Helpdesk to System Admin.

on the mat

Is the helpdesk generally the starting point to getting a system admin position? I will be completing a post baccalaureate certificate in systems analysis from UCLA extension and I wanted to get a feel of what would my path look like.

Also, would it be possible to get a helpdesk job prior to finishing the program? I have a degree in finance, will have my A+ cert in a couple of weeks, and have done some light Python and VBA programming. If love to gain experience as quickly as possible so if the helpdesk is a good place to start is like to start soon. Just want to see if it is likely.

bpenn

Help desk is a great place to start, especially if the job has potential advancement. Try to get on desktop support and always, always volunteer for server/infrastructure projects. Generally, you dont get hands on server experience on help desk but using that opportunity to get good at Active Directory, Windows7/etc, and scripting/automation will put you in a good spot to get that sys admin slot. Always be learning something new and mastering what you already know as this is key to staying relevant and possibly moving up the ladder sooner than later.