10 + years of Administration want a change - IT?

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Hello,

Well I'm 35 years old having worked 10 plus years in a local government administration role I'm getting very bored with the same things day in and day out. Really fancy a change would love to move into IT but no idea where to start any advice? Currently on £21k a year paying rent etc so worried about a drop in wage at the moment.
 
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Can start with Comptia A+ if you have no IT background.

Buy the books, study and take the exam. It won't cost much apart from your time to study.

If you have IT knowledge already then Microsoft qualifications will help you.

Non related tip, if you want a better paid IT job, get out the Midlands if you can.
 
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It's worth noting that some of the IT related qualifications you'll probably end up aiming for require renewal every X amount of years, it isn't a big deal and if you land a job in the role you want as they'll probably cover any such costs anyway. I'm a little out of the loop in that regard as I no longer work specifically in the sector I was in (computer networking/administration), but as an example Cisco certs (CCNA) would set you back around £200 each and require renewal every 3 years. That was the case for certain other certs too, although it's not a massive deal if you're genuinely interested in putting the work in and entering whichever sector. Depending on the sector of IT you work in, it's a constantly evolving job where you're always learning and coming across new tech, so if stagnation is a worry it could be a good area for you to go into.

Could be a plan to book an appointment with some sort of career advisor and outline where you're interested in going, they'll be able to direct you in the direction you need to go and what to expect.

malachi raised a good point regarding where you live, some places are crying out for skilled IT work and others not so much.
 
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It's worth noting that some of the IT related qualifications you'll probably end up aiming for require renewal every X amount of years, it isn't a big deal and if you land a job in the role you want as they'll probably cover any such costs anyway. I'm a little out of the loop in that regard as I no longer work specifically in the sector I was in (computer networking/administration), but as an example Cisco certs (CCNA) would set you back around £200 each and require renewal every 3 years. That was the case for certain other certs too, although it's not a massive deal if you're genuinely interested in putting the work in and entering whichever sector. Depending on the sector of IT you work in, it's a constantly evolving job where you're always learning and coming across new tech, so if stagnation is a worry it could be a good area for you to go into.

Could be a plan to book an appointment with some sort of career advisor and outline where you're interested in going and doing, they'll be able to direct you in the direction you need to go and what to expect.

malachi raised a good point regarding where you live, some places are crying out for skilled IT work and others not so much.

Thank you for the reply interesting point on renewals but if it's something your interested in suppose that's not much of a ball ache. :D
 
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Thank you for the reply interesting point on renewals but if it's something your interested in suppose that's not much of a ball ache. :D

Not at all, and as I said if you're wanting a change due to finding regular Admin work boring, IT is generally an ever evolving creature. Hopefully it's not something you'll get bored of, so whatever work you put in should pay back in the long term. You do need to put the work in day by day to remain up to date though.
 
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Not at all, and as I said if you're wanting a change due to finding regular Admin work boring, IT is generally an ever evolving creature. Hopefully it's not something you'll get bored of, so whatever work you put in should pay back in the long term. You do need to put the work in day by day to remain up to date though.

No I love everything about computers it's the only interesting part of my job currently haha. so can't see me getting bored of it.
 
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Really fancy a change would love to move into IT

I'm going to be blunt. Don't do it. I'm guessing from your job history that you haven't moved to management. So you're not management potential. Do you really want to have to take your exams etc every few years for the next 30 years? If you don't you'll likely lose your job. Unless you get into management, that's what you're going to have to do and it gets harder and harder as you grow older. Find something else that involves computers, but isn't computers.
 
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No I love everything about computers it's the only interesting part of my job currently haha. so can't see me getting bored of it.

That's good!

I'd think long and hard about what you want to do within IT before committing to anything though.

Do you want to program?
Work in networking, systems admin?
Computer repairs/support?

There's a wealth of areas and it's an idea to figure out where to focus before just taking random courses.

I will say that there's a large difference between enjoying something as a hobby and working with something day to day however, really think about this before you jump into it all.
 
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That's good!

I'd think long and hard about what you want to do within IT before committing to anything though.

Do you want to program?
Work in networking, systems admin?
Computer repairs/support?

There's a wealth of areas and it's an idea to figure out where to focus before just taking random courses.

I will say that there's a large difference between enjoying something as a hobby and working with something day to day however, really think about this before you jump into it all.

Id ideally like a support repair role I think. Kind of do unofficial IT support now and love it every aspect of it. Particularly helping people with problems / issues.
 
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A support or repair role can be tiring (and infuriating) depending on who you're dealing with regularly and what constraints you're under, doing so for friends and family (aka people you know) is generally quite rewarding, not so much with the public or even business to business. You need a high tolerance for stupidity and you will be heavily constrained in how you can act and what you can do. There will be times where you're 100% certain you can fix a problem but will be unable to do so due to whatever regulations you're under. It's also unlikely to be a big earner long term compared to some of the other options.

I'm not trying to put you off here, just being realistic as this is potentially a big change in your life.
 
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Thanks all I know I can't do what im doing currently forever so need to think of something else. I'll have to have a think on different options definitely want to do something involving computers / technology though.
 
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As I mentioned earlier, have a chat with a careers advisor but be as candid as possible.

Programming or media/software management is an interesting area to get into at the moment, there's a huge push in the north east (Gateshead/Newcastle way) for software development and related fields. There's actually a place called Proto on the Gateshead Quayside that was (sort of) recently launched which was partially government funded. I had the pleasure of touring it recently, very impressive place. They basically offer motion capture/vr dev-kit facilities as well as a sound studio and other development related facilities to smaller studios or small development teams for rental purposes. There's also a growing number of development studios in the area, some of which are substantial. A lot of the larger studios are looking specifically for people who are the "right fit" rather than someone with a lengthy background and tons of experience, and a number will even put those they hire through University for relevant degrees at their time and cost, and no age is not a factor in that regard.

If you really put in the work and you're damn good at what you do, there's a lot of money to be made as a systems/network admin, but it isn't something I enjoyed personally.

Really, really think before diving into anything, IT isn't just one thing and there's a lot of areas you can enter.
 
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It occurs to me that IT technicians are notoriously bad at administration, so maybe you could parlay your admin skills into the office admin environment in an IT company. Someone has to control all the administravia. I'm talking forms management, ording new equipment, office layout, new desks, andso on. Note that IT administration is something else entirely!
 
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It occurs to me that IT technicians are notoriously bad at administration, so maybe you could parlay your admin skills into the office admin environment in an IT company. Someone has to control all the administravia. I'm talking forms management, ording new equipment, office layout, new desks, andso on. Note that IT administration is something else entirely!

Very good idea.

Working general admin might not be the OP's problem really, the fact he's working in government sectors might be the issue. I've never in my life come across a government (non-political) position that wasn't absolutely soul sucking. If you enter a different industry doing the same work, where there's a very different culture and different context/workload, it could do wonders. Not only that, but once you're there and have proven yourself, you could apply for in house positions which are different, but have transferable skills. Or even simply being the right fit, as I mentioned earlier, a lot of IT related (more so in development) positions look for the right fit/mindset over skills and qualifications, as they want to take and grow the person.
 
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Very good idea.

Working general admin might not be the OP's problem really, the fact he's working in government sectors might be the issue. I've never in my life come across a government (non-political) position that wasn't absolutely soul sucking. If you enter a different industry doing the same work, where there's a very different culture and different context/workload, it could do wonders. Not only that, but once you're there and have proven yourself, you could apply for in house positions which are different, but have transferable skills. Or even simply being the right fit, as I mentioned earlier, a lot of IT related (more so in development) positions look for the right fit/mindset over skills and qualifications, as they want to take and grow the person.

Yes I have thought before maybe it's the public sector part of the job that's the problem. It really isn't great.
 
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Yes I have thought before maybe it's the public sector part of the job that's the problem. It really isn't great.

I'm also reminded of what was said earlier, that you might not be management material given how long you've spent at the role. Now that's something I disagree with to a point, I've found personally, and from talking to people I know within the government sector, that those who are promoted are not always the best fit for the role. In fact, it's often the case that people are promoted because they're unlikely to challenge the person promoting them, there's a high degree of incompetence when it comes to government sector workers. This may be hyperbolic on my end, but it does fit both my experience and that of those I know, including those who have worked within said areas. I'd say the most concerning thing is the fact you've worked there for ten years without looking for work elsewhere, but the fact you're looking now is definitely a positive thing. I'm guessing in your case you simply have not been in the right environment, and a move will do you the world of good.

Look to move under the same role imo, ten years experience is a good thing. Spin it as a positive, but I'd say look for professional advice in this regard, someone that can point you in the direction and tell you how to put a good spin on the fact you've essentially stagnated in the same role for that period. I think if you, as mentioned earlier, move into a similar position in a new place and industry, that you might find yourself much happier, with far more avenues open to you even if you don't want to remain as an admin worker specifically.
 
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I'm also reminded of what was said earlier, that you might not be management material given how long you've spent at the role. Now that's something I disagree with to a point, I've found personally, and from talking to people I know within the government sector, that those who are promoted are not always the best fit for the role. In fact, it's often the case that people are promoted because they're unlikely to challenge the person promoting them, there's a high degree of incompetence when it comes to government sector workers. This may be hyperbolic on my end, but it does fit both my experience and that of those I know, including those who have worked within said areas. I'd say the most concerning thing is the fact you've worked there for ten years without looking for work elsewhere, but the fact you're looking now is definitely a positive thing. I'm guessing in your case you simply have not been in the right environment, and a move will do you the world of good.

Look to move under the same role imo, ten years experience is a good thing. Spin it as a positive, but I'd say look for professional advice in this regard, someone that can point you in the direction and tell you how to put a good spin on the fact you've essentially stagnated in the same role for that period. I think if you, as mentioned earlier, move into a similar position in a new place and industry, that you might find yourself much happier, with far more avenues open to you even if you don't want to remain as an admin worker specifically.

Yes I've certainly seen and worked with some inept useless managers who haven't got a clue. Love the ones who try and tell you how to do your job. I may of been doing administration for 10 years but not all in the same job / level. Current job coming upto 5 years now.
 
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No I love everything about computers it's the only interesting part of my job currently haha. so can't see me getting bored of it.

Playing devils advocate and speaking from a personal perspective, I can safely say that after doing it for a living for a couple of decades, it drains your enthusiasm for it as a hobby.
The majority of my friends and peers also working in the profession feel much the same.

IT support, specifically, is a thankless task. If it goes wrong, it is your fault. If it doesn't go wrong, why do we even pay you?
The more creative roles are generally more satisfying careers as customers/employers tend to relate more to creating/building front end work than back end stuff.
However I'm sure any seasoned dev will regale you with tales of unrealistic expectations. What do you mean you can't write a new facebook in two weeks?

Not wanting to put you off, but as with most things the grass isn't always as green as it might appear - and if you are going to turn something you enjoy doing into your work, you want to be certain you will still enjoy it when you do it for a living.
 
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