Getting back into IT - options

newventure

Hello

I am an IT graduate. I graduated nearly 20 years ago but moved into other areas since then.

I am now thinking of getting back into it.

What free course options are out there that I could do to refresh? I am qualified to post grad level so not sure if those IT conversion courses would be available to me.

I am based in the west so I presume Galway is my best option though the traffic turns me off as I would be nearly an hour away anyway.

Has anyone moved into IT lately? Are there really plenty of job opportunities?

I have never been motivated by a big salary. A good work life balance with flexi and good annual leave appeal most.

Thank you

OMM 0000

IT is a big area.

What would you like to do?

MarinersBlues

newventure wrote: »

Hello

I am an IT graduate. I graduated nearly 20 years ago but moved into other areas since then.

I am now thinking of getting back into it.

What free course options are out there that I could do to refresh? I am qualified to post grad level so not sure if those IT conversion courses would be available to me.

I am based in the west so I presume Galway is my best option though the traffic turns me off as I would be nearly an hour away anyway.

Has anyone moved into IT lately? Are there really plenty of job opportunities?

I have never been motivated by a big salary. A good work life balance with flexi and good annual leave appeal most.

Thank you

You should still look at the springboard courses.
They are very good and practically free.
Many can be taken in a part-time basis.

There are loads of free/cheap but quality online courses available in multiple fields.
As noted before, for more practical advice you would need to narrow down the area of interest

newventure

Thanks for replies.

I have no idea really what I might be interested in. I do like web development and seeing a finished product. It would also allow me to do design for voluntary/community organisations or just myself.

Im my degree I did C, Java, Telecomns and web development.

Looking at job options it is very hard to know what might suit until you would get stuck into a company and see what the work environment is like.

I did do some experience while in college with a company making changes to code and then testing it but when I graduated the IT bubble had burst and I went in a different direction.

I'd like the option of a course that would have potential employers lined up to give me a trial/taste of the work.

I see GMIT have the following course with a work experience element.
HIGHER DIPLOMA IN SCIENCE IN COMPUTING (SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT) - ICT SKILLS

MarinersBlues

Yep and if Galway suits NUIG have this full-time course with three months placement

http://www.nuigalway.ie/courses/taught-postgraduate-courses/softwaredesignanddevelopmenthdipappscindustrystream/

They are good starting points for general coding work.
I think your placement should/will influence what languages you focus on when studying.

The part-time/online nature of the GMIT course can be very attractive depending on your circumstances.

OMM 0000

I don't think you need another qualification.

I feel like you should expose yourself to as many IT areas a possible and figure out which one you want to do.

Network Administration
QA
Software Development
Manager
Product Manager
Support
...

You can then self learn one of these topics.

newventure

The Network Admin possibly does appeal. I like the idea of moving around the office and meeting different people. I am not sure if I could be desk bound for long periods.

I am in my early 40s with young family so I need to get this move right.

I have also thought about the civil service as its work life balance appeals and the possibility of having a shorter commute but the job options could be just general admin. The pay would be poorer but I am very attracted to the flexi time and options for term time leave.

Thanks for responses.

mloc123

newventure wrote: »

The Network Admin possibly does appeal. I like the idea of moving around the office and meeting different people. I am not sure if I could be desk bound for long periods.

Not what a net admin does. You are really describing a help desk or desktop admin role there.

ted1

Data analyst is a short course people are crying out for

Horusire

ted1 wrote: »

Data analyst is a short course people are crying out for

Do you work in the field ted? Missus has her eye on this course in GMIT and I am wondering how hard it would be to get into these roles without a background in IT

newventure

What exactly would one be doing in data analytics? Would you be desk bound primarily?

I have a feeling a lot of these jobs are Dublin based.

I am a hour commute from Galway. That is before I take traffic into account. It could turn into a very long day.

What sort of annual leave is the norm in IT - 25 days?

I know the salary can be good but commute length and cost can quickly add up.

I guess a lot of people are working remotely too.

I have 6 years done in college so the idea of doing another course with no job guarantee is a worry.

iLikeWaffles

eCollege have Java courses. With your degree experience you would fly through those. There is a whole range of IT related online courses available on eCollege. They are free to Job Seekers but there is the option to pay for the exam also if you are employed. The only thing is they're non classroom but there is support from tutors if you need it, based in Maynooth I think. It is interactive learning and you can do it in your own time.

There is Python and HTML5 courses on eCollege there also. Python would be very popular these days would be a good thing to have on your CV!

Codecademy is also pretty good to refresh skills.

MarinersBlues

newventure wrote: »

What exactly would one be doing in data analytics? Would you be desk bound primarily?

I have a feeling a lot of these jobs are Dublin based.

I am a hour commute from Galway. That is before I take traffic into account. It could turn into a very long day.

What sort of annual leave is the norm in IT - 25 days?

I know the salary can be good but commute length and cost can quickly add up.

I guess a lot of people are working remotely too.

I have 6 years done in college so the idea of doing another course with no job guarantee is a worry.

You are asking all of the wrong questions without paying any heed to the questions that have been advised to you.

You need to decide on what skill-set you have or could acquire.

When you have successfully convinced a company you will be of use to them, then worry about your annual leave and working from home.