My Brother.....
My younger brother is graduating high school in about a month. He doesn't really know what he wants to do. He plans to go to college, but in my opinion doesn't have a good gameplan down about what he will study, etc..
He also wants to get a job. Once again, he doesn't have a good idea of what he can or wants to do here. As I read commonly on this board, it's difficult to bust into IT...much more difficult than it was for me around 20 years ago.
I've been working on a plan for him, and I'd like to hear some of your thoughts about it.
Some background: He has many years experience building and repairing computers. He's familiar with doing OS installs, troubleshooting problems, etc.. He enjoys technology, especially the gaming aspect. He is social, but with a tight group. He is very business-oriented when it comes to getting things done. He is one of the toughest people I have ever known (several years ago he broke his arm in a compound fracture...when I met him at the emergency room, his arm looked like a question mark, but with part of the bone sticking through the skin....he didn't cry once during that entire event, which really set the bar pretty high....if I ever break my arm like he did, I'm going to cry!)
First, I'm going to work with him on completing the A+ within the next couple of months. I think he has the knowledge to pass it, and if he will study for a month or so passing should be no problem. I am doing this because I think it will give him a decent chance of getting hired at a Geek Squad type position. Is my train of thought on how to address his desire to get a job reasonable? What other technical things could he do to prepare himself? I'm working with him on soft skills, such as interviewing, etc..
Second, he's enrolling in a local school that is also a Cisco Academy. They offer a 4 part CCNA class as well as a 4 part CCNP class. As he is taking the standard english, history, etc.. that everyone takes their first two years, I have proposed a plan where during his first four semesters he would complete the 4 CCNA courses that are offered. At the end of this and with enough study and practice, he should be adaquately prepared for the CCNA sometime in late 2009.
As I might have related in other posts, my experience is that the specific degree field chosen is irrelevant, especially during the first two years when everyone takes the same English, history, etc...
Throughout all of this, as I have opportunities to expose him to other training I will. For example, I can easily send him through an ITIL Foundation or Practitioner class within the next year.
I believe that his interest in technology is sufficient to pursue this path.
I'd appreciate your thoughts on this. When I graduated high school I really didn't have anyone that sat down with me and worked on a plan, and told me the benefits of For the most part, I got a lucky break early on and learned from my successes and failures.
Now for the good news. I've worked around the financial services industry for many years. When 529 plans came about in the late 90's I wisely opened one up for him. There appears to be enough in there to get him through most of a 4 year degree.
A question though...I'm checking, but if anyone knows off the top of their head it would be great. Any expenses that are not related to higher education paid for out of a 529 plan incur a 10% penalty and are taxed as income. I know that buying a laptop, for example, is considered a qualifying expense. What I am unclear about is this: Would setting up a home lab for his CCNA be a qualifying expense? What about certification exam fees and study aids? I'm checking on these things, but explaining "CCNA lab" to a financial management person is a little difficult, especially since I don't know that much about CCNA labs myself.
Apologies for the long post and thanks in advance for your thoughts,
MS