Should I continue education... after 4 years?

Meho7x · 02-11-2008, 10:39 AM

Here is the story... I went to college and only got a 2 year associate degree in my IT Field. After that i got a internship and they hired me to work for them as an IT specialist. The job was great and in 3 years i moved up on the scale. Got couple of raises and learned way more then i ever did in college.

My boss (now ex boss) thinks so highly of me and he knows i'm very smart. He thought me a lot and i owe it most to him for where i'm at today.

There were some cutback so i was let go... Probably within 2 weeks i found a better job. More money, better hours, etc. I was never afraid that i won't be able to find a good job. I mean i had couple of really good offers and all that with Associate Degree. But i guess what matters is that i had a good experience under my belt.

Now i'm at this job that is great. I'm an IT manager and the money is great. I'm only 25 and I'm not like rich by no means, but i make plenty to afford what i want.

I have some friends that finished with Bachelors degree in IT field... now one can't find a job and he's been looking for like 6 months now. He has no experience never worked in IT field and all he has is his diploma. Another friend has bachelors but he is not in IT field and he's making like me now. (We are all same age).

So I'm just thinking... If i continue this pace with experience and all, would i even need this degree? I really don't feel like going back to school and getting myself in debt if i don't need to. I mean if i stay at this company for 5 years i know i'll grow more... If i go somewhere else, i might be able to find better... i mean who knows.

Need advice...

Thanks

rose2summer · 02-11-2008, 10:54 AM

I think in certain fields, the degree really doesn't matter, it's work experience that takes you far.

You have the skills you need, so why rack up the loans, and the stress, if you are doing just fine.

If you find after this job that you need the bachelor's, you can go to night school then, but if all is well, why jinx it?

This is coming from someone who has been in school for 7+yrs after h.s. and still going with no income (not fun being poor!!), if you have money coming in and you're happy, stick with it!

Hugs, Rose

CaptainPlanet · 02-11-2008, 10:54 AM

From what I understand it is more like a trade than a profession and the only section of IT that you really need a degree for is programming. So I would say get the degree when you can't advance any further without one.

Meho7x · 02-11-2008, 11:10 AM

Thanks for replies. I was thinking about night school, but like i said i'm really not interested in paying for it and getting in debt when i know i won't learn anything i already don't know.

It's just a piece of paper at the end. Even the associate degree i got, i didn't learn anything in school. I learned a lot more working and actually being in the middle of it.

Thanks for the replies.

BeStrongBeHappy · 02-12-2008, 09:19 AM

I would recommend more education because employers look for two things: credentials and experience. Education is the credentialling one needs to open a lot of jobs up, especially in technical fields.

What kind of IT work do you do? Many IT support jobs (help desk, internal computer maintenance) do fine without a college degree, but many engineering and software development jobs won't even consider you without a four year degree, or will only let you go so far in the company without the degree. I've been at companies where there are two pay scales, with those without degrees being relegated to the technician track, and four year degrees in the engineering track, with engineers paid significantly more.

When you are first starting out this isn't a handicap, but if you want to go into engineering and development, and progress up the career ladder, a 4 year degree is that standard. 4 year degrees also qualify one for better salary ranges and higher management positions.

To get a degree, you don't have to leave work at all, in fact, there are many many online computer/IT/engineering degrees you can get online, without attending class, strictly online self paced classes. Do some googling for online computer science degree or online engineering degree and lots of schools will pop up.

Many companies will pay the tuition for you to go part time while you still work.

The other way to enhance your credentials is via certification if you don't want to go the 4 year degree route. there are lots of microsoft certification programs that you can google that train you to be 'experts' in certain areas that are very marketable. So that's a second way to get a 'credential' on your resume to go with your experience.

Pegasus · 02-12-2008, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meho7x

Here is the story... I went to college and only got a 2 year associate degree in my IT Field. After that i got a internship and they hired me to work for them as an IT specialist. The job was great and in 3 years i moved up on the scale. Got couple of raises and learned way more then i ever did in college.

Does that mean that you're installing windows and fixing pc's?

If that is the case, can you see yourself doing that to the rest of your working years?

I'll tell you a little story. I have a friend that went into IT business straight after high school while I went to college. He got really a lot of experience working while I got my MSc and had zero experience. When I started working he was a "big shot", with much higher salary, driving company car and having all possible benefits I couldn't even imagine.

So, we worked together for almost 5 years and I climbed up on working scale learning bunch of stuff every day. And I have to tell you - I thought for a long time about stuff I learned in college "what a crap I learned there, I can't use anything of it in real world". But I was sooooo wrong....

My friend already had more than 5 yr experience but I've noticed he was doing everything in a "hackerish" way...you know, without reading documents, preparing for jobs, writing documentation and all that stuff he never learned at college. As time passed by, we both had much more work to do and that was the point where I could see the differences - I was always organized, I always knew where I was with my projects and how much time I need to finish every one of them. He got buried into work without plan, without documenting and it just crushed him. He didn't finish even single project.

Boss never showed him that he was wrong working the way he did even that others had to finish his projects. A while ago things started to go downhill with company we worked for 5 years so he applied for work in biggest networking company in the world as a consultant. In the mean time he told boss that he applied thinking that he'll get higher payment if company still wants to keep him - boss just asked him "Do you need a reference?"

. So he left and started working at this new company.

I applied for a job at the same company as well just few months ago and also informed my current boss. We talked for 4 hours and we concluded that I can't stay there because I really need change. So I decided to go. We parted in a friendly way and I still have drinks with ex boss when we find some free time.

Guess which position I got in a new company? I'm my friends team leader (read: boss). So was my MSc diploma worth pursuing? You bet

.

pacman · 02-13-2008, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meho7x

Thanks for replies. I was thinking about night school, but like i said i'm really not interested in paying for it and getting in debt when i know i won't learn anything i already don't know.

It's just a piece of paper at the end. Even the associate degree i got, i didn't learn anything in school. I learned a lot more working and actually being in the middle of it.

Thanks for the replies.

Does your employer reimburse for tuition?

you could start it, one class at a time. Now maybe you never finish and stop after only a few classes or maybe you make it until the end, but if you can get your employer to pay for it there is no real loss either way and you will learn something from it.

As far as whether you need another degree... I couldnt say, you know more about your industry and what they look for than we do.

robert7x · 02-14-2008, 03:42 PM

I think in the IT field... Experience is more important then a degree. However having couple of those certifications like Cisco or Microsoft is very nice.

I for one am not into programming at all... I like everything else about computers, networking, servers, routers, switches etc... I understand how they work and all... But looking 8 hours a day at the stupid code... Just not my cup of tea.

Crawley · 02-18-2008, 03:53 PM

As an IT manager, I see having experience with some successful projects under your belt as more important than a degree. There are various certifications I believe you can get in the field, such as Prince2.

Personally, I am a developer, I have no degree but have managed to acquire 8 years of good experience and regularly study book after book outside of work in order to keep myself up to date with all the latest practices (which is essential for any good developer, degree or no degree).

A while ago, I put myself out of work in order to work as a contractor and I'm having no trouble getting work at all, it seems only a few employers really care about it when they look at who you've worked for, for how long and what you've used in your time there.

Oh yes and I enjoy spending 8 hours a day designing and developing the "clever" code :P

This is in the UK though, so it might be different there.

02-11-2008, 10:39 AM	#1
Meho7x Offline Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: LA Gender: Male Posts: 49	Should I continue education... after 4 years? Here is the story... I went to college and only got a 2 year associate degree in my IT Field. After that i got a internship and they hired me to work for them as an IT specialist. The job was great and in 3 years i moved up on the scale. Got couple of raises and learned way more then i ever did in college. My boss (now ex boss) thinks so highly of me and he knows i'm very smart. He thought me a lot and i owe it most to him for where i'm at today. There were some cutback so i was let go... Probably within 2 weeks i found a better job. More money, better hours, etc. I was never afraid that i won't be able to find a good job. I mean i had couple of really good offers and all that with Associate Degree. But i guess what matters is that i had a good experience under my belt. Now i'm at this job that is great. I'm an IT manager and the money is great. I'm only 25 and I'm not like rich by no means, but i make plenty to afford what i want. I have some friends that finished with Bachelors degree in IT field... now one can't find a job and he's been looking for like 6 months now. He has no experience never worked in IT field and all he has is his diploma. Another friend has bachelors but he is not in IT field and he's making like me now. (We are all same age). So I'm just thinking... If i continue this pace with experience and all, would i even need this degree? I really don't feel like going back to school and getting myself in debt if i don't need to. I mean if i stay at this company for 5 years i know i'll grow more... If i go somewhere else, i might be able to find better... i mean who knows. Need advice... Thanks

02-11-2008, 10:54 AM	#2
rose2summer Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Gender: Female Posts: 2,389	I think in certain fields, the degree really doesn't matter, it's work experience that takes you far. You have the skills you need, so why rack up the loans, and the stress, if you are doing just fine. If you find after this job that you need the bachelor's, you can go to night school then, but if all is well, why jinx it? This is coming from someone who has been in school for 7+yrs after h.s. and still going with no income (not fun being poor!!), if you have money coming in and you're happy, stick with it! Hugs, Rose __________________ If life is fulfilled we go away with empty hands. ~Chinese Proverb~ With every failure, there's a chance for success. With every failure, there's a chance to learn. ~Rose~

02-14-2008, 03:42 PM	#8
robert7x Offline Bronze Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Saleen Town - S281 Gender: Male Age: 27 Posts: 365	I think in the IT field... Experience is more important then a degree. However having couple of those certifications like Cisco or Microsoft is very nice. I for one am not into programming at all... I like everything else about computers, networking, servers, routers, switches etc... I understand how they work and all... But looking 8 hours a day at the stupid code... Just not my cup of tea. __________________ ~~~The Man in Black is Back!~~~ "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. " T. S. Eliot

02-11-2008, 10:54 AM	#3
CaptainPlanet Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Australia Gender: Male Age: 26 Posts: 4,259	From what I understand it is more like a trade than a profession and the only section of IT that you really need a degree for is programming. So I would say get the degree when you can't advance any further without one.

02-11-2008, 11:10 AM	#4
Meho7x Offline Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: LA Gender: Male Posts: 49	Thanks for replies. I was thinking about night school, but like i said i'm really not interested in paying for it and getting in debt when i know i won't learn anything i already don't know. It's just a piece of paper at the end. Even the associate degree i got, i didn't learn anything in school. I learned a lot more working and actually being in the middle of it. Thanks for the replies.

02-12-2008, 09:19 AM	#5
BeStrongBeHappy Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Gender: Female Posts: 7,417	I would recommend more education because employers look for two things: credentials and experience. Education is the credentialling one needs to open a lot of jobs up, especially in technical fields. What kind of IT work do you do? Many IT support jobs (help desk, internal computer maintenance) do fine without a college degree, but many engineering and software development jobs won't even consider you without a four year degree, or will only let you go so far in the company without the degree. I've been at companies where there are two pay scales, with those without degrees being relegated to the technician track, and four year degrees in the engineering track, with engineers paid significantly more. When you are first starting out this isn't a handicap, but if you want to go into engineering and development, and progress up the career ladder, a 4 year degree is that standard. 4 year degrees also qualify one for better salary ranges and higher management positions. To get a degree, you don't have to leave work at all, in fact, there are many many online computer/IT/engineering degrees you can get online, without attending class, strictly online self paced classes. Do some googling for online computer science degree or online engineering degree and lots of schools will pop up. Many companies will pay the tuition for you to go part time while you still work. The other way to enhance your credentials is via certification if you don't want to go the 4 year degree route. there are lots of microsoft certification programs that you can google that train you to be 'experts' in certain areas that are very marketable. So that's a second way to get a 'credential' on your resume to go with your experience.

02-18-2008, 03:53 PM	#9
Crawley Offline Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2	As an IT manager, I see having experience with some successful projects under your belt as more important than a degree. There are various certifications I believe you can get in the field, such as Prince2. Personally, I am a developer, I have no degree but have managed to acquire 8 years of good experience and regularly study book after book outside of work in order to keep myself up to date with all the latest practices (which is essential for any good developer, degree or no degree). A while ago, I put myself out of work in order to work as a contractor and I'm having no trouble getting work at all, it seems only a few employers really care about it when they look at who you've worked for, for how long and what you've used in your time there. Oh yes and I enjoy spending 8 hours a day designing and developing the "clever" code :P This is in the UK though, so it might be different there.