How old is everyone?

I'm curious as to how old each of you are and what kind of educational background each of you have. Personally, I am 19 and only have a high school degree with very little college experience. I have absolutely no work experience, and I am teaching myself all of the skills required to pass these certifications. In the near future I plan on acquiring MCSE with an emphasis on security and possibly CCNA & CCNP. My main interest is in IT security, and in the future I plan to go for CISSP or related higher level security certification. If you read this post please tell a little about your background and future goals, because I would be interested in knowing some of the people that visit this board.

Thanks,
Cheeblie

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Comments

2lazybutsmart

RussS wrote:

Welcome standupdouble - you aren't that far ahead of me

ha ~ you wouldn't want to catch up, would ya?

When I was young (which isn't of course history), I used to hate those who dropped me in the ranks of 'young children'. "I'm a big boy!" was my motto. Eventually, I could rest assured that I'd 'really' be a big boy one day. Now, it's funny to see how older people love to be reffered to as 'young'. But Alas, their problem is that they don't see the future were they'll have the chance to be little kids anymore. Do you feel that way RussS (Grampa RussS, if it pleases thee

)

I'm a big boy!
2lbs.

Wicked187

I am tired of being considered young... I have 5 years experience in IT, I have two kids, the oldest just started Kindergarten, and I have a few certifications. I am 22, and I am working to push towards security. I got the MCSE last October, and I am going to upgrade when the exam is released. After that I am going to get the MCSE:Security specialization and move towards the CCSP, and maybe CCIE:Security.

2lazybutsmart

Welcome to Techexams. Wait till your age is twice as much Wicked187, I assure you you'll have a lot to say about 'being young' then.

BTW, the upgrade exams have been released for the MCSE 2003. You;ll need to pass 2 'easy' exams.

Check em out:

http://www.microsoft.com/Traincert/mcp/mcse/windows2003/upgrade.asp

2lbs.

bellboy

easy?

Jugomugo

Just turned 23 here. Associates degree, almost have my A+ (assuming I pass the o/s on Friday). And most importantly, unemployed! w00t! hehe.

2lazybutsmart

bellboy wrote:

easy?

Absoloutly not

But then, on second thought, yes. The purpose I'm saying this is becuase an upgrade exam kind of 'refereshs' the skills of an MCSE 2k. I'm sure Win2003 isn't alltogether a new system. It's got a lot of enhancements for sure, yet I believe an MCSE geek wouldn't flunk the upgrade exam.

You get to use the restroom and have a cup of coffee, too. remember?

BTW bellboy, do u have any plans for MCSE? You certainly have the skills, I'd say

. An A+, Net+ won't suffer in a networking exam for sure.

Ghent

19 and so far only a high school diploma. I went to college for about 3 months finishing up the CCNA Academy curriculum, but started working half way through semester 4 so I have yet to take the exam. My current plans are A+, Net+, CCNA, CCNP, and MCSE. My ultimate goal in IT is CCIE.

jlambert

AnthonyJD81

I am 22

The_Network_Engineer

18 years old
Got my A+ And Network+
2 years of actual job expernce
been playin with computers for about half of my life.
I plan on getting my Server+ and Security+ then my MCSE and CCIE.
I Wish to be a Network Engineer thats well specialzied in the network field which to be also very well versed in Security matters

Ghetto Rambo

just turned 24, 2 AS degrees, networking technology and electronics technology...CCNA...still cant find a job that i want...plan on going to university of phoenix to get a bachelors in computer science in the near future which will take @2.5 years since most IT jobs these day want a bachelors.

The_Network_Engineer

Well the Job im working at and all isnt the greatest but it gives me expernce. Not to say most dont want a BA but where i am and a few places i have been at all they wanted was 3-5 years expernce and certs in the areas u wish to be employed

cheeblie

Yeah, that's my plan as well, but I can't do that yet because I'm too young. I think that you have to be at least 21 in order to attend (Maybe they give out free booze

). Also to attend the University of Phoenix you must hold a job, which I do not. But I think that's a great move on your part

.

Cheeblie

Ghetto Rambo

cheeblie wrote:

Yeah, that's my plan as well, but I can't do that yet because I'm too young. I think that you have to be at least 21 in order to attend (Maybe they give out free booze ). Also to attend the University of Phoenix you must hold a job, which I do not. But I think that's a great move on your part .

Cheeblie

Yeah, 21 and have to hold a job where the subject can be used in a real work environment....well if I had a job where it would be applied in the real world environment, I wouldn't plan on attending phoenix because I would have the IT job that I want already.

Its just something to think about for now, I would probably search everywhere like Devry, etc. later on down the line.

JDMurray

I'm 40. My kids are the same age as many of you.

I started playing with the Apple ][ and TRS-80 back in '77, and moved on to hacking into Unix systems and travelling BITNET and ARPANet starting in '81 (the "Internet" didn't officially exist until '84). I built my first PC in '83 (a Heath/Zenith Z-89a) and bought my first IBM PC clone in '85.

I've been programming since '83 (started with C) and making a living (i.e., "receiving money") as a software developer since '87. I've worked in such fields as computer imaging, telecommunications network management, medical records keeping, and wireless entertainment systems. Oh--I wrote several computer books for O'Reilly back in '94-98.

And IT and hardware has been with me every step of the way. It's only receintly that certifications have been of any real interest to me (thanks to the grand economic downturn).

cheeblie

Wow jdmurray! I wish I had that kind of background. Hopefully I'll be able to be as successful in IT as you have been. I want to write books for O'Reilly!

Cheeblie

nethersdenizen

I'm 20 and started getting certifications in June of 2003. Working on my associates degree in 'computer systems engineering'(whatever that means) at a community college and will finish in the spring. Planning to get some more certifications before then including A+, IT-Projects+, CCNA, and LPIC2.

techman-aka-Format

I will be turning 23 this month. I have a year left of school. (local jr. college). I am a computer networking major, going for my AS degree. I have my A+ and my CCNA certs. I'll be going for my MCSE next.

CISCO2

I am 24 years old, have my a+ certification with a diploma in Network Administration from CDI College. Boy at this point i have given up in looking for an IT job, and I feel i wasted 14000 dollars in this school, because it never helped me get in touch with the employers they so called had in getting us a job. Their is absolutly nothing in terms of work in our field. I have been out of school for three months looking for work, and have hit dead ends everywhere. All the companies are looking for experience, and well i just have one year worth of it, and for me i would have to start off in a computer shop making 8 dollars an hour, not enough for me to survive on and make a living, plus most of this computer shops are privatly owned and they dont have the job security and provide the training to actually hold onto the someone and pay them, because they themselves who own the business are having tough time making money off selling or repairing computers, due to the enormous competition they have with bigger companies, and other privatley owned businesses. I have thought of doing my own thing on the side, but every joe in the phone book is doing that, so wont get to far with that. I never got into computers inside out until i went to this tech school, so as far as experience, i need to still get some. I am heading back to the Airlines where i worked as a Customer Service Agent with my Travel And Tourism Diploma, i am hopefully going to network my way through into IT within the Airlines or within the Airport. For now i am picking up the Linux course as i wait for a call for work, hear its pretty cool.

JDMurray

I want to write books for O'Reilly!

Send your ideas to proposals@ora.com and see if they are interested. The tech book publishing industry has been hit hard the last two years, so they are a bit picky about titles they will publish. The more trendy and bleeding-edge the topic the better.

Good luck

Incudie

Ya I just turned 16 and I'm currently A+ certified and I'll be taking my Network+ soon (along with CCNA) but sadly I've said "screw school" stupidly... now I'm paying for it in summer school. But anyhow I'm 16

The_Network_Engineer

Hey thats ok Incudie atleast you got a job on it i had a job and all and not even get the certs till i was abit older, stupid mistake that was on my part but hey man thats great. What you might want to keep in mind for the network+ is how many questions deal with troubleshooting scernos. Example. Workstation A is on Subnet 1 and Workstation B is on subnet 2. Now each subnet has a router, When Workstation A wants to send a file to Workstation B it cant do so. But all the others in subnet 1 can send to Workstation B but Workstation A cant. What is likey the cause then blah blah on to some answers. No im not a good quesiton maker just giving a example what to expect.
If you didnt know by now you might want to check to make sure the Gateway IP is correct because the router cant be bad that was ruled out because other workstations on the subnet can commucate with it.

So yea Good luck man

xwesleyxwillisx

16 years old here... 17 in august

viper75

29 Here...

RussS

Why the sad faces viper75 - geez I would love to be that young again

jcourtenay

I'm 14, doubt there's anyone younger than that on here, is there?

John Courtenay
MCP(210,215,216), working on 217

learningIT

ghaouf you make me kind of wonder, you're 17 and you've got so many certs already.

I'm 17, been so for a short while. ghaouf you make me dizzy still...

I would like to try out the medical field, instead of just IT. I would like to get a Ph.D and run a successful business someday. I'm working on several ideas, but since I don't have much time... I would like to be where Cheeblie is at by the time I am 19 so then I can decide better which way I want to go. I really like business though...

Goodhope

I just got 23yrs last saturday 26/06/04 and I have two year Exper... in A+,and like to persue further courses!

Mgz

I'm 18 and A+ed and plan to get a MCSA

and/or Sec+

kicker22

wow.. I've never imagined this...
whoever is under 20... relax and enjoy yourself till it last...

now, here is me..

1. 23 years old
2. Certs: hmm worked on certs last year, did my CCNA, now in couple of weeks i am going for BSCI Exam (Finally) and i have another exam scheduled for 70-215..... yep I changed my mind and decided to do MCSE in my free time

3. going to graduate in Fall.. with B.S: Computer Info. System
4. Real experience:
4.1 Network Administrator job for 2 years
4.2 Web Designer and programmer (PHP, Java, ASP, VB) job for 2 years
4.3 Database Developer (currently) job
4.4 Currently President of AITP chapter (aitp.org) if interested

so i am still young, but have experience under my belt! yay for me

well, my goal is to become Network Engineer for financial instituion...
ultimate goal CCIE: Sec.

Morad