28y M, changing careers - best route to network engineering?

bacchus2015

First post here.

I'm a 28 year old male living near Birmingham (England). I left my job in the legal sector recently and I am looking to start a new career in IT - specifically I would like to eventually work as a network engineer/3rd line engineer - my ultimate goal would be a CCIE certification and a job working on that level of expertise.

My level of IT knowledge is fairly basic - I recently completed the A+ and Network+ certifications in my own spare time - other than that I have 'high school' level qualifications that mean nothing and I did not study for a degree of any kind. All of my life's work experience so far has been in the legal sector which I gained no IT experience from.

So where do I go from here? Is gaining experience in a 1st line support role the best course of action? I have looked at getting a job as a helpdesk/1st line support analyst and other entry level roles but even they seem to require experience in similar roles? I am finding it hard to find vacancies that take people with no experience, even though I have A+/Network+.

What is the route I should take from this point? Should I start studying for CCNA now (I have heard that it is best to skip CCENT as it is combined with CCNA anyway)? Will employers ever take a new employee that has ZERO real world work experience in IT if they have CCNA or other certifications?

A lot of job vacancies I read up on for network engineers are also looking for experience with other vendors and platforms and most are looking for experience dealing with Microsoft Active Server/SQL etc. What is the best way to gain knowledge/certification for these?

To try and trim my post down a bit, I'm just looking for the answer for these:

For someone with no work experience, but has A+/Network+, what is the best route to take with the end goal of becoming a 3rd line/network engineer?
What other certifications aside from CCNA/CCNP are beneficial and attractive to potential employers? What group of certifications will make me looking the most attractive as a potential employee for a network engineer role?
What kind of entry level roles/experience should I be applying for with a view to eventually working as a 3rd line support network engineer?
How can I possibly get any kind of IT role, entry level or otherwise as a 28 year old guy with no prior experience

I think my age is a big disadvantage as a lot of entry level/apprenticeship IT support roles are looking for people "fresh out of high school/college"?

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Comments

Cyberscum

I will answers 2 of the 30 questions you have. Getting your CCNA will only help your situation. Your age is not an issue.

Dyasis

Yeah don't worry about your age, you are still young! How are things financially? Meaning are you able to start someplace to gain experience with low pay?

bacchus2015

Dyasis wrote: »

Yeah don't worry about your age, you are still young! How are things financially? Meaning are you able to start someplace to gain experience with low pay?

Yes I'm stable enough to gain experience on a lower pay. I don't mind volunteering but for me to put something meaningful on my resume/CV, I would say I should be aiming at entry level 1st line helpdesk/support type roles - I can't think of anywhere that would take on a 28 year old guy just to do that? If it was for work experience and I was 15-16 that's different but I think I'm going to have to take a different approach.

I guess I should be looking at either low paid/part-time/volunteering (if possible) in a 1st line support role whilst studying for CCNA and other certifications and either a) take on a better paid role or promotion within that company or start applying elsewhere once I'm certificated for CCNA and rely on 6-12 months experience in an entry level role hoping that my CCNA and other certification combined with a bit of experience in the sector will open a door or two?

thomas_

bacchus2015 wrote: »

Yes I'm stable enough to gain experience on a lower pay. I don't mind volunteering but for me to put something meaningful on my resume/CV, I would say I should be aiming at entry level 1st line helpdesk/support type roles - I can't think of anywhere that would take on a 28 year old guy just to do that? If it was for work experience and I was 15-16 that's different but I think I'm going to have to take a different approach.

I'm 28 and I don't think being 28 years old and starting out at an entry-level job would be hard to do because of your age. If you're a "know it all" type even when you don't "know it all" you might have a hard time getting hired especially if it was with a company where you would be supervised by someone who might be younger than you, but is more experienced/qualified. If you're okay with potentially being supervised by someone younger than you, then your age shouldn't be an issue.

iBrokeIT

In this industry it is typically your attitude and skills that determine your success, not your age. If you go into this with a defeatist attitude that you are somehow behind in life then it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

If you want to know what it takes to be a network engineer and what skills to develop then go a job board and type in "network engineer".

kohr-ah

Sorry for briefness am on my phone:

1. Get your CCNA or CCENT and apply for NOC jobs or try a MSP
2. Depends the place. Little bit of Linux never hurts but your primary goal should be get the CCNA then watch what your environment needs. Once you hit CCNP then reevaluate.
3. NOC, Jr Network Engineer, Entry level MSP work
4. I started IT when I was 27 fixing printers. I am now getting only offers for high level network engineer / senior network engineer roles. Age doesn't matter (I am 33)

As for the knowledge of Microsoft, SQL, etc. Just spin up some VMs and mess with it. Tinker with what you find interesting to help learn.