Maintaining Technical Skills

deathdynamics

Any tips on maintaining technical skills? For example: when moving from a more generalist role that pays less but affords more exposure - to a specialized role that is more intensive in one skillset to the exclusion of others. I moved from position that allowed me to do more Cisco configuration and network troubleshooting to a larger, more silo'd organization where I'm pigeonholed to working with VMware and servers and I have few responsibilities on the networking side.

What is a good practice for avoiding the atrophy of valuable skills?

I've been considering diversification of income via part-time job, and also volunteer work. Any ideas on locating such opportunities and balancing it with a 40-hour work-week plus family life?

techML

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I think this is the million dollar question. I never know what to be studying at home because I always go back and forth. I'm scared to focus on one thing and lose other skills.

N2IT

I think that's the natural progression of an IT worker. You lose some skills and hone others. I personally wouldn't worry about it to much, but like you mentioned volunteering or maybe a part-time would help you to maintain those. I just can't see labbing keeping you sharp in one area you don't use very much.

Personally labs only help me if I am doing the work at work and lab at home. What I find usually happens then I break barriers down in a specific technology. For me SQL is a good example. At work I am asked to come up with solutions sometimes outside my skill set. If I bring that home and practice a couple times a week I make big strides. However skills I no longer use seems to leave to a certain degree regardless if I try to manufacture an environment to maintain those.