IT Manager or degree

Mike_tw

Well, Im in a bit of a pickle here.

I am 18, Studying my last year at school now. I also work as a website administrator & general IT guy for a fairly large company.


Today, I was invited to speak with the directors who offered me a Job as the company IT Manager, They are very impressed with my work and they dont have any IT staff at the moment apart from me. This company is targeting 100 million in sales a year so its a fairly large and expanding company.

I dont know what to do here, should i take this opportunity or get a degree. My worry is that both decisions can result in a bad way, the company could get sold off , or i could get a degree and not be able to find a job at the end of it. This is a fantastic opportunity for me, Is it too good to resist? This type of job might not come around ever again.

If I did take this job, the company agreed to pay for me to take courses like a HND and the certificates like CCNA etc. I would also get a fairly nice wage every month. Lets say I worked for 2 years earning £25k per year. Thats £75k over 3 years. If I were to study for 3 years, it would be -£20k. So my question is, in this situation is a degree worth £95k.

On a side note, I also benefit from getting free computer equipment! Sometimes when a company is taken over they bring all of the IT equipment from there and I can have them. I had 5 decent machines today.

I would gain experience from this job, get certs paid for & constantly learn hands on. I would be working with Cisco Routers,Switches etc

So, Any advice here would be appreciated very much. I dont want to make the wrong decision and then regret it.

Thankyou

dtlokee

In the long run the degree is worth more. Like you said, the job could end in 1 month, 1 year, 10 years, who knows. The degree is permanent. I would suggest a hybrid, see if they are willing to fix a schedule that allows you to attend classes at night/weekends so you can work towards a degree. Obviously it will take longer, but if you don't start it now, you'll forget about it until you get laid off and find companies don't want to talk to you because you have no degree.

Now the status of the compny concerns me, 100m and no full time IT guy.

sprkymrk

Well, the old argument - which is better, a degree or experience and certs?

My 2 cents based on the very little I know about your particular situation - take the job, but discipline yourself and also begin the process of getting your degree - either by going to school part time at night or online. At 18, and still in school, I doubt you have too many family obligations to a wife and children so you can do it easier than many. Then save your wages as much as possible so IF the company goes under you then switch into full gear after a degree, and only work part time if you can manage it and it's in the IT field. Use the money you saved to live off of and pay tuition.

Good luck! It sounds like you have a great opportunity ahead.

petedude

sprkymrk wrote:

Well, the old argument - which is better, a degree or experience and certs?

My 2 cents based on the very little I know about your particular situation - take the job, but discipline yourself and also begin the process of getting your degree

I'd agree with sprky. Get the job, but IMMEDIATELY start on your degree, even if you have to start out with credit by examination (this would let you start getting college credit on your own time, on your own schedule). In fact, you could start by getting a CLEP study text for the Principles of Management course.

Mike_tw

Yeah, I've been looking at some part time courses on day-release. Either a foundation degree or a HNC/HND which both can be converted into a Bsc. This would all be paid for.

I asked about the possibility of the company selling out, they said that this was not on any of their plans, they are fairly young, 30s/40's so they wont be retiring for quite some time yet. But they also reminded me that everything has its price, they didnt want to promise me that they wont sell up but the chances of them doing so are very small. The company is growing fiercely opening new outlets every few months.

I also received some reassurance from them, they said that they would be willing to back me with money & support if i wanted to start my own business one day as they would be multi-millionaires if they sold up. So, if the company does sell up they would still be willing to provide support etc to me.

My only other worry is how the teachers at school will take it. They are pushing for university and dismiss any talk of me working for this company. I know this is a very good opportunity for me, this is exactly the type of job I want and would have gone to university to get.

The courses I have been looking at are a course in CCNA & a HNC/HND in IT. Both are on a day release so that would allow me to work and get qualifications without burying myself in debt.

Thanks for the advice guys, appreciated

malcybood

Mike_tw,

As someone who lives in the UK, left school at 16 with no qualifications and used to work as a bathroom tiler, I got to say man if this is not just a load of flannel they're feeding you, then the world's your oyster. Listen you're 18 mate, you have an opportunity to get an education without the 15 - 20k debt that myself and the large majority of other students mount up and to work in a job you want to do.......what exactly is making you doubt this opportunity???????....The only thing I'm warey of is they only have 1 IT staff member. Are they planning on adding any more experienced staff to the team?

If it is cut and dried as you make it out to be then I would say you would be mad not to take it, however get something in writing to say they will pay for your HND and CCNA, then if the job falls through or they sell up you can still attend college. Once you obtain a HND then you should be able to enter directly into 3rd year of a BSc computing degree of a partnering university of your college (this is what I done, NC, HNC, HND, BSc Network Computing in 4 years)

I'm not doubting that this offer is genuine on the employers part at all as it's not my place to say, but the only thing I'll say is be very careful on what you agree to and GET SOMETHING IN WRITING as sometimes people will tell you anything.....harsh but true!

If you want to ask me anything about my experiences with the HND/BSc Degree track then add me to MSN and I'll be happy to help you out the best I can. I done it at Stevenson College and Napier University in Edinburgh.

On the teachers thing......they are experienced and can give you good advice so take it on board, but it's about what you want to do not them, it's your life. You could give this job a year and see what you think, if you don't like what you see, jack it and go to university!....Just think some people take a year out to go travelling (or be a bathroom tiler) and bum about before uni so don't worry about the time thing!

All the best

Malc

blargoe

TAKE THE JOB!!! For all that is sacred and holy, always take experience and and offer for paid training if offered...

What I would to is take the job (I guess you figured that already) and do some part time school for the time being and get a 2-yr degree as a stepping stone to a 4 year degree. However long it takes you to get the 2 year degree (say, 3 years), at that point you will have 3 additional years work experience as "THE" guy in charge of IT, plus the part time work you've already logged. You would be many, many, many times marketable than some bookworm with a batchelors and a satchel full of Microsoft and Cisco certs that do not apply to any real world knowledge and experience.

Pay sounds decent, just be sure to spend wisely and put back for the future. I wasn't so wise when I was 18.

sir_creamy_

Mike_tw wrote:

On a side note, I also benefit from getting free computer equipment!

Who needs a career when you can play around with a free Catalyst switch?

emmajoyce

Dear sir,

I would take the job if it is what and how you say. I did the college thing and graduated months ago. I have been trying for five months to find a job. The couple of interviews Ive had out of hundred and hundreds of resume sent went no where. You could tell in their voices, when the discussion of experience came up, that since I didnt have any that they really didnt want me. Their tone just changed. And no, my resume is great according to career counselors and resume experts. Thus congratulations and do accept the position. I would however try to get a class or two in each semester. If you have to skip a semester , so what, as long as you know you will eventually get it. Even if it takes 7 years. Good luck and enjoy the opportunity.

dave_ne1

This is a hard situation to be in. When i finshed school at 18, i wasnt sure what i wanted to do. I went to my local college and did an HND for two years, for a few classes with were grouped with part time/evening HNC students and from talking to them they seemed to cope with the job/college workload fine.

After my HND i topped up to the BSc at a local Uni, (a bit of advice your college/uni may not allow you to 'top up' from a HND to a BSc unless you average a Merit grade).
Throughout the summer holidays and part time i worked for different local IT companies, when i passed my BSc and started looking for a job becasue i had both the education and experience working for and in I.T enviroments i was able to get a job with Microsoft when i graduated last summer.

If i was in your position i would carefully consider what to do but from experience of doing a HND/BSc and working part time in I.T i think you should accept the position you have been offered and attend college in the evenings to get your HNC/BSc and that may help open up other opportunities in the future from contacts you gain during your course, but you could always just follow your heart and see what happens