Certs for the poor?

Daniel333

Hey guys,

So a former coworker from Geek Squad is trying to get his certs and break into real IT. He's got two kids and a wife who has been really sick and he's working for $12/hr rebuilding servers under the table and makes a few bucks off craigslist cleaning viruses and setting up web sites. But can't quite seems to break in admin work. He's completed the training program for A+, 70-270 and 70-290 via books from the library and a little help from me but can't budget the actual tests.

Does anyone know if Microsoft/Cisco or Comptia offers programs to help people out the poor etc? Just curious.

computer g33k

I would just e-mail them and ask if such programs exist.

hiddenknight821

First, I need to know if he has a college degree yet. If not, then that means he might be eligible for financial aid for WGU. I know this is biased for me to make a suggestion here to take the WGU route, but I can't imagine how this route is a sucker deal when you can get the degree and certifications on their dimes. He may be qualified for federal pell grant, which would pay 90% of the tuition. Also, employers would rather hire individuals with experience, pursuing a degree than candidates with similar experience and no degree.

Daniel333

hiddenknight821 wrote: »

First, I need to know if he has a college degree yet. If not, then that means he might be eligible for financial aid for WGU. I know this is biased for me to make a suggestion here to take the WGU route, but I can't imagine how this route is a sucker deal when you can get the degree and certifications on their dimes. He may be qualified for federal pell grant, which would pay 90% of the tuition. Also, employers would rather hire individuals with experience, pursuing a degree than candidates with similar experience and no degree.

Good thinking. I might copy paste this post to him. Thanks!

Mike-Mike

CompTIA does have some type of program for the poor, but their poor and your poor could be two different things. I was on unemployment and still didn't qualify after I got laid off. But yeah, WGU would be the way to go, even if he has to take studen loans, WGU student loans are going to be a lower total cost than any other college, and it would be quite some time before they have to be paid back.

erpadmin

As someone who grew up "poor", I can say this....your friend needs to learn priorities and budgeting.

While having two kids and a wife are certainly expensive, I can tell you that your friend has at least one outlet that he spends his money on....(that's the one thing rich and poor people have in common.) His outlet might be buying lotto tickets, going to the bar, playing video games, movies....he's got something that he's spending money on....money that can set aside toward that $150 per microsoft exam.

Everyone has $20 a week they can put aside...people want to think "no, not him....he has to spend every penny...." That's a bunch of BS. If he put $20 a week for 8 weeks, there's his 70-270 right there. Another few weeks, there's his 70-290. He can spend that time he's saving toward going over his studies again.

I'm not trying to sound all high and mighty....believe me, my dad was your friend (in terms of life, of course...not IT.) But my dad was able to save up for our own house to live on, while taking care of my mom, me, my sister and later-on her two kids. My dad's highest salary was $33k a year...with overtime, might have been $45k-$50k. Yeah this was back in the 90s, but that wasn't a lot of money back then either.

Your friend shooting for student loans is not something I'd advise for someone in his situation either. Remember, student loans (federal or not) are loans that MUST be paid back. Defaulting on a student loan for whatever reason will mean paycheck garnishments, bad credit, and perhaps even a shot down toward gaining employment. That is the only debt in the US that is 100% collectable. Trust me...I know........it took a good while for me to turn that 500 fico score into a sweet 780.......and it took the same dedication and time I now spend on going to WGU and my career.

N2IT

Has your friend been applying for higher paying jobs?

You don't need certifications to get hired. If he can do breakfix on servers and understands OS's and software he should be able to get a mid level technical support job.

RobertKaucher

Daniel333 wrote: »

Hey guys,

So a former coworker from Geek Squad is trying to get his certs and break into real IT. He's got two kids and a wife who has been really sick and he's working for $12/hr rebuilding servers under the table and makes a few bucks off craigslist cleaning viruses and setting up web sites. But can't quite seems to break in admin work. He's completed the training program for A+, 70-270 and 70-290 via books from the library and a little help from me but can't budget the actual tests.

Does anyone know if Microsoft/Cisco or Comptia offers programs to help people out the poor etc? Just curious.

erpadmin wrote: »

As someone who grew up "poor", I can say this....your friend needs to learn priorities and budgeting.

While having two kids and a wife are certainly expensive, I can tell you that your friend has at least one outlet that he spends his money on....(that's the one thing rich and poor people have in common.) His outlet might be buying lotto tickets, going to the bar, playing video games, movies....he's got something that he's spending money on....money that can set aside toward that $150 per microsoft exam.

Everyone has $20 a week they can put aside...people want to think "no, not him....he has to spend every penny...." That's a bunch of BS. If he put $20 a week for 8 weeks, there's his 70-270 right there. Another few weeks, there's his 70-290. He can spend that time he's saving toward going over his studies again.

I'm not trying to sound all high and mighty....

Really easy to assume this. But when someone says the guy's wife has been "really sick" you might want to tone it down. However, with the exception of that detail I would totally agree with you.

@Daniel333 -
I agree with N2IT. You do not need certs to get hired. When I got my first job in "real" IT after the Geek Squad I did have my MCSE but I am quite convinced from my discussions with my boss at the time that it was principally my personality and ability to interface with customers that got me the job - not the MCSE.

erpadmin

I did miss that detail, Robert...all I saw was the wife and two kids and everything else.

I would like to think though that even if that wasn't added, I wasn't totally sounding like a pompous @$$. LOL.

RobertKaucher

erpadmin wrote: »

I did miss that detail, Robert...all I saw was the wife and two kids and everything else.

I would like to think though that even if that wasn't added, I wasn't totally sounding like a pompous @$$. LOL.

I don't think you did. And I grew up pretty poor as well and I have a large number of friends who work retail and have 3 or more kids but still manage to afford things like the newest games for their 360s/PS3s/etc.. As well as going out to eat on a regular basis and things like that. So, I know where you were coming from.