BTEC National 3 ICT to what?
- Thread starter SkidMarkKing
- Start date
Soldato
It varies so much. Even the job in question, some 1st liners do more than most 2nd line support guys depending on the organisation 
London rates are obviously higher, but I know of a 2nd line support guy on a £250 day rate contract.
London rates are obviously higher, but I know of a 2nd line support guy on a £250 day rate contract.
It varies so much. Even the job in question, some 1st liners do more than most 2nd line support guys depending on the organisation
Jeez lol.
I did see a support job and they said training will be provided so I could apply next time. I want to stick my job for a year so it's 1 year shop/repair experience on my CV.
Soldato
Are you working full time there? If not - look out for volunteer IT work with charities. Can get you hands on experience of larger infrastructures. Obviously, most of it will be bog standard stuff you are already doing, and with no pay (but usually unlimited tea/coffee 
). Looks good on your CV, might lead somewhere possibly (remember the networking bit 
)
). Looks good on your CV, might lead somewhere possibly (remember the networking bit )
Done voluntary mate at a community center. I helped do there website.
Where I work I do a couple of days a week then if we get busy I do extra days. I basically get asked to go in tomorrow at 5pm the night before. :/
Where I work I do a couple of days a week then if we get busy I do extra days. I basically get asked to go in tomorrow at 5pm the night before. :/
Soldato
TBH just hammer the recruitment sites/agencies for junior/1st line positions. No harm in looking about, and it's very competitive, but fortune favours the bold and all that 
TBH just hammer the recruitment sites/agencies for junior/1st line positions. No harm in looking about, and it's very competitive, but fortune favours the bold and all that
Do this but for big companies that are stable - financial, legal, banking
I was made redundant twice at smaller companies
If you find a big stable company, stay with with them in a lower position and show you are willing to learn. You will soon be noticed and go up in the ranks. Yes, there is lots of red tape e.g. requesting different levels of access but if you show you are willing to do a bit of self study (I recently became a Citrix certified Admin which I studied for in my own time) people will find time for you. There's also other things like travel abroad and overtime
I wish I had known the above 5 years ago
Personally I would stay well away from computer shop/repair places. You are not going to learn much apart from how to change a few network cables, remove a virus and install some hardware.
My future goals are to learn more about Exchange, SCCM (MS systems center config manager) SCOM (operations manager - alerts and monitoring) and general Citrix - Cloud and mobile computing (any device anywhere type stuff)
Went from the BTEC to a 3 year apprenticeship with one of the worlds largest networking companies. Been there 12 months now and one of the managers is trying to get an requisition to get me a job
I don't see how you don't have the right level to do an apprenticeship. So far the learning side of the course is easier and stupider than the BTEC...
I don't see how you don't have the right level to do an apprenticeship. So far the learning side of the course is easier and stupider than the BTEC...
Went from the BTEC to a 3 year apprenticeship with one of the worlds largest networking companies. Been there 12 months now and one of the managers is trying to get an requisition to get me a job
I don't see how you don't have the right level to do an apprenticeship. So far the learning side of the course is easier and stupider than the BTEC...
Maybe the bigger companies don't ask for funding of the government? Only thing I can think of
Nope, they get the funding as well.
I think I got a DDM or something which was at least equivalent to a couple of A levels, but the majority of apprenticeships I saw when looking only required GCSEs. It seemed to be the larger companies who wanted the A levels.
I may just keep applying for apprenticeships then and see what happens. Only problem I have is going from minimum wage now which is £6 something to £2 something for apprenticeships. A lot of companies will make it up though apparently so your not on stupidly low wages.
Only problem with that linkedin is that my boss is on there I think too lol
Advanced Apprenticeships require 5 GCSE's, Higher Apprenticeships require 2-3 A-Levels. I'm doing an advanced apprenticeship although I also applied for higher, they are very hard to get and there aren't a lot of them about.
I completed a Level 3 btec a year ago but I still got onto a level 3 apprenticeship on a good wage.
I completed a Level 3 btec a year ago but I still got onto a level 3 apprenticeship on a good wage.
Soldato
Hello.
Just interested to see what people are doing who completed the BTEC National level 3 course in IT.
I had a big shock when I came out of college and was told I can't do apprenticeships due to my level from college.
I finally managed to get some shop work repairing computers but obviously this isn't my life time goal as it is just minimum wage pretty much.
I don't fancy spending loads and going to Uni but I would like to get into networking. The problem with the level 3 IT course was that we only covered a little bit from a lot of areas of IT. EG, Hardware, Web Design, Animation etc. I do not have the knowledge to apply for a 30k a year networking job. (yet)
So where did you go from completing the BTEC National Level 3 course in ICT?
Hope you don't mind me asking, cheers.
I did the exact same thing!
after finishing my college I had nowhere to go.. after 100s of applications I decided to take an apprenticeship.. you can get into that scheme with level 3 diploma! what I did was apply for systems admin job with a big london agency and got it! best decision I have ever made! less than a year later and I've got a permanent place offered with them! great, except the course was RUBBISH.. as a system admin I had to do animations, webdesign, project management etc I literally learnt NOTHING that helped me with my actual job lol, end of day I am really happy with what I've got from this placement and I can finally focus on my career and get things moving! but don't expect 30k as a starting salary
if we put course away which had nothing to do with my actual employer this has been the best way to get into this industry!
my brother did the same(he's 3 years younger) and he just finished his and got a permanent position too!
I did the exact same thing!
what I did was apply for systems admin job with a big london agency and got it! best decision I have ever made! less than a year later and I've got a permanent place offered with them! great, except the course was RUBBISH.. as a system admin I had to do animations, webdesign, project management etc I literally learnt NOTHING that helped me with my actual job lol, end of day I am really happy with what I've got from this placement and I can finally focus on my career and get things moving! but don't expect 30k as a starting salary
if we put course away which had nothing to do with my actual employer this has been the best way to get into this industry!
my brother did the same(he's 3 years younger) and he just finished his and got a permanent position too!
Might need to apply with some agencies as well then. 20k would do me right now ,lol. Im aware big salaries have to be earn't as well.
I just would like to work in a bigger company so I can work up as well
Are you working full time there? If not - look out for volunteer IT work with charities. Can get you hands on experience of larger infrastructures. Obviously, most of it will be bog standard stuff you are already doing, and with no pay (but usually unlimited tea/coffee
+1
I've learned more doing this kind of real world work than anything in my comparatively useless CS degree.
One of my recent projects was developing a MySQL database and client-server program to manage it and implementing it on a Linux database/file server I set up on the LAN, and expanding their wired network to a wireless one that encompassed their large site. This was for a 6 figure revenue charity. Though I did get paid given it was such a large job.
Doing this kind of thing is much better for personal/career development than anything the job centre et al, can offer you who deluge you with worthless apprenticeships in sales positions etc.
Soldato
Might need to apply with some agencies as well then. 20k would do me right now ,lol. Im aware big salaries have to be earn't as well.
I just would like to work in a bigger company so I can work up as well
Think more along the lines of 14k-18k.. My starting was 9k as apprentice
I work as a Unix systems administrator now and to get that kinda job you'd need to know Linux, AWS, bash scripting, sed/awk, VM ware, mysql, all levels of networking, tomcat, jboss, apache and puppet is also a nice thing to know etc basically all the big toys that are not as easy to get access to if you're trying to learn in your own time.
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Soldato
Those placement years are worth as much as the degree itself. I did one at Big Blue, then while I was doing my final year the graduate unemployment thing happened and I graduated with a B.Eng with honours and... experience!
As it happens I went back to Big Blue where I am today, I develop our block storage systems, from V3700 right up to V7000 and SVC.
As it happens I went back to Big Blue where I am today, I develop our block storage systems, from V3700 right up to V7000 and SVC.
Well im on minimum wage now so even if its thats with a 38/40 hour week im happy
I was on youtube last night. Watched 3 hours of networking videos, lol. Eli the computer guy or something like that his username was. I understand a lot more (than what I did but obviously a long way to go). SNMP is now understud so thats a starting point, right? lol
Soldato
I done a BTEC Level 3, then went off to Uni to do Comp Sci. I work for HP now doing IT support, granted its callcentre work, but its put me in a good position to move around.
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