Diploma Degrees and me

Vancity.rigel

Good Morning,

I need some advice, I am currently driving my wife insane and I am hoping you can help me.

Some background information.
I have been out of computers and IT for about 6 or 7 years. I had a really bad experience taking a multimedia diploma, then I proceeded to work in a call centre doing support for an ISP. My work experience in the last 6 or 7 years has been in things like construction financial planning/insurance, and most recently as a Security Guard. I tried to get an IT job on my older experience and they said I would need some kind of certification at least in order to get a job in todays tougher economy.

My goal is to someday working in Infosecurity hopefully on the networking side.

I wrote my A+ IT tech Cert at the end of May, I will be writing my network+ next week. I have the books on Security+ coming next week.

After discussing things with my wife, we have decided that now if ever is a good time to go to school. I also know that allot of HR companies are looking for a degree, do not get me started on HR .

There is a very good tech school in Vancouver Called BCIT. I am considering taking their CIST diploma. Then working while taking a degree completion program in either Forensic Investigation (Computer Crimes) or their Technology management.

I admit I have made mistakes in life, in jobs workplaces and education, I am pretty commited to making some right choices now, but the second guessing is driving my wife a bit crazy. BCIT also has computer systems technology courses which can lead to a degree of technology and they do have a networking and security option. However the CST route seems to focus allot on programming. I am a capable programmer when I set out to do it. However I do not enjoy programming at the moment. Is it a part of the business that I will have to suck up and just do it? I would also consider the Electrical and computer engineering side of things or robotics and mechatronics, but for now my gut is telling me my interests Lie with the CIST.

I also plan on continuing my self paced study, most likely starting down the Cisco path once I am done my security+.

Part of the reason I took the security officer job was to help get some credibility in the security industry... but I think that was just wishful think I have actually been considering entry level technician jobs. Do you have any thoughts on this as well.

ANy advice is greatly appreciated.

Rigel

suzanemiller

I have researched a lot about these but not very satisfactory results. I am very keen if anybody can share his/her experience with it.

Vancity.rigel

Suzane have you researched those particular courses or are you just in a similar position to me?

Tryntotechit

First of all, I feel that education is the way to get places. From the job posts that I have seen, companies (HR) want you to have your BS. IMO, you need to definitely go to school and start getting your degree in computers. If you don't really like programming then don't go into programming. Do what you enjoy. Certs are great to have on the resume. Since so many people have them, it's almost a must that you have them to compete. If I were in your apparent situation, I would start school and try to find work experience in IT. Work experience is so much more beneficial than everything else. I know people who are admins who don't have a degree. They got lucky, IMO. Hope this helps. Good luck.

binarysoul

I reviewed the program details at BCIT and I personally believe two years is too long for it. I did a similar program (post-grad diploma) in Toronto in eight months and the curriculum looked exactly like yours. So, IMO, I wouldn't spend more than a year on this program.
It teaches stuff that you can learn on your own, CCNA, Novell, Linux and Microsoft technologies.

Why don't you go straight to university? If you're willing to study 2 years, you can probably do a degree in 3 years

Vancity.rigel

Thanks for all the comments.
When I read the course and class descriptions at the local universities, nothing really jumped out at me.

Also a monkey wrench in the school department. Our situation has changed a bit and it seems that I will have to be a stay at home/ flexible schedule dad for the next two years, so unless I can find a reputable online university that is credited in Canada, or complete a degree from a brick and mortar school by distance/ed.
It is amazing how fast life can change in the blink of an eye.
Back to the online school,
http://www.devry.edu/calgary/programs/computer-information-systems/about.jsp this is a program from Devry. Not sure of the cost for it yet, however My wife has heard nothing but bad things about them and is really nervous. My concern is that they are located out of Alberta (a different province) and if I did want to take my masters sometime in the future that the universities may not acknowledge it for entry into a masters program.

One option I had been thinking was take the education money and invest it in training materials, lab time and a home lab, to work towards my CCIE. I should be able to make a fair dent into it in the next three years if I study full time (after childcare) Which would timeline wise put me after one year of university study. Which leaves me two years to get work experience and additional certifications.

astorrs

Vancity.rigel wrote: »

Thanks for all the comments.
When I read the course and class descriptions at the local universities, nothing really jumped out at me.

Also a monkey wrench in the school department. Our situation has changed a bit and it seems that I will have to be a stay at home/ flexible schedule dad for the next two years, so unless I can find a reputable online university that is credited in Canada, or complete a degree from a brick and mortar school by distance/ed.
It is amazing how fast life can change in the blink of an eye.
Back to the online school,
Computer Information Systems degree at DeVry Calgary this is a program from Devry. Not sure of the cost for it yet, however My wife has heard nothing but bad things about them and is really nervous. My concern is that they are located out of Alberta (a different province) and if I did want to take my masters sometime in the future that the universities may not acknowledge it for entry into a masters program.

One option I had been thinking was take the education money and invest it in training materials, lab time and a home lab, to work towards my CCIE. I should be able to make a fair dent into it in the next three years if I study full time (after childcare) Which would timeline wise put me after one year of university study. Which leaves me two years to get work experience and additional certifications.

If you want to look into the school route you have two fully accredited options:

Thompson Rivers University (in BC and allows you to take distance ed courses from UBC, SFU, UVic, UNBC, etc)
Athabasca University : Canada's Leader in Online & Distance Education

Both have full transferability with any university in Canada (and I know Athabasca has similar relationships all over the world) and both are publicly funded (not private for-profit like Devry).

binarysoul

If I were you I would completely stay away from Athabasca University. I took courses with them a few years ago and paid heavy money only to find out my so-called professors or tutors were fresh graduates based in India or some other 3rd world country and hired for $5/hour. It was a disaster.

They would only communicate via email. Can you imagine trying to learn network programming (third year computer science) through email? We had to communicate 10 emails until the guy/girl in some slum thousands of miles away could understand my problem. I have a lot of respect and sympathy for third world nations and believe we must help them, but not the at expense of hurting ourselves.

I'm not a big fan of outsourcing anyways, and when our education gets outsourced when our intelligent educators collect unemployment that is good enough for me not to attend Athabasca.

jenniferruth04

With the recent trend of technological advance, distance learning is becoming more recognized for its potential in providing individualized attention.