouble shooting, and I enjoy it. WHat options are open to me? Jobs wise, etc, or would there be anyone willing to take me on and give me a chance? Is the FAS intern setup any good?
ANy help would be great, thank you,
Hopefully ive posted this thread in the right place,

Cheers

druidhill

My 2 cents - stay on and get your Honours degree. A lot of bigger organisations look for it. It is an extra year, true, but it will be a lot harder to start back into it once you go away from it. Yes, you are a mature student, but I don't see your age (32 is not exactly one foot in the grave now is it?) being a problem with employers. They will be more interested in what you did and what skills you acquired before moving into this area.

Software engineering and Computer Network Administration are two very different fields (as I'm sure you are aware), I'm actually surprised you can cross over to it in Year 4, there must be quite a lot of common subjects in the first two years or something. More importantly, why are you considering moving on from Computer Network Administration in your last year? Do you not like it? Do what interests you the most. I know the jobs market seems to be looking more promising for software engineers, but if you're heart is not in it, it's always a bad choice in my book.

From your username, I'll assume you are midlands based and so jobs will be very limited - you will have better luck in Galway or Dublin.

The FAS internship would probably be ideal for someone like you (or at least in theory you are supposed to be the type of person it was designed to help). Choose your sponsor company wisely would be the only advice I could give here.

All I can say is if I were in your situation, I would get my Honours degree and take it from there. Ultimately, the choice will be yours.

offalyguy25

cheers druidhill, the networking is ok, it just seems to be harder to get an entry level job in it, even with an honours degree, unless you have a lot of other certs to go with it, such as microsoft certification and SQL knowledge etc (to even get work as a tech support),
i dont have any extra certs, is it tough to acquire them?
my hands on experience is very limited also, which is why i was thinking of the FAS intern route, where you would get taken on by a company and get trained on the job so to speak.
Seems to be a lot harder to come out of college and into a networking job than it is to get into a software job, but yes its a valid point you make, they are 2 totally different fields of work.
Sometimes i wonder if i made the right choice to do networking, but then its too late to start over now also, as i couldnt do another 3 or 4 years studying something else. There is an awful lot of variety in the IT industry, i suppose im just not sure which way to go with it,
Thanks for your reply though, much appreciated

druidhill

Hey, just wondering what route you took on this in the end, did you transfer over to the Year 4 software engineering course or did you go the FAS internship route?

T-K-O

When I was in college the ordinary degree was a diploma. From an employers perspective not as appealing as a degree..