req: IT Management course advise

tw0nk

Hi all, I currently hold a 2.2 degree in computer systems , I want to further my potential for advancing up the careers ladder in the next few years and I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions?

Maybe a business management course or IT management course, any ideas which ones are best or which ones are reputable?

Thanks in advance.

Eoin

Are you currently working in the IT area, or have you just graduated?If you don't have any experience, then this should be your first goal. If you do have experience, do you have experience as a team leader or senior <job role> in your field?

What area of IT management do you want to move into? Project / development management, IT support management?

If you are looking at IT Support Management, then ITIL (I think it stands for: Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is definitely one to consider. It is basically process driven methods to run your IT support organisation. Boring as hell, but worth it as it is fast becoming a standard across the IT world.

tw0nk

Yup im currently working as a software developer, happy in my job, i just want to better myself with further qualifications, ones that would help me get into management in either development or architecture.

I dont think IT support would suit me, my degree concentrates on development, its what im comfortable with.

Eoin

tw0nk wrote:

Yup im currently working as a software developer, happy in my job, i just want to better myself with further qualifications, ones that would help me get into management in either development or architecture.

Alright, well you could look at generic management courses, or maybe at development methodologies. If you are looking to go down the management route, then obviously technical skills are less important than methodologies. UML is one example, personally I hated every second of the course I was on, but it could be worth while. See if there are any courses (maybe 3 day type courses that work may pay for) that deal specifically with the project lifecycle.

tw0nk wrote:

I dont think IT support would suit me, my degree concentrates on development, its what im comfortable with.

Good choice - finally got out of Software Support & Maintenance and back into development/

WhiteWashMan

look at one of the industry standard practises for project managment, such as prince2.

look at some management or business studies courses.

it really depends on what you want to do...

Gegerty

What about the microsoft exams in design and architure? That will at least get you on the management ladder.

tw0nk

Are the microsoft exams only recognised by microsoft or are the exams an industry standard?

I was looking at some night courses in some of the Dublin colleges, they are priced ok, from about 300 upwards, but im kind of worried that il be competing with people who have masters and postgrads alongside their degrees.

Eoin

tw0nk wrote:

Are the microsoft exams only recognised by microsoft or are the exams an industry standard?

How do you mean? You are only getting a certification from Microsoft, not any HEA type organisation, but that Certification in itself is recognised industry wide.

tw0nk wrote:

I was looking at some night courses in some of the Dublin colleges, they are priced ok, from about 300 upwards, but im kind of worried that il be competing with people who have masters and postgrads alongside their degrees.

You aren't competing against other people on the course, so their qualifications doesn't come into it at all.

tw0nk

I was just reading up on Prince 2 there, seems pretty good, http://www.cti.ie/prince2.htm , have any of you done prince 2? is it a recognised standard in the irish software industry?

Sorry for all the questions!

tw0nk

eoin_s wrote:

How do you mean? You are only getting a certification from Microsoft, not any HEA type organisation, but that Certification in itself is recognised industry wide.

Thats what I wanted to know, that other companies recognise it and not just microsoft.

eoin_s wrote:

You aren't competing against other people on the course, so their qualifications doesn't come into it at all.

oh i was talking about competing with people for jobs, not in the course, i mean i may be going up against people with masters etc when all will have is a degree and some other courses, ya know what i mean?

Eoin

tw0nk wrote:

Thats what I wanted to know, that other companies recognise it and not just microsoft.

Yeah, MS certification is defintely recognised in the industry.

tw0nk wrote:

oh i was talking about competing with people for jobs, not in the course, i mean i may be going up against people with masters etc when all will have is a degree and some other courses, ya know what i mean?

I know what you mean, but for me experience wins over qualifications each time.

Failing that, I would prefer certification in a specific area rather than a general qualification...

tw0nk

I see what you mean, so specialise yourself as much as possible, you are limiting your options but are making yourself much more hire-able for that area. Thanks for input everyone, im gonna have to research this a good deal more, i had it in my mind to just do some sort of management course and then that alone would somehow make me stand out from the crowd etc.

nesf

For just a basic Management qualification look at the OU's cert course for it. Linkage


You ideally would do it part time while getting experience working in the field you want to manage. If you want to manage for a specific area then you should get some grassroots experience first. It will make you a better manager imo.

rick_fantastic

there is a masters course in dit aungier st called

"strategic management for information technology"

might b worth a look