No Professional IT Background - will WGU still be good?

Morning all,

I've spent the last week perusing the forums here and other places looking into WGU. I have a hard time getting settled into the normal online class curriculum, and speaking with an enrollment counselor at WGU makes me think it'd be a better fit for me.

My concern is, I have no professional IT background. The curriculum at WGU seems geared towards people who already know it, or at least are somewhat aware of it. I have basic knowledge from personal use, configuring desktops (haven't bought a preassembled one in 10+ years) and troubleshooting. I did a short stint with Apple as a Mac technical adviser. But that's about it.

I don't have an AA/AS/AAS in IT so I planned on taking the A+ exam to satisfy enrollment guidelines, and bought the Mike Meyers 1500 page monster. Haven't started reading it yet... I have a couple semesters of Gen Ed classes under my belt, and about 40 military service school credits in an unrelated discipline (so those are pretty well useless at WGU).

I'm considering the BSIT-Sec from WGU or the BS Computer Networks and Security / Cybersecurity from UMUC at this time. I plan on staying in the Federal sector if I can, though it looks like I'd take a paycut from my current position to switch to an IT position.

I'm a quick learner, and I like to do it independently which is what attracted me to WGU. I just don't know if I'm going to be able to hack it, since I don't have any prior knowledge. I'd like to start a career in Network Security and move up from there, but looking at these boards it seems like most people start in a help desk type role which would be a rather massive paycut for me (to the tune of $35K+/yr depending on the area...).

So I guess my two main concerns are: 1) If you're graduating with a Bachelor's and no experience is help desk the only option? and 2) Can you succeed at WGU if you go in with no professional IT knowledge?

The first question will determine whether or not I pursue this, and the second will help me decide on a school if I do. Also, is it still possible to accelerate through the WGU program if you're not that familiar with all of it? Looking to finish in no more than 18 months. Appreciate any insight from the great knowledge bank here.

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Comments

markulous

You don't need IT experience to succeed at WGU. They wean you into it. It's not like the first class is your CCNA. There are a lot of general ed classes too. The MTAs will really help get your feet wet as far as IT goes since they are solid beginner certs.

stryder144

As markulous said, you do not need IT experience, just a desire to learn about IT. As for helpdesk, no, that isn't the only option for you. Depending on your local market, you could start someplace else.

For instance, I have a friend who started in a NOC position that allowed him to get his hands dirty without too many of the help desk related headaches. He had a degree plus A+/Network+/Security+ and no real IT experience. After approximately two years, he has CCNA/CCNP certs. His pay, as I recall, was definitely above the typical help desk pay scale, too. Now he is living a quite comfortable life. So, I definitely think that if you get your BSIT from WGU, with the A+/Network+/Security+/Linux+/Project+ and the CCNA/CCNA: Security certs, you will have a good chance at taking a smaller pay cut while avoiding the help desk scenario. Obviously, timing and market conditions play into it as well.

My first position in IT was also in the NOC, but I monitored environmental issues with our network. Not too far from help desk related duties but close enough where I would not get mad if someone lumped my position in with help desk.

Yarbs

You don't need IT experience to succeed at WGU. They wean you into it. It's not like the first class is your CCNA. There are a lot of general ed classes too. The MTAs will really help get your feet wet as far as IT goes since they are solid beginner certs.

That's good to know. I just wasn't sure how they dropped you into it. I asked the EC about taking the MTA's since A+ was included in the curriculum and he told me not to do the MTA's, that they wouldn't be getting accepted for credit anymore in the near future. That was going to be the original plan, instead of paying to take the A+.

As markulous said, you do not need IT experience, just a desire to learn about IT. As for helpdesk, no, that isn't the only option for you. Depending on your local market, you could start someplace else.

For instance, I have a friend who started in a NOC position that allowed him to get his hands dirty without too many of the help desk related headaches. He had a degree plus A+/Network+/Security+ and no real IT experience. After approximately two years, he has CCNA/CCNP certs. His pay, as I recall, was definitely above the typical help desk pay scale, too. Now he is living a quite comfortable life. So, I definitely think that if you get your BSIT from WGU, with the A+/Network+/Security+/Linux+/Project+ and the CCNA/CCNA: Security certs, you will have a good chance at taking a smaller pay cut while avoiding the help desk scenario. Obviously, timing and market conditions play into it as well.

My first position in IT was also in the NOC, but I monitored environmental issues with our network. Not too far from help desk related duties but close enough where I would not get mad if someone lumped my position in with help desk.

Well, that is encouraging. I make just shy of $70K now, in an area where cost of living is comfortable. There's no way I could drop down to 30's and maintain our current household and lifestyle. The most I could really do is about $50K, because my wife would no longer be working at that point (she'll be starting school full-time after her military contract is up). I noticed a few positions that were advertised towards new grads with Lockheed and AT&T that started around $45-50/yr, which I'm sure we could make work.

I just got my tentative credit evaluation back from UMUC and it's making this a hard decision. I've only got 62 credits to do since most of my service schooling transferred in as general electives. That's with a minor in Cyber Security on top of the major, and WGU won't give me a tentative evaluation.

N2IT

Yes I think it would be good.

markulous

If you're looking for the most cost effective way, ask about the CIW certs. Those are cheap and very easy and enough to get you accepted. You'll get your A+ through them anyway and won't have to pay out of pocket for that ridiculously expensive cert. I recall someone mentioning that it was like a CIW entry-level web design or something, not the one that I have (which was pretty easy in itself too).

ksijur

talk to EC for WGU... they are getting rid of CIW's and MTA's ...

stryder144

I just had my weekly meeting with my student mentor and the topic of discussion revolved around the new changes to the BSIT/Sec degree program. My mentor stated that the school has talked about, and is leaning heavily toward, making the minimum entry certificate the A+. As such, it is likely the best one to get, even though it is rather expensive. I definitely recommend that you call the school and tell them what you wrote here. The EC should be able to get you pointed in the right direction.

markulous

stryder144 wrote: »

I just had my weekly meeting with my student mentor and the topic of discussion revolved around the new changes to the BSIT/Sec degree program. My mentor stated that the school has talked about, and is leaning heavily toward, making the minimum entry certificate the A+. As such, it is likely the best one to get, even though it is rather expensive. I definitely recommend that you call the school and tell them what you wrote here. The EC should be able to get you pointed in the right direction.

That's really too bad. The A+ is way too expensive. I think the MTAs should still be valid as most people are working in a MS environment and it gives them a decent foundation to build off of. Not to mention they are super cheap.