Curious about need of Comptia certs if you have AAS..no real job experience

Hello, all! I stumbled across this forums just looking up all things IT and have read for a while and this is my first post. I am not employed in IT i used to work as a security officer in a hospital and always wanted to be in IT but didn't go to school or even try to apply as I thought i just wouldn't be qualified. I have a pretty rock solid understanding of the fundamentals of pc repair though i found out after taking a few courses at a local college when i was so far ahead of my peers on the A+ side of things. We learned right out of the comptia A+ book for desktop repair and desktop security(which was really just learning about CLI, registry, and the operating system side of things not sure why they called it security).

Basically after working with a few IT guys on the night shift at the hospital it inspired me to really go for it so i enrolled in a college here in my town where I live that pretty much everyone in the area goes to for IT unless they're programming then they go to the UW college system for computer sci.

Just for an idea of classes heres a program list : Course List for Network Systems Administration

So my wondering is when I graduate from this program, do i really need the comptia A+, Net+? I'm also a little torn on system administration and pure networking. Im learning both currently as the program is kind of a mix but is more geared toward system administration. I really like both to be honest. I was actually just planning on skipping the A+ and Net+ and just starting on a CCENT and then the CCNA afterwards. Just curious what some thoughts are on how much the degree is even worth to skip the comptia certs. It seems like where i live in the Fox Valley that the school im going to is respected locally because most all the IT guys i talk to went here or to UW-Oshkosh/GreenBay for programming. So it seems like people get hired with it. Also the school itself offers internships to work at the school for money for some experience which i totally plan on trying to get if i'm lucky. I also volunteer for the "Student Help Desk" at school which kinda just gets us exposure to working with spiceworks and we for free help repair and fix any students pc's/laptops that come to our desk.

Thanks alot guys really like the community on these forums from what i've been reading.

Take care,
F'n new guy

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IT-FNG

*Update* So I got an IT Operations Internship interview for Tuesday at 1pm. I'm kinda curious if theres going to be a technical interview at all for just a simple Internship and how much do they expect me to know since i'm only going to be starting in fall my second semester(finished spring and also a summer interim with non-IT general credits)? Also does anyone here know how internships usually schedule around school hours? They want 40 hours for breaks but 10-20 for the school year. I'm curious if they would do more like 1-2 8 hour days or like 5 2-3 hour days?

Here is the job description:

15-0062

Post Date
7/17/2015

Title
IT Operations Intern

City
Oshkosh

Description
Silver Star Brands, is a leader in the multi channel marketing industry and home of Miles Kimball, Walter Drake, Easy Comforts, As We Change, Exposures, Bi Matrix, and the newly acquired Native Remedies. We were named one of the top 300 in Internet Retailer’s Top 500 list for 2014. Located in Oshkosh, WI since 1934, our company is large enough for opportunity, but with just 500 year-round team members, you will be recognized and rewarded for your efforts.

We have a great opportunity for an IT Operations Intern.

This position works with trouble tickets and documented processes to provide first level support to internal customers. They will complete processes that are developed, documented, and repeatable. They will triage incoming desktop and server issues, resolve them, and communicate with the end users. The position will also implement and adhere to change management and process management in the ITIL framework. They will also work with the IT Operations Engineer/s and Infrastructure group to elevate issues that are larger in scope.

The ideal candidate will be in process of pursuing a degree in Computer Science. Knowledge of Windows, Mac OS and PC hardware trouble shooting will be necessary. Innovation, desire to learn, and contribute to a high performing team and a strong desire to bring best practices to the team, share your knowledge and expertise and enable your team members' mutual success as the organization continues to grow will be critical. Must have excellent communications skills (i.e. writing, editing, and presentation) and an ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic team environment. Strong organization skills, attention to detail, creative ability, self-starter, strong work ethic, with personal initiative and drive are all desired characteristics.

Must be able to commit to 10 – 20 hours per week during school and up to 40 during breaks. Duration of this internship can be up to 2 years, while completing degree. $12.50 per hour.

Silver Star Brands’ values include its Customers, Team Members, Products and Services and Trust. Great culture, outstanding people and an environment where you can make a difference! Qualified candidates should apply at Silver Star Brands - Miles Kimball - Multi Channel Merchandising Company

Requirements
Required education, skills, abilities, and experience:
•Strong communication skills that revolve around building and maintaining a strong customer relationship.
•Enrolled in school and taking classes
•Knowledge of Windows and Mac OS and tools
•Knowledge of PC hardware troubleshooting.
•Experience with Microsoft desktop tools
•Self starter/self motivated.
•Ability to work unsupervised.
•Multi-task oriented.
•Detail oriented.
•Ability to work in a fast paced environment.
•Manage time well and meet deadlines.
•Follow instructions.
•Strong documentation skills.
•Strong organizational skill.
•Ability to resolve problems and think on their feet.

Thank you kindly, guys!

IT-FNG

*Update*

Hey there, I got the internship!

It'll last 2 years or up until my graduation so I'm really happy about that. It's also nice that it's paid and theres really not a lot of internships in general where I live. Seems it will help with my resume having some work experience to put down for when I graduate. Not sure what to expect pretty nervous as I don't really have any experience and am only starting my 3rd semester on the 29th.

Anyways I think you can close this thread if it's needed.

bpenn

Fantastic. Try to learn as much as you can during your internship because it will be key experience when you graduate!

scaredoftests

Congrats!!

v1ral

Congrats! I was going to suggest an internship since you were going to school, but I scrolled down and saw you already applied and got an internship.

I also have an AS and with no IT cert until recently. I got a job as an IT engineer a month before I graduated since I had interned at 2 large companies' IT department.

IggI_Supreme

Congrats

phantasm

Congratulations!

aderon

IT-FNG wrote: »

*Update*

Hey there, I got the internship! It'll last 2 years or up until my graduation so I'm really happy about that.

Dude congratulations! That sounds like a really cool gig and a nice starting point for sure. Good luck!

stryder144

Congratulations! Going back to your original post: search the job boards for your area (or wherever it is you want to live/work) and compile a list of certs that are in demand. Tailor your certs to both your interests and the job market. That way, you will always be interested in what you are learning and what you are learning will almost always pay off.

josh.armentrout1

I like that line item under requirements, "Follow instructions".

IT-FNG

v1ral wrote: »

Congrats! I was going to suggest an internship since you were going to school, but I scrolled down and saw you already applied and got an internship.

I also have an AS and with no IT cert until recently. I got a job as an IT engineer a month before I graduated since I had interned at 2 large companies' IT department.

Man that would be an amazing opportunity. Here's hoping to! Hope I can make some good network contacts (as in social networking) and see if it opens some doors later on.

IT-FNG

stryder144 wrote: »

Congratulations! Going back to your original post: search the job boards for your area (or wherever it is you want to live/work) and compile a list of certs that are in demand. Tailor your certs to both your interests and the job market. That way, you will always be interested in what you are learning and what you are learning will almost always pay off.

Thanks, I will definitely do that i'm going to see if I can get a list together for where I live now and tackle one of the certs during winter or summer breaks in between. I did talk to one of my new bosses just casually about what he thought the job market was in the area I live and if it's real competitive and he told me it ebbs and flows its like feast or famine in a cyclic nature. I can't wait to get started!

Thanks again everyone you guys rock.

jeremywatts2005

It has been yrs since I complete my AAS, 1998 to be in fact. Man it was good times then. Folks were getting awesome job w no experience right out of college. I was one of them. 2 months before graduation I was hired with Rockwell EC as a Field Service Engineer. Once I started I was sent to training and heavily certified in all the Spectrum ACD products. Back then a degree got you in the door and the company provided the experience and certifications.

Sadly this is not so true today. Many companies are wanting the degree, certs and experience for entry level. Getting the degree is one check then grabbing a cert while doing it or shortly there after helps along with any internship or in field experience you can grab during your degree.
When I was a chair and a Dean in technical education. I asked my students if they wanted some real world experience. If they did then I would get there available hours and then go to the companies doing rollouts or setups and pimp the students to them. Yep paid training (sometimes in the range of $20 - $30 and hour) on desktop rollouts, cabling installs and all sorts of other technology type goodies. I even got one guy a weekend job installing cash registers. There was some cases a weeks work on a project would pay more than the entire month of minimum wage. It all builds the resume.
Get everything you can while in college and bolster that resume. The certification (s) will help.

eansdad

That is a great opportunity. To answer your question: At this level with an AAS and 2 yrs exp when you graduate will get you into a good job but having the A+ and Net+ will get your through more HR doors. While you might not learn a lot of new information from these 2 certs they will help open more doors as HR departments use software/websites that use key words on resumes to weed out any potential unqualified people. If you can find or your school is an Academy Partner with CompTIA then the exams are really not expensive (A+ $89ea and Net+ $137 saving you $350).

Congrates and good luck

Dakinggamer87

Congrats on your new internship opportunity and good luck!!