What do you do?

[tripwire45]

Since most of the communication cues we as humans depend upon are missing when using text only, I thought I'd try to add a bit of dimension by asking this.

For me, I am a midlife career changes. After losing my original career in psychology/social services three and a half years ago, I fell into a "temporary" job with the postal service to make ends meet...just until I found a new counseling job.

After a year of trying, I realized that I probably wasn't going to find anything in my original field that I could support my family on let alone actually enjoy, so I started looking for something else. My ex-neighbor suggested IT. After a brief flirtation with trying to study for the A+ having no technical background, I decided I would learn better in a group environment.

I explored my options and decided on a two year program offered by my local university. I was intimidated even by the thought of opening up a PC...afraid I'd break something and not be able to fix it...but once I worked up my nerve...I was hooked.

All during school, the postal service has kept me working full-time at one job or another and been gracious enough to accomodate my schedule (no, they're not hiring in their IT department...they're outsourcing). Well, as of next month, I graduate with my bachelor's in Computer Network Support. I've gotten my A+, Network+ and CCNA along the way and am considering an Linux LPI cert next (I must be allergic to MS or something). I've gotten a number of temp IT assignments but nothing that's enabled me to leave my "postal slave job" yet. Still getting calls and still submitting resumes, but it's all still in the realm of "possibility".

I've got my "blue shirt" on and am about to go out there and deliver mail in 90 plus degree F weather. I've put my calls into recruiters and left my cell phone number. Who knows? This could be "the day". There's a lot more detail but that would end up being a book and I didn't start this thread because "it's all about me". That's my story in brief.

You're turn.

[Jakamoko]

Tripwire - that was full, candid and upfront - I reckon a big respect from the rest of us

OK, since my name's above this particular door, here goes :_

Mid-thirty's, married-with-one. I also was a Postie for 2 years, so sympathies there. Then worked in music shop before bumming around Oz. On return, no work so did Biology degree at Uni - guess what :?: no work !
Then and since a van driver for fruit merchant. Realised that last chance was beckoning for "REAL" job, so turned computing hobby into Tech&Sys Engineer course with Nitlc. As a result, achieved lifetime's ambition of Moderator's position in here :P

Right then, let's be havin' the rest of you ......

[SiFor]

Guess it’s my turn.

Well had a number of dead end jobs such as warehouse worker and forklift truck driver but realised there had to be a better way to earn some magic beans so decided to make some changes. Bought a PC with my saving and skipped off to the local library and found some books on MS office. Learned all I could from limited recourses and luckily landed a job as a trainee IT tutor teaching others the basics on operating a PC. Did all manner of different courses ranging from a teaching diploma to website design.

Did that for 3 years and over the time moved into maintaining the company network and the 50 PC's within the company and developed my teaching towards PC maintenance. Then Jan of this year was made redundant and found although i had the knowledge I didn’t have the bits of paper to prove it, luckily again. I landed a job working for a local regeneration scheme working as an IT technician in a school with the company offering to pay for my training, so that landed on a course with NITLC. This forum then followed from my requests for help on the NITLC forum being lost in the day to day posting where there still sat unanswered today.

[AndyL]

Well, (Very) late 30s and married with two, I had worked in the copier industry, first as a lab technician and then for 15 years as a Service Engineer and latterly a Service Manager for all my working life. I was becoming more interested in the networks I was installing printers/copiers on than the copiers themselves. A takeover, promotion and a (small) nervous breakdown later I decided to do my MCSE. I landed a job in IT working for a largish Estate Agency after doing my first MCP and 4 weeks later my previous employer went bust!

I've been in IT for nearly 2 years now and I (mostly) love it.

Hope to pass 70-224 tomorrow and attain the coveted MCSE.

[Jakamoko]

Best of luck tomorrow, AndyL - let us know ASAP !


NEXT ....

[Luton Bee]

First off good luck to Andy with the 224!!!

Heres me.....

35 married (second time) no kids yet but two cats. Left school with 2 GCSE's and two o'level results I have still to this day never received! Went straight to work as a porter in a wharehouse for a department store. Worked at that for 18 months the became a security guard. Several companies, a brief and unsecessful sojourn into retail management, and 12 years later I got a job as a delivery driver for a car parts distributor I went on to sell the parts before arriving at my present employers as a storesman. When the Network Administrator left they asked me if I would like to have a go as they knew me as a "keen dabbler" who had helped the NetAdmin before. Nearly bit there hand off! Went to evening class, obtained a City & Guilds Level 3 qualification as an "IT Support and Service Practitioner" (ITSSP). Really enjoyed the learning and got talking one day to a mate down the pub who was on a web design course with NITLC. I signed up and work promply offer to pay the fees so here I am.

Hobbies are Football, Real ale (no not a sandal wearing Camra buff) and golf.

[Phil]

I'd like to echo everybody else and say good luck with 224 Andy.

so, about me. I'm 33 and work as a System Engineer for a company which has just opened a new site this year, they were foolish enough to leave me to play with all the computer kit there.

I got my MCSE a couple of years ago when I was doing PC/Server support on an outsourced contract. Day to day it didn't get any more interesting than sorting out office and printer problems and I was bored out of my skull, only problem was job applications didn't even get a first lookin let alone an interview so I decided to get my backside in gear and do what I'd been threatening to do for years, do some exams. Within 3 weeks of completing the MCSE I had a new job and the rest as they say, is history everybody moans on the forums that the MCSE has lost all meaning and credibility but in my experience that bit of paper gets your foot in the door, the rest is up to you, show them you know what you're on about and they'll probably give you a job.

[SiFor]

Originally Posted by AndyL

Hope to pass 70-224 tomorrow and attain the coveted MCSE.

GOOD LUCK Andy, let us know how you got on

PS keep this thread going, come on there must be more

[tripwire45]

A belated good luck, Andy. O, I forgot...married (one and only one time) with three...twin boys and a girl...all teens. I'll accept condolences at any time.

[Sandy]

I fell into IT in my early 20's I was working for a small electronics firm looking after their stock control. They decided to computerise and I was given the task of setting the thing up. From there are moved to a larger company who made frozen foods and got involved in a bigger stock control system and help set that up. Then off to Ernst & Young when I spent two years in their "Micro Computer Consultancy" full of accountants advising clients on computing but, who never had installed one so I was enployed to look at the pratical side of things.

From there I left with my boss to work in a small computer reseller where I did everything from make the coffee to pre sales support to writing proposals to doing demos to installing to training to helpdesk work.

My next move was to a bigger reseller when I spent 5 years installing, training, providing help desk support and suggesting to the development team what they should be writing. That firm was bought out by a huge UK IT firm who wanted to make loads of money so I left as soon as I possibly could.

The next job was a bit of a disaster IT Manager of an organisation who had old kit and refused to spent a € on IT so nursed the system till I left.

My current job is wonderfull I am in the systems support team for the biggest network in Europe. Spend my time sorting out the problems that other IT teams have caused!

[Rosy]

Ok here goes...

I'm early 20s, and no children to date. I studied Health and Social Care and started a training course to become a counsellor only to then be told that I was too young to move on to the 2nd year (thanks for telling me at the start hey!).

I then worked part-time in a shop and studied basic psychology and sociology before landing a trainee IT tutor/admin post at the same place as our ~Sifor~. At this stage my IT knowledge was less than basic so I was put through all the software qualifications and teaching qualification, etc. Had to work long, slogging hours and recieved very little pay and / or respect in return.

Got made redundant and fell into another training job the same month. I am now working for the same company and have progressed from a basic trainer to Co-ordinate the training and seeking out courses/materials/funding, etc and have been promoted again to Manager this month - so I know have to look after the centre and staff - oh and still do my other 2 old roles in case I get bored .

I am still studying - at the moment a lot of Business and Management type training but would like to look at the hardware side to computers somewhere in the (distant) future so that I have at least got some idea!!!

Next...

[Jakamoko]

Reckon Nelix is conspicuous in his absence - come on, Nelix - you're up !

[AJ]

OK then here goes.

I am 37 year young and I have been married to Yvonne (my wife obviously) for the past 16 years and we have 2 children (11 and 9). I first started my working life woking for the NAAFI running the bar in London (hated it). Then moved back upto Northampton and after various other jobs started woking at a leisure centre. Worked my way upto Assistant Manager and was involved in the installation of the Centre's PC network.

I then realised that I would like to "get into IT" and enrolled with NITLC. Currently completed 210, 215, 216, 217, 218 and 219. Working towards 224. Now employed as Assistant Network Manager at Oundle School (yes the big posh public school). This also includes the telephone network as well.

Just to rub salt into the wounds, the summer holidays are upon us and the school has now closed down until September. We are still in at the school for this week and then 6, yes that's 6, weeks off. It's a hard life.

Regards

Andrew

Andrew

[Jakamoko]

<Note to self: remove all references to AndrewJ character> :snipersm:

[Nelix]

Ok, You asked and i shall deliver.

31 years young on the 14th of this month, been living with girlfriend for about 8 or 9 years now, 3 kids. I left school with por results and went straight onto a YTS course (youth training scheme) in IT, only basic IT but it was a start This was before windows so it gave me a fair knowledge in DOS which is quiet handy now, whilst on the YTS i was sent on loads of work placements, non of which had anything to do with IT, they ranged from working in the test lads of a battery factory to doing some filing for a charted accountant. Finished the YTS with very goog results but I was young and stupid and thought i would take some time out and was unemployed for a good few years, during this time i landed a fiddle job in the computer shop round the corner from where I lived, and decided that IT was going nowhere(STUPID, STUPID ME) so went to college to do a course in motor vehicle body repair and spray painting passed the exams with destinction on all papers and went to work in various garages for the next few years, during this time I also worked on a night (and sometimes days) for a promotions company doing everything from compaeing fashion shows, Karaoke, DJ'ing even gave mobile phones away in night clubs and shopping centres, then due to us buying a second hand computer about 4 or 5 years ago and got connected to the web i sparked up a conversation with a guy down south and he got me intersted in networking by telling me about the things he could do on his home network, he seemed very brainy, about 2 years ago we bought our first house and gutted the place, so before the walls were skimmed i installed all the Cat5 cable for my home network, girlfriend was not amused, bought a second computer and printer, plugged them all in and thought this is easy i should get qualified, and thats how i ended up with Nitlc, and found out that it's not as easy as i had first thought, been on the course about a year now so i am way behind in my studies, the problem i have is that i have discovered that i learn better and quicker in a class room environment, so i am struggling at the moment.

I am now working for The Labour Party in the IT department (Helpdesk), was in london yesterday for a garden party at No.10 Downing Street and met Tony and the wife, when i first went in i was offered a half pint glass with lager in and i never had an empty glass after that they were just walking round and i could take one mouthful then someone would come over and top me up, it was like that all day, so as you can imagine i was really pi**ed , me Pi**ed :drunk in the gardens of number 10, can you believe it.

Well thats about it, sorry if i went on a bit, but now you know

:multi

P.S. Have got a pic of me with Tony if you want to see it, met John prescott too, I also rang the bell at number 11 then ran way ha ha ha