Interesting article on Master degree's in IT. Read and give your opinion

Link to article: Mastering IT: Choosing Between an Immediate Job and Higher Educat - Certification Magazine

Thought this was an interesting article on Master degree's in IT. They point out that the only real reason to get higher up into IT is to get a Master's degree, but to have experience before doing so. They also pointed out that getting a bachelors degree in IT will make it easier to obtain an entry level job in IT.

I know this article is from 2008, but now that time has passed, do you think this article still has justifiable opinions in today's current IT market?

No haters, just want opinions on the article. Thought this would be a fun topic to discuss.

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instant000

Armymanis wrote: »

Link to article: Mastering IT: Choosing Between an Immediate Job and Higher Educat - Certification Magazine

Thought this was an interesting article on Master degree's in IT. They point out that the only real reason to get higher up into IT is to get a Master's degree, but to have experience before doing so. They also pointed out that getting a bachelors degree in IT will make it easier to obtain an entry level job in IT.

I know this article is from 2008, but now that time has passed, do you think this article still has justifiable opinions in today's current IT market?

No haters, just want opinions on the article. Thought this would be a fun topic to discuss.

1. To get higher up into IT, have lots of experience, then apply for more senior opportunities.

2. To get an entry level job in IT, apply for entry-level opportunities (having an A+ helps here).

I feel that the school type of learning teaches moreso about fundamentals and theory than anything else. Unless your school is a very specialized trade academy, you're not getting the hours of hands on technical and business knowledge that someone else is getting at work.

Some of us (with years of experience and certifications) look down on college as not being "real world" (which is true). However, I just see college as education, and education makes the individual more well-rounded. Sure, it doesn't make them job-ready, but it does make them more well-rounded.

Just my opinion.

powerfool

It reinforces what other recent statistics have stated. The bachelor's degree of today is the high school diploma of the 1960s, whereas the master's degree of today is the bachelor's degree of the 1960s. The employment market has changed and these statistics are merely reflecting those changes. If you want to move up in the workforce, you need to improve your marketability. One component of marketability is education. However, don't ignore experience, as that is the prime factor; if you have a master's degree and zilch for experience, you may as well have just caught a ton of money on fire.

That brings me to another point... there is no reason to forego work in favor of an education, whether that is a graduate degree or an undergraduate degree. Go get an entry-level job and start taking classes in the evening. By the time you graduate, your experience level will be at a point where you can command the salaries that are advertised by schools for their graduates.

Also, don't be intimidated by school. If you have been considering a master's degree, but you are worried about the time and money commitment, look for a school that offers graduate certificates and let's them count towards a future master's degree. Typically, a graduate certificate is two to three semesters worth of work. This will let you dip your toes into the water without having to worry about whether you will be able to complete the entire program. Plus, when you get the certificate, you will at least have something to show for it. I guess based on the previous statistics, the graduate certificate of today is the associate's degree of the 1960s...

Armymanis

powerfool wrote: »

It reinforces what other recent statistics have stated. The bachelor's degree of today is the high school diploma of the 1960s, whereas the master's degree of today is the bachelor's degree of the 1960s. The employment market has changed and these statistics are merely reflecting those changes. If you want to move up in the workforce, you need to improve your marketability. One component of marketability is education. However, don't ignore experience, as that is the prime factor; if you have a master's degree and zilch for experience, you may as well have just caught a ton of money on fire.

That brings me to another point... there is no reason to forego work in favor of an education, whether that is a graduate degree or an undergraduate degree. Go get an entry-level job and start taking classes in the evening. By the time you graduate, your experience level will be at a point where you can command the salaries that are advertised by schools for their graduates.

Also, don't be intimidated by school. If you have been considering a master's degree, but you are worried about the time and money commitment, look for a school that offers graduate certificates and let's them count towards a future master's degree. Typically, a graduate certificate is two to three semesters worth of work. This will let you dip your toes into the water without having to worry about whether you will be able to complete the entire program. Plus, when you get the certificate, you will at least have something to show for it. I guess based on the previous statistics, the graduate certificate of today is the associate's degree of the 1960s...

Thanks for the input. It still amazes me how much has changed over time. What is so shocking though is that HR employee's have no idea what to look for in people who want to work in IT so they come up with these ridiculous requirements. Guy's at my current IT contract job and I were talking about this how they are fudging IT job descriptions and requiring bachelors degree's for entry level jobs like help desk.

I just really find it hard to believe that this is what the job market has come to. I took a contract IT job because I needed to get my feet wet in IT to make sure I still wanted to do IT. I am currently doing desktop deployments, and though it's not really technical, I still consider it apart of IT experience and find it fun. I am hoping once this contract IT job ends in September then I will be able to go back to college for a Bachelors. I will have had 4 months of IT experience, so that is good enough to get my feet wet.

The economy I am hoping should be better by the time I graduate and then it will be nothing but apply apply apply! I will also be planning on working for certs besides the A+ that I currently have.

I still find it ridiculous to get higher up in IT you need a good education plus certs and even some experience. I guess if you love the field as much as I do, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Do you think my 4 months of IT desktop deployment experience will still be valid in 2 years? That's when I plan on graduating. Luckily for me, my AA is a part of the requirement to get my Bachelors. All of my education for my AA, and my bachelors has IT in the title.

powerfool

You may feel that it is fudging it, but there are enough folks out there with a bachelor's degree that are unemployed right now... it's an employers' market right now.

Armymanis

powerfool wrote: »

You may feel that it is fudging it, but there are enough folks out there with a bachelor's degree that are unemployed right now... it's an employers' market right now.

Yup, I guess I have to stand out. Do you think it would be worth it in the long run to go for a masters or is it a waste of time? I want to make sure I get IT experience as well. Im 21, and I plan on finishing my Bachelors 24 or 25. By the time I would finish my masters, I would be 28. That's a lot of schooling for IT.

Or do you think I should just get my Bachelors and be done at 24 or 25 and start gaining experience + certs. Since you mentioned it's an employer's market that's why I brought it up. I find master programs pretty useless. I however find bachelors + certs + experience a little more valuable. A bachelors degree is the minimum HR people have on their job descriptions now.

powerfool

I wouldn't jump right into a master's degree after finishing a bachelor's degree... I think it is prudent to wait at least a year, if not two. I ended up waiting three, but that was because I was giving my wife an opportunity to start on her undergrad... then I told her that I am starting grad school... all of a sudden she got serious about school

Don't worry about your age... you will be plenty young still if you wait a couple of years. I am 30 and I am just now starting to get past being called young in a shocking manner... and I have been putting up with it for 12 years now

Armymanis

Good idea. I just want to get school done with and onto working full time or consistently working contract jobs.