I am on the right track?

I just finished my first semester in my AAS in information technology program at my local community college (after spending more than two years as a 1st level tech support rep for AT&T Wireless). I just setup two volunteer gigs for the next few months.

The first one is with a community center where I am going to be working on cleaning up and maintaining the PC's with Windows updates, anti-virus, and running CCleaner. I am also going to try to fix a couple of their printers and maintain them.

The second gig is with my local Habit for Humanity chapter where I will be doing a little of the aforementioned activities. The difference is that I'm going to be working on their webpage along with their Facebook page. Apparently I am going to be using Frontpage 2003 to start with.

I'm going to squeeze both in once or twice a month for this coming semester and perhaps work more in the summer while doing an internship and also while working on my A+ and Network+.

My main question is am I on the right track to get a desktop support/help desk gig if I do everything I can with aforementioned non-profits along with doing a internship plus snag the A+ and Network+ by the time I graduate?

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Comments

olaHalo

With those volunteer jobs and a good interview you could probably grab a helpdesk/support position already.
I know school is time consuming but if you got a cert sooner rather than later it would likely help you get an interview easier.

tjb122982

olaHalo wrote: »

With those volunteer jobs and a good interview you could probably grab a helpdesk/support position already.
I know school is time consuming but if you got a cert sooner rather than later it would likely help you get an interview easier.

I know I need to get my certs. Hell my advisor even told me I need to have my A+ and Network+ before I graduate. My plan is snag the Network+ this summer (I somehow ended up taking the networking class in the fall but yet taking the A+ semester this coming semester) and score the A+ next fall when I will have a lighter course load.

olaHalo

tjb122982 wrote: »

I know I need to get my certs. Hell my advisor even told me I need to have my A+ and Network+ before I graduate. My plan is snag the Network+ this summer (I somehow ended up taking the networking class in the fall but yet taking the A+ semester this coming semester) and score the A+ next fall when I will have a lighter course load.

Sounds good to me. Seems like you are indeed on the right track.

tjb122982

olaHalo wrote: »

Sounds good to me. Seems like you are indeed on the right track.

I just hope I can stay on track and we are both right.

olaHalo

tjb122982 wrote: »

I just hope I can stay on track and we are both right.

It may not be as hard as you think it is to get your foot in the door.
I got my helpdesk job with no certs and no experience.
Usually at that level if you can show an interest in the field then that will be enough.

The certs and AS really just make it easier to get an interview.

tjb122982

olaHalo wrote: »

It may not be as hard as you think it is to get your foot in the door.
I got my helpdesk job with no certs and no experience.
Usually at that level if you can show an interest in the field then that will be enough.

The certs and AS really just make it easier to get an interview.

I might try to do that this summer after the spring semester is done. I am going to apply for a IT/library gig this weekend at one of the local public libraries; I should mention that librarianship is my original chosen profession.

JaneDoe

Nonprofit work is great when you're starting out. They're always short on IT people and happy to let you try new things. Try building them a new website on wordpress and add it to your portfolio.

the_Grinch

You're definitely on the right track. I think right now you could get a paying gig without issue.

tjb122982

JaneDoe wrote: »

Nonprofit work is great when you're starting out. They're always short on IT people and happy to let you try new things. Try building them a new website on wordpress and add it to your portfolio.

That actually might be in the cards because business manager told me that they really want to do a major overhaul of their website and keep it up to date more. Their photo galleries are from 2007!