Calling I.T tech support/field technicians!!

Ratbag said:
I've been stuck in retail most of my working life but I'm interested in computers and want to get into IT.

I've been accepted on to the CERCO course which will set me back £4000. Now I know it sounds like a lot of money and I know they have a bespoke qualification that not everybody accepts, but they are a recruitment agency too and almost guarantee you a job at the end of it.

Another reason for going this route is that it is a fulltime course (I would have to give up my job in retail) and I simply don't have the time or energy to work through a course in my own time after work.

However, if anybody has an alternative I'm willing to listen!

Basically, the job I would end up getting would be in tech support either over the phone or as a field technician. They suggest I could get £18k+ a year plus possibly a company car and/or travelling expenses. This is more than I get as a junior manager in retail (£16.5k).

Also, in time, I reckon if I continue to develop and get more qualifications my earning potential will increase dramatically beyond what I can get in retail (I don't ever envisage earning more than maybe £21k in retail).

I haven't fallen for any of their spiel and haven't signed up for anything, I just want to get an idea of the best route to go and whether the earning estimates are realistic.

I know I've waffled on a bit but I'm at a major turning point in my life so forgive me!

Thanks....

;)
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i know there is a lot of replies already but i thought i would post because i did the Cerco course myself 2 years ago. the Cerco course has been discussed a few times on these boards and it always comes down to, those who have done it are glad they did and it gets slated by those who haven't done it.

i had no IT experience other than from personal computer building etc, but i got a job as a junior field engineer shortly after completing the course. i love the job and after messing about with other jobs for a little while i finally found something i like doing. there would be no way i could have got this job otherwise :cool:
 
VeNT said:
for me, thats all that matters!
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Yeah, its certainly a massive part of it, but to help enjoy my time not at work, a bit more money wouldn't hurt. For example there is no way I could move out to my own place with my current pay. I also have my student loan/overdraft to pay off etc. But yes, the job does have its good points as well as its bad points.
 
messiah khan said:
FAO Rotty... Do you deal with SAN stuff at work then? If so, how did you or your collegues get into this, as its a line I could see myself being interested in specialising in. Also what does the role entail on a day to day basis?
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SAN storage more than the fabric management , install and maintain the storage/switches etc at hardware level, s/w and config work where it crosses paths with h/w work

Just got into it by being already in an enterprise role ( high end Unix servers and local storage ) when SANs started to be introduced

Getting the training and exposure has been easy as I work for one of the major manufacturers
 
I like IT and can't see me changing.

I started in 97 as a first line support type person. Now I am an It Co-ordinator, built my whole network from scratch (from Servers, to Firewalls, Pix and Checkpoint, etc).

These days it's harder to get into IT as so many people went into it, and the money isn't as good as it used to be.
 
Triad2000 said:
I like IT and can't see me changing.

I started in 97 as a first line support type person. Now I am an It Co-ordinator, built my whole network from scratch (from Servers, to Firewalls, Pix and Checkpoint, etc).

These days it's harder to get into IT as so many people went into it, and the money isn't as good as it used to be.
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Just wondering, where is the money at these days?

Business, Finance?
 
Finance will always earn you lots of money if you are an accountant.

With regards to IT, you can earn a lot of money still doing C++ and Java.
 
The only thing which would be a negative for me is if I had to go to a job which involved sticking a hand down someone's loo.
 
Gilly said:
Plumbing :p
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:D

Nice.

I would say that i don't know much about the Cerco course, never actually heard of it if i am being truthful. I started in IT in '98, before that i was a landscape Gardner/Machine driver for a few years and also a fully qualified butcher! :eek:

I started by getting a job as a first line telephone support bod, took quite a wage drop but thought it was a better career to be in. Did that for about 2 years and ended up moving into hardware diagnostics providing 2nd/3rd line support to Compaq/Dell/Fujitsu servers for a rather large outsourcing company. This was also when i met a certain 'Gilly' as we worked together for a few years.

From there, well, the sky has been the limit, i recently held the heady position of Assistant Director of IT for an NHS trust, and have now moved into a consultancy type role in the NHS (actually employed by the NHS, not on a contract role) with regards ITIL and Business Continuity.

From reading here, there are quite a few different opinions to getting a job in IT. In my eyes the quickest route in is to try 'Help/Service desk' jobs. They are looking for customer orientated people, IT skills can be taught on the job but an interest always helps. I employed two lads last year who had no IT experience apart from home PC's and their only jobs previously were flipping burgers at McDonalds, they are now up to the level where they are out and about doing a 'Field Service' type role, admittedly on nowhere near the cash Rotty has stated (more like £14k plus mileage allowance plus lease car).

Apply for a few jobs, emphasise your customer relation skills learnt from the retaiols environment, have a can do attitude, willing to learn and you should get in to IT without much hassle.
 
Rotty said:
SAN storage more than the fabric management , install and maintain the storage/switches etc at hardware level, s/w and config work where it crosses paths with h/w work

Just got into it by being already in an enterprise role ( high end Unix servers and local storage ) when SANs started to be introduced

Getting the training and exposure has been easy as I work for one of the major manufacturers
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Wonder who that is then? We just engaged EMC for a nice 8 node mirrored Centerra installation, not cheap!
 
kefkef said:
This was also when i met a certain 'Gilly' as we worked together for a few years.
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Do you realise that was over 6 years ago and I was only on that desk a year?

Seems like 3 years ago and like I was there ages :/

Anyway, sounds like you're doing well for yourself :) Nice one.
 
Gilly said:
Do you realise that was over 6 years ago and I was only on that desk a year?

Seems like 3 years ago and like I was there ages :/

Anyway, sounds like you're doing well for yourself :) Nice one.
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Not three bad matey. Shame there was no footy this year! Seems like only yesterday we were stuck in that little fenced off corner of the 1st floor with the mad Robby fan, captain " Roy D" birdseye and little Alan, not fogetting Major Bob and @@Carlos, were some good times (apart from being on call for Compaq worldwide and getting 28 calls in one weekend on a fixed price on call rota, only for it to go fixed price plus £'s per call a few months later! Grrrrrr) even if we did have the oldest call logging system know to mankind!

Spoke to rodders the other day, he's gone working for Next as a senior programmer.

You might be seeing me back there in a few months, just waiting for the Job adverts to start appearing, been having a few 'words' to some people with regards the NHS stuff going on! ;) Watch this space.
 
Most of those guys are still about the building. I thought Bob would've been gone by now.
kefkef said:
You might be seeing me back there in a few months, just waiting for the Job adverts to start appearing, been having a few 'words' to some people with regards the NHS stuff going on! ;) Watch this space.
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If you hear anything coming down the line do me a favour and give me a buzz. There's various problems with the desk I'm on at the min and I might need to rehouse some of my staff.
 
Ratbag said:
I've been stuck in retail most of my working life but I'm interested in computers and want to get into IT.

I've been accepted on to the CERCO course which will set me back £4000. Now I know it sounds like a lot of money and I know they have a bespoke qualification that not everybody accepts, but they are a recruitment agency too and almost guarantee you a job at the end of it.

Another reason for going this route is that it is a fulltime course (I would have to give up my job in retail) and I simply don't have the time or energy to work through a course in my own time after work.

However, if anybody has an alternative I'm willing to listen!

Basically, the job I would end up getting would be in tech support either over the phone or as a field technician. They suggest I could get £18k+ a year plus possibly a company car and/or travelling expenses. This is more than I get as a junior manager in retail (£16.5k).

Also, in time, I reckon if I continue to develop and get more qualifications my earning potential will increase dramatically beyond what I can get in retail (I don't ever envisage earning more than maybe £21k in retail).
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I am a career IT professional currently employed in a board position as the person responsible for all operational activities within a software and services company. This doesn't mean my opinion matters, but you can at least see the context.

I believe the most important thing you need to think about here is whether you actually want to work in IT. If the only reason you can think of is to earn a few more bucks then I think there a bunch of easier ways to improve your salary in other sectors. Someone mentioned plumbers earlier and I wouldnt discount any trades. If you don't enjoy the subject matter then the prospect of life long learning may suck for you.

The other thing I would consider is that tech support roles are commonly the most low level positions (flame suit donned) within the vast majority of IT companies and those helpdesk positions are commonly outsourced to 3rd parties in other countries. This means a possibly volatile job market and varying degrees of success for advancement and promotion into other positions, but ultimately the best people will make it. Is that you?

Anyhow YMMV and I wish you luck in whatever you choose.
 
http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/archive/images/dilbert2006183231005.gif

IT sucks and I've been doing it for more than twenty years. I'm a Technical Architect so the money's nice but I'm fed up with seeing business users produce a badly thought-out functional requirement and then complain when after you've pointed out all the flaws, when after you've delivered what they asked for after they ignored your advice, they complain that this isn't what they meant!
 
Wow, so many replies, so little time!

Right. As mentioned previously I am stuck in retail, I work long hours for low pay. I have mouths to feed and a mortgage to pay. I don't enjoy my job.

I am a geek at heart having built and serviced dozens of PC's in the last 8 years. The ideal scenario would be to work in a field in which I have a general interest, that pays more. That is my motivation.

I have some decent A level results but no IT qualifications. I have years of experience in retail and customer service which may be of benefit at a face-to-face level I guess.

I live in Chester. Anybody know if there are many opportunities in the north west? I don't want to have to commute to the midlands every day.

Credit to you guys who have got helpdesk jobs without experience or qualifications, but surely you must be in the minority??

Thanks for the replies, I'll have to peruse this post again later when I have a bit more time!

:)
 
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The only reason i have my part time IT job is that i am doing a degree currently. Its only 1st line support stuff but i get to use windows servers, mess around with active directory and do a little networking stuff.

The people that have started working in the IT department in the last few years have all been educated to at least a degree level. The old schoolers have really landed the job with blind luck on the whole! Many people I see in my current job get paid a extremely high wage but don’t even know what goes on behind the scenes so to speak. One guy who gets paid the most knows nothing and managed to sneak in as a printer/bridie/cigarette/layabout monkey! LUCK

I do feel my degree course is valuable as i do a lot of networking, programming and report writing.
Now these skill are extremely valuable do an IT worker if you wish to advance beyond the peon rank.

Programming - shows problem solving skills
Networking - Useful knowledge and practical skills for creating and maintaining networks.
reports - Show you have research skills and can communicate in a professional manner.

Really I would say learn as much as you can either doing a degree or msce/ccna/programming of some sort or all and hope the IT LUCK fairy comes along and gives you a job!
 
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