thinking about MCSE.... Network Engineering field

[NY Muscle]

I come from a finance background but a few of my friends in the IT and webmaster type industry have told me that the network enginerring field is a good field to get into. I am thinking about going to a technical college, a computer career institute.

I will need to start from scratch from A+/Net+/Linus/MCP (PC and networking support) then MCSA (PC and network administration) then MCSE (PC and networking design). This college also has a SCNP ( PC and networking design with security) which I assume would be the next step after MCSE to get. I was planning on trying to get job in the related field right when I finish MCSA then continue on to MSCE and possibly even Cisco certification in the future.


I was wondering if anyone out their is in this field and what type of jobs and how well the pay would be at the MCSA level and utlimately when i finish at the MCSE level and I guess even with the added Cisco eventually. Is this a stable field, a good career and ultimately where good $$ can be made.

thanks for any help.

 

[NY Muscle]

(in reply to MarthaStewart )

Well it would be more than just IT hep desk support etc, but ultimately design and/or maintain a large network, I mean arent these types of jobs always going to have to be there? We will never stop using computers in the world so I would assume this is something that is not going anywhere.

 

[MarthaStewart]

The financial world is far more stable than the IT world right now.

Unless you want to move to either Ireland or India.

 

[flexygrl]

Okay....

I am an MCP. Microsoft Certified Professional. I went to Briarcliffe on Long Island. I started with a major in computer networking than transferred to Application Support. I graduated with a degree in Applicaiton Support.

I was hired by a really big college as an application support specialist. My salary sucks, only 40K, but I get free tuition, great benefits, 23 vacation days and unlimited sick time. And I got my bachelors for FREE!!

My hubby is more on the security (cisco) end of things and he makes 73K.

My advice...got to school, it will help. Do the best you can. But go the security route. Lots of Cisco stuff. Get your CCNA or even your CCIE. That's where the money is. There really aren't anymore network engineer jobs in New York. Check the newsday. The pickings are slim.

Either that or do programming...or even better a Database Admin.

Good luck!

 

[Stangfriik]

I don't know how it is up there, but when I ws going to school for network administration, there were 40 y/o men with 20+ years of experience in telecommunications/networking who couldn't find jobs. Even though a lot of tech schools down here kep saying there are so many jobs going unfilled, the market is absolutely horrible which is why I dropped out.

 

[jnuts]

I'm surprised that your friends would say what they did. I'm with Martha - lot's of outsourcing going on now.

 

[NY Muscle]

I'm surprised that your friends would say what they did. I'm with Martha - lot's of outsourcing going on now.

Really its that bad? damn...

 

[MarthaStewart]

I have a close friend that is working his ass off to get out of the IT world and into the financial one.

The financial world will always be there, and there is always money in it.

Had you switched careers in say... 1995, then it would be smart.

But right now, it is very post bubble and they are literally sending all of those jobs overseas where it is cheaper, or they are bringing them in via H1b.

If you are a good programmer, then there is demand for that, but again, it takes time to build up the skills.

Just having the certs won't get you much money nor guarentee a job.

 

[NY Muscle]

flexygrl what is CCNA and CCIE??

 

[Jimsbbc]

Don't waste your time with certifications. I spent a lot of money on my MCSE and it didn't do shit. Plus, with how fast things advance, it is completely obsolete in a year. The only thing that counts is college. Go back to school and work on a masters because it will payoff, certs do not. Make your time and money count. My boss at wcom told me that they didn't care whether we had certs or not, it made no difference. That is why i went back to school. The only people making money off the certs are the ones selling them and the people doing the training.