MCSE Course

[Dave138]

Evening,

Wondering if you fellow CS's could offer me some advice. I want do to an MSCE (Or similar), and after looking on Google and doing a lot of searching and I can see that there are many different ones to choose from.

Ideally I want to become a network engineer. I know I will need to start at the bottom doing IT support/helpdesk work gain experience and work up. But even in this day and age it seem near on impossible to get an entry level job without experience or degrees. I'm 21 and the highest qualification I have is a BTEC in IT as I didn't fancy uni when I left college (what a mistake that was). I've mainly worked in an office doing customer service jobs since leaving college although I have done different roles within the company.

Now I am trying to progress within my current company but it's a slow process. Would doing an MCSE course help me in my search for new job?

What are everyone else's experiences and how have you started and moved up in the IT world?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer me.

Thanks
David

 

[KDF]

All I would say is that qualifications aren't everything, but in your case it may be worthwhile if you are just starting out.

I only have a RHCT and a CCNP.. but I've been in IT for over 10 years now and now run the IT department in the company I work for. If you were looking to specialise as a Network engineer then I would recommend a network cert like CCNP/CCNA. You will probably need to start in helpdesk/telephone support to get experience.

 

[hixxy]

Hi Dave, there are so many branches of IT Support you can take, as a former IT Manager my advice to you would be study an MCSE, MCSA and a CISCO CCNA as mentioned above frm KDF.
Word of advice, keep clear of companies like the skills train et al, they will rip the shirt off your back, look at local colleges and see what they do, dont get roped in to signing a credit agreement for £4,000 + to pay for fees, can be much cheaper if you look around.

Rob.

 

[Dave138]

I was going to ask next where is best to do the course. Where can I find out where these courses are in my local area?

David

 

[dum1983]

I would suggest-

• Comptia N+
• MCSE
• CCNA

I am the head of it in my company and that was achived within 3 years of leaving uni. by dumb luck.

 

[cava83]

Same as me (I was 4 years) and pure luck.

G.

I would suggest-

• Comptia N+
• MCSE
• CCNA

I am the head of it in my company and that was achived within 3 years of leaving uni. by dumb luck.

 

[ChrisR]

I'd be looking at an MCITP SA or EA over an MCSE if I was wanting to do a Windows server cert.

MCSE/MCSA are Server 2003/Windows XP certs, and whilst a lot of people are still using these systems I'd personally want to go for the 2008 based certs.

If it's networking you want look at the Cisco path as well, CCNA etc.

The CompTIA certs (A+, N+, Sec+) are alright for starting out and getting a bit of a grounding, I've only done the Sec+ which I thought was pretty good so not sure if the A+ or N+ are up to date or not.

I only started getting certifications for things in the last couple of years, around 6 years after starting in IT, and only as the company was paying

Got a nice small selection of them now, I've gone for quality not quantity lol. Starting my study for the CISA at the moment and might do that in June.

 

[sbridgey]

to get into networking you will most likely need a degree(that is what i am doing)

also i am getting ccna and ccnp

 

[dk]

I'd be looking at an MCITP SA or EA over an MCSE if I was wanting to do a Windows server cert.

MCSE/MCSA are Server 2003/Windows XP certs, and whilst a lot of people are still using these systems I'd personally want to go for the 2008 based certs.

If it's networking you want look at the Cisco path as well, CCNA etc.

The CompTIA certs (A+, N+, Sec+) are alright for starting out and getting a bit of a grounding, I've only done the Sec+ which I thought was pretty good so not sure if the A+ or N+ are up to date or not.

I only started getting certifications for things in the last couple of years, around 6 years after starting in IT, and only as the company was paying

Got a nice small selection of them now, I've gone for quality not quantity lol. Starting my study for the CISA at the moment and might do that in June.

agree with this, the network + is VERY basic though, you could read a basic networking book imo and then go for the ccna.

 

[sbridgey]

just go for the CCNA, the Cisco online materials are very good, wouldnt bother with compTIA stuff employers want CCNA it is industry standard and there are loads of employers after CCNA trained people

 

[iain187]

I was going to say the same as Chris... MCSE is starting to look a bit dated now, see if you can move up to the 2k8 certs! Good luck!

 

[ChrisR]

The main thing to ask yourself is what do you want to do and go for certifications that are relevant.

'Do an MCSE' tends to be a default response a lot of the time when people ask what should they do for IT stuff, but it really does depend on what you want to be doing.

As said, to me Cisco certs are more important for a network engineer than MS certs, although some of the MS stuff will compliment quite nicely.

I had an MCSE course all booked up ready to go a few years ago, then cancelled it. Realised actually it wouldn't be of any use for where I wanted to be.

Yeah it fitted what I was currently doing but thought what's the point, I was already in that kind of job so changed tact and did things in the areas I wanted to do more in, and getting certs in server based support wasn't going to help much.

A few years on and have some certs in security and architecture amongst others, which are helping me a lot in my current job search.

I've taken voluntary redundancy and will be gone by the middle of June so exciting times ahead.