Which program is better for future job oppournity?

springroll

I live in vancouver bc and there are several programs I am interested in taking. I guess I should give some background info about myself first.... well I am 24 right now and I have been working in a call center for the past 2yrs. I went to BCIT(Computer technology) when I was younger. However I was being lazy and didn't work hard so I pretty much fail.

Now I realize woking for 15/hr isn't going to get my anywhere or enough when I rtire, not to mention the job sucks and they can replace me anytime. So I decided to go back to school to do some studying and hopefully be better off than I am now.

The programs I chose are less than 1yr for several reason. Frist I don't have enough money to support me go trhough school for 2yrs without income(Heck I am paying off my student loan from b4 so I don't want to be in debt even more) second I want sth that's fast and can get me tino an etnry lvl IT job and then do part time when I am working. Third, I try doing part time now but I am just going too slow and when I go to interview most employeer doesn't take my part time class very highly nor they are willing to hire someone who have no degree, no work experience.

So the progrmas I am thinking of taking are Technology Support Professional (TSP)
http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/6985ipcert
, or Network Administration and Security Professional (NASP)
http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/6920cert

The TSP is easier to study and to pass but it is very basic and entry level. The NASP seems to be more useful but it recommend that u have experience in the IT field b4 u take it(which I dont)

So which one go u guys think I should take?

dynamik

What kind of call center are you currently working at?

I'm not familiar with the institution and programs, so these are just my opinions.

Right off the bat, the TSP seems pretty worthless. I would really shoot for the NASP. It looks like the majority of that program is basically obtaining certifications. You should see if they'll let you test out of any courses you've already obtained the cert for. If you can teach yourself and get a few certs on your own, you could save a decent amount of money.

Don't let "previous IT experience" scare you off. If you're willing to put in the extra effort, you should be able to take that on without any problems. If they walk you through the A+, Network+, 70-270, etc., you'll get the experience you need as you go.

I just passed an exam today that listed these as the prerequisites:
•250 to 5,000 or more users
•Three or more physical locations
•Three or more domain controllers
•Network services and resources such as messaging, database, file and print, proxy server, firewall, Internet, intranet, remote access, and client computer management
•Connectivity requirements such as connecting branch offices and individual users in remote locations to the corporate network and connecting corporate networks to the Internet

I work with 25 users at a single location. You can simulate a lot of advanced scenarios with labs and other studies. Don't get discouraged.

I'd read this thread as well since it covers salary information for an A+ with a two-year degree. You may not see the kind of boost in pay that you're looking for until you get a few years of experience, but at least you'll have your foot in the door. Here's the thread: http://techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=27469

springroll

Anyone else?

bighornsheep

From your fellow Canadian eh~ I would strongly recommend getting at least your college diploma. College (public OR private) certificates are not valued highly in our country, having one simply says you didn't sit around for 12-16 months while you were unemployed.

I've heard good things about BCIT, and I would invest the time and money into a degree with them. A quick search and this sounds interesting:
http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/825ebtech

Their fees seem to have a cap at around 2300/term, which is peanuts compare to most other institutes.

In terms of your financial situation, is it a government loan with CanLearn or a personal loan with a bank? If it's a government loan, you should be able to apply for interest-free status while you are undertaking your studies, if it's a personal loan, you can try and negotiate a repayment plan, if you have a relatively good credit history, most advisors should be willing to work something out with you because they know that at a young age, you have the capacity to become successful and eventually repay.

muriloninja

Here is what I would do if I were you.

I would say hell no to school, because that is not gonna do jack **** for you. Your #1 priority should be to gain experience in the field and then obtain your certifications on top of that. Then later go for a degree if you wish.

I had to learn the hard way.

Daniel333

TSP sounds useless... NASP, interesting.

I would find a college though, do online classes if ya can. Pick up a degree slowly if possible.

blargoe

Long term, having a 2 yr or 4 yr degree will make some doors available that you would be automatically excluded from otherwise. In the US there are local community colleges that are 2-year colleges, they are much cheaper than a public or private university and but most of the core courses are congruent to what you would get in a university and will count as transfer credit. If you have something like this in canada you would be doing yourself a favor to at least strongly consider going this route while you continue working.

nel

you should do what ive done, ive been working in IT since i was 16 (5 1/2 years now) and im doing my degree part time. it takes longer and is hard work but compared to some of the people i see at uni, they wont be ready for the real world. also get some certs while ya working

dynamik

nel wrote:

you should do what ive done, ive been working in IT since i was 16 (5 1/2 years now) and im doing my degree part time. it takes longer and is hard work but compared to some of the people i see at uni, they wont be ready for the real world. also get some certs while ya working

That's certainly a route you can take as well. If you've got a job that you're happy with, stick with it and work on your degree on the side. I actually had two years of college done by the time I graduated high school, but I'm not going to obtain my BA until I'm 26. I've never had a real need for it, but I've continued to chip away at it over the years. However, JD's got me all intrigued about the MS in InfoSec at Capella's, so now I've got a fire under me to wrap this up and move on.