Career advice for older IT worker

I've been in tech support of one form or another for almost my entire career, first in Navy electronics then RF engineering and finally ending up in IT. I have worked as a consultant for the last decade on various projects and contracts, I also helped to take care of my parents for the last several years but they are both gone now. I need a change.
I am 48 with over two decades of experience, roughly 15 in various IT support roles. I've done desktop support, computer repair, and small business consulting. I have some knowledge of programming, networking and web development, and an Associates degree in Computer networking. Hopefully I will be starting back to finish my bachelor's in February at WGU (Business-IT Management)
I'm not sure exactly what direction I want to move. I am currently studying for the CCNA, and am also working on the CAPM. Any advice would be appreciated.

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Comments

Danielm7

You're going back to school for a management degree, is that where you want to focus? Otherwise, I'd try to pick a specialization that interests you and point my efforts in that direction.

UncleB

jb4479 wrote: »

Hopefully I will be starting back to finish my bachelor's in February at WGU (Business-IT Management)

I'm not sure exactly what direction I want to move.

You have 2 general directions I would consider in your position:
1 - move into Service Management through focussing on Service Delivery or Service Transition areas (which pay quite well) which make good use of your existing experience in the IT Service arena and help you use the Business IT Management to establish the all-round skills. I would back this up with the ITIL Expert qualifications (there are either 6 or 7 exams in this route so it isn't trivial) but it will give you all the training needed to cover any aspect of this role.

2 - move into management - Service Desk Manager being the obvious first step, or Project Management as an alternative (needs some different training like PMP).

You could try to find a technical niche, but this becomes less desirable as time goes on (as any old techie I know has said - you get jaded after the second decade doing grunt work and want to have people to do the grunt work for you, plus ageism is more prevalent in technical roles than management roles).

Just my take as someone approaching their 3rd decade in IT.

thanks
Iain