H Dip in Information Technology

Emee123

Hi guys,

I'm coming to the end of my Arts degree in NUI Maynooth and was looking for some advice on the I.T conversion course that's offered here.

I've already applied for the Professional Masters in Education (post-primary teaching) but from what I've been reading and hearing the job market in teaching is dire at the moment. My subjects (History and Geography) would not be in high demand either. Ideally, I'd love to teach but I think its important to keep my options open and there seems to be plenty of work in the I.T sector.

Would some one with my Arts background struggle with this one year course? I'd have no previous knowledge of I.T but I would consider myself a hard worker and eager to learn.

Thanks for the help.

Arkady

For some reason some people seem to think an IT career suits anyone. It doesn't, far from it.

There's work, but you have to be suited to it, and have an interest and aptitude for it. Unless you're the type of person who, along with your interest in the arts, also likes messing about with the workings of software and networks at home in your spare time, just for the sake of it, it's unlikely you'll be that successful at it as a career, because the successful people you will be competing with on a day to day basis at work are actually into IT, and it's hard, complex work with long hours.

Are you sure you can do this, i.e. sit at a computer, sorting out obscure software problems 40 hours a week day in day out ? I'm not saying this to be unkind, I'm saying this to save you wasting at least months, if not a year of your life working this out for yourself.

You might pass the course, but you'll be in for a rude awaking in your first job, if you can get one. IT Interviewers can quickly smell out the people with a genuine interest in IT and software.

Emee123

Thanks for the reply.

I just see it as an excellent opportunity to develop a skill set that I don't have which could come in useful down the line.

The course seems intensive. Maybe I'm a bit crazy for considering it, but the thoughts of having a higher diploma come next summer is still highly attractive.

As you said, entering the jobs market might be tough but I'd still fancy my chances better there then trying to get a permanent teaching job.

You've given me plenty of food for thought.

Cheers

Mr_Muffin

Anything that will be taught in the course can be found online for free through free MOOCs, tutorials, coding websites such as code academy etc.

I'm not suggesting you learn Independently but a good Idea would be to find out exactly what subjects you will he covering and have a look over them online and see if anything grabs your attention. IT is very broad and offers many different routes into industry.

Tom Dunne

In addition to what has been said above, you also need to consider it from an employers perspective - who would you hire somebody who has spent four years studying ICT/Computer Science, or somebody who has studied a different field and spent one year on a conversion diploma?