Where do I start?

zigusa1

Had a work accident 2 weeks ago.. now I'm stuck in a wheelchair with only one usable arm. Now I am seriojsly looking to make that carrer change into computers. Would like to start out with A+ but going to a school is impractical for me right now. Any ideas? Thanks. :

kicker22

with the compensation you have from the employer...
go to Hawaii..and enjoy yourself

mobri09

Sorry to hear, but yeh i would start off trying to get certified with Comptia A+ cert and then go on to the Net +. Once those certs are accomplished i would recommend going on for some Microsoft Certs. The Comptia Certs are just basic certs but very important ones as well for begining facts and troubleshooting solutions. There are 2 parts to A+ exam...Hardware and Software and only 1 exam for the NET+. This is the path i am taking but there is no order. I think the A+ and Net+ will give you an excellent solid foundation to go on further. Good luck with your new career!

KatanaSam

Don't just dive into certifications thinking that's all there is.

Check into government programs setup to assist people in need in your area. Often there are organizations funded by government whose sole purpose is to assist people in their work search or career change. These organizations often run work shops to help you determine which field of work or which specific career would be good for you. If you have an idea of what particular job you would like to do they can help you assess the requirements of the job and your own abilities to see if that's really what you want to do or can do. Then I would also recommend some education if you can get it. Something broad enough to give a person a taste of different computer related areas is great... like a diploma or degree in computer science. Also your goals might change as you get further into your career change so I would start off with something that will give you a broad foundation to build on.

For instance, I made a career change into computers thinking I wanted to program. I went into a 2 year college computer science diploma program. I like programming, but after doing some I decided I want something that involves more than sitting in front of the computer where I'm isolated from people. I discovered networking and network security. Then through my college's cooperative education program I got a job doing tech support for an Internet Service Provider, got some terrific experience and found I really enjoy troubleshooting network problems and helping people.

I know people who try to avoid this whole process and have acquired a long list of certifications while working at the local convience store. Then they apply for jobs as network administrators and don't even get 'short listed' for interviews because they have no experience and no accredited education (certification doesn't = education). This situation varies of course based on the economy and local employment rates. But I believe you are always better off to give yourself every chance.

janmike

You don't need classes to pass A+ certification exams--that is you're patient enough to apply yourself to the thorough study of some good exams guides. Sounds like you're in that kind of position right now.

If you think you want to do IT, A+ is the place to find out because it covers entry level knowledge in just about every area of PC troubleshooting and operating systems. I wouldn't wait to start while you have the "bug". You may find out it's not really what your want, but at least give it a try.

Best of luck!

zigusa1

Thanks everybody for giving me some great ideas!