Change of Career, Where To Start?

Currently I am in the British Armed forces and I am due to be medically discharged within the next 6-12 months. I currently work in telecommunications, where i've gained a small amount of experience working on a help desk environment as well as basic networking. I want to change my career to become a system's administrator or something along them lines.

Currently I don't have any IT qualifications, except for level 1 and 2 ECDL qualifications, are these worth anything? I am currently reading the MTA Microsoft Networking essentials book 98-366 (I think), I will be taking this exam in 3-4 weeks. Through work I am attending a 10 day CCENT and CCNA course in July, that will be the next step. I also want to study CompTIA A+ and Linux+, do I need to do N+ before CCNA if I'm doing the Microsoft MTA one? Once i've done these qualifications I then plan on moving onto MCSA in Windows Servers 2012, or/and possibly MCSA Windows 7.

This is currently my plan, can anyone recommend anything else I could do, or anything I shouldn't do that i've suggested? Also, what is the best way to study for these qualifications and where can I find all the best materials to learn?

I hope this makes sense,

Stephen.

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SweenMachine

urstuffplz1 wrote: »

Currently I am in the British Armed forces and I am due to be medically discharged within the next 6-12 months. I currently work in telecommunications, where i've gained a small amount of experience working on a help desk environment as well as basic networking. I want to change my career to become a system's administrator or something along them lines.

Currently I don't have any IT qualifications, except for level 1 and 2 ECDL qualifications, are these worth anything? I am currently reading the MTA Microsoft Networking essentials book 98-366 (I think), I will be taking this exam in 3-4 weeks. Through work I am attending a 10 day CCENT and CCNA course in July, that will be the next step. I also want to study CompTIA A+ and Linux+, do I need to do N+ before CCNA if I'm doing the Microsoft MTA one? Once i've done these qualifications I then plan on moving onto MCSA in Windows Servers 2012, or/and possibly MCSA Windows 7.

This is currently my plan, can anyone recommend anything else I could do, or anything I shouldn't do that i've suggested? Also, what is the best way to study for these qualifications and where can I find all the best materials to learn?

I hope this makes sense,

Stephen.

You don't need to do anything in front of any of those certifications.. Your plan is WAY all over the map. I don't think it's a bad thing, but if you want to go into Sys admin Networking/Cisco is not your path..

If you are planning on getting an entry cert for networking, I would pass the MTA for the Net + --- I have the MTA, it was a nice cert as far as picking up fundamentals but it doesn't have the 'acclaim' as the net + (if that is such a thing) - Plus the Net+ is a more difficult cert than the MTA.. I do like the MTA book for networking essential information, but there is NO ROI on that cert. ZERO

If you are taking the CCENT and CCNA bootcamp in July; I wouldn't bother with the MTA to be honest... but this is a networking path, not a sys admin path...

The MCSA in Win 7 probably won't help you much in a sys admin role OR networking path, so I wouldn't even worry about that..

I would really pick a path and shoot for that, jack of all trades is rough, trust me on that, I am there right now

-scott

Asif Dasl

ECDL is not worth much in the IT world. I would skip MTA to be honest if you haven't paid for the exam already. Do the CCNA, then I would go with MCSA: Windows 7 and then MCSA: Server 2012 - knowing both sides to client-server is useful. The CCNA will give you a good background with networking over and above the MTA & Network+. Network+ has to be renewed so you might as well go with CCNA because you have to renew that as well.

I kinda disagree with SweenMachine about it being all over the place in some respect, in Europe companies are generally smaller and it's good to have some knowledge across the Sys Admin / Net Admin boundaries. I personally don't think it's a bad thing to go down both MCSA & CCNA routes as you may find you like one over the other and then you can specialise by going MCSE or doing the CCNP.

But where you are all over the place is in regards to also doing Linux+, I would pick one or the other, that is, Linux or Windows and not spread yourself too thin across technologies. Nobody can know or be an expert at everything. As you get more experienced, cool, pick up skills across Windows & Linux. But starting out I would choose one OS with entry-level networking.

My 0.02 cents.

urstuffplz1

Asif Dasl wrote: »

ECDL is not worth much in the IT world. I would skip MTA to be honest if you haven't paid for the exam already. Do the CCNA, then I would go with MCSA: Windows 7 and then MCSA: Server 2012 - knowing both sides to client-server is useful. The CCNA will give you a good background with networking over and above the MTA & Network+. Network+ has to be renewed so you might as well go with CCNA because you have to renew that as well.

I kinda disagree with SweenMachine about it being all over the place in some respect, in Europe companies are generally smaller and it's good to have some knowledge across the Sys Admin / Net Admin boundaries. I personally don't think it's a bad thing to go down both MCSA & CCNA routes as you may find you like one over the other and then you can specialise by going MCSE or doing the CCNP.

But where you are all over the place is in regards to also doing Linux+, I would pick one or the other, that is, Linux or Windows and not spread yourself too thin across technologies. Nobody can know or be an expert at everything. As you get more experienced, cool, pick up skills across Windows & Linux. But starting out I would choose one OS with entry-level networking.

My 0.02 cents.

Thank you for the reply.

What qualifications would you recommend I do to become a system's admin?

The reason I would like to do CCNA, and then moving onto MCSA in Widows 7 and Windows Server 2012 is because i'd like a firm knowledge of both of these subjects. I am interested in both of these, and in the future I may want to go either MCSE or CCNP, but not entirely sure until i've done the jobs and earnt some experience doing both.

The only reason I suggested doing Linux+ is because I am studying with the Open University and one of my modules covers Linux, and they recommend from what we learn on this part of the module we could take this exam. I through maybe it would be good to have a little knowledge (and the cert to show) that I understand the fundamentals of the Linux OS. I don't wish to take this further as of yet.

From what i've read so far, i'm going to skip the MTA exam and not bother with it. I will finish the book however so i've got the knowledge. I think after that I may read the N+ book to again, learn the knowledge and it's will be beneficial to me for when I come to do the CCNA course i've been put on. Once i've done this, would you recommend I do A+ before moving onto studying for my MCSA exams?

Is there anything else you can recommend to me?

Thank you for the reply again,

Stephen.

urstuffplz1

SweenMachine wrote: »

You don't need to do anything in front of any of those certifications.. Your plan is WAY all over the map. I don't think it's a bad thing, but if you want to go into Sys admin Networking/Cisco is not your path..

If you are planning on getting an entry cert for networking, I would pass the MTA for the Net + --- I have the MTA, it was a nice cert as far as picking up fundamentals but it doesn't have the 'acclaim' as the net + (if that is such a thing) - Plus the Net+ is a more difficult cert than the MTA.. I do like the MTA book for networking essential information, but there is NO ROI on that cert. ZERO

If you are taking the CCENT and CCNA bootcamp in July; I wouldn't bother with the MTA to be honest... but this is a networking path, not a sys admin path...

The MCSA in Win 7 probably won't help you much in a sys admin role OR networking path, so I wouldn't even worry about that..

I would really pick a path and shoot for that, jack of all trades is rough, trust me on that, I am there right now

-scott

Thank you for the reply.

You're saying I don't need to do anything in front of these certs, do you mean CCNA and MCSA? If so, why not? Surely doing the lesser courses such as A+ and N+ will surely give me a good grasp of knowledge i'll need in order to study the higher level certs?

That makes sense about not doing MTA, to which I won't bother with the exam now. I will just finish the book, and then read the N+ book (not doing the exams), so I at least benefit from them as i'll learn stuff i'll need to move onto the higher certs such as CCNA.

The problem i've got is I don't really know what I want to specialise in. I don't know if I want to go the networking route or the systems route. I was thinking doing these certs would give me the knowledge i'd need for the jobs, and potentially carry on to CCNP or MCSE in the future.

Thank you for the reply again,

Stephen.

wallpaper_01

Decide what you want to do, sys admin would probably not need CCNA but Network+ would be handy. MCSA Windows Server 2012 would be a good cert for a sys admin. I want to move into Networking but im doing MCSA just to basically get me through the door, like Asif says, the lines blur a bit in the UK so the Network+ and MCSA would work out well. CCNA is maybe not needed for a sys admin but if you got a 10 day course on it why not!

Yeah Network+ before CCNA would be best. I did that, N+ is a decent cert for foundation knowledge. Takes about a month to do.

urstuffplz1

wallpaper_01 wrote: »

Decide what you want to do, sys admin would probably not need CCNA but Network+ would be handy. MCSA Windows Server 2012 would be a good cert for a sys admin. I want to move into Networking but im doing MCSA just to basically get me through the door, like Asif says, the lines blur a bit in the UK so the Network+ and MCSA would work out well. CCNA is maybe not needed for a sys admin but if you got a 10 day course on it why not!

Yeah Network+ before CCNA would be best. I did that, N+ is a decent cert for foundation knowledge. Takes about a month to do.

Thank you aswell for a quick reply.

Tonight has certainly helped me out, as i've been researching alot and i'm not totally sure. This is certainly clearing my mind up and getting my plan down on paper better. The CCNA course is also free, I should mention, which is why I want to do it.

My course isn't until the 14th of July, so i've got plenty of time to study for N+. Would it be worth taking the exam? Again, I can do this for free due to allowances.

Asif Dasl

If Linux+ is part of the Open University then go for it, but I wouldn't have done it by itself (unless you wanted to go the linux admin route). MCSA & CCNA is a great combo for entry level positions, and before you go with MCSE or CCNP you are going to need real world job experience and you won't really know what you truly love to do, probably until you get there are doing it day-in day-out. CCNA might be more than you need for a Sys Admin job, BUT if you are working in a MSP, then being multi-skilled could be very useful. Good luck with the studies!

wallpaper_01

urstuffplz1 wrote: »

Thank you aswell for a quick reply.

Tonight has certainly helped me out, as i've been researching alot and i'm not totally sure. This is certainly clearing my mind up and getting my plan down on paper better. The CCNA course is also free, I should mention, which is why I want to do it.

My course isn't until the 14th of July, so i've got plenty of time to study for N+. Would it be worth taking the exam? Again, I can do this for free due to allowances.

Yeah you could take the exam, you never know who it could be recognised by (employer) and it will cement in your mind if you pass that you know your stuff with that exam. If you started now you could easily get it done before CCNA.

As for Linux+ you mentioned. I looked into that and it looks like a good cert to start on Linux but it looks A LOT more work than Network+. You would need at least 3 months my guess.