I'd say amen to this. I have personally took the second path myself, except I went into the air national guard and got me an AS degree along with a bunch of certifications. Im working now as a systems analyst pulling in 60K+ now. Im working towards a BS degree and broadening my skills just to give myself more "job security" if you know what I mean.
-----Original Message----- From: Coffey, Christopher S. [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Monday, February 11, 2002 11:15 AM To: 'william taylor'; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: certification advice Ok, There are two basic paths to take depending on your situation. 1- Go to college and get a good technical degree (Computer science or Electrical Engineering) so at 22-23 years of age you get your first job, with a degree and some type of part time work experience (while in college) you should be able to start out around $40k/ish. After 4-5 years experience and a few certifications under your belt you should be in the $70-80k range depending on the cost of living in the area you work. 2- The other route (this is how I went) its a bit harder but some think its better (all about how you want to get there) After high school I joined the Navy and went into a IT field as a computer specialist. After 10 years, I moved into the Civilian side with a AS degree and a couple of certifications and 10 years of IT experience. I was able to make 60k+ right out the door. Now as I get some more civilian experience and work toward my BS degree I'll be able to move up toward the $100k range... These are but two examples, it really boils down to you either have to go to school (buy your education), or work your way up from the bottom (apprentice), the more you learn- and the faster you learn, the faster you will climb the ladder. As far as getting the experience and applied knowledge they just take time. Chris -----Original Message----- From: william taylor [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2002 2:42 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: certification advice i am a beginner in security, and i am going to be starting on my A+ certification course pretty soon. i had a question regarding your talk of "experience" and "applied knowledge." how exactly does a person GET this experience and applied knowledge? is it from a job (in which case, how do you get the job without experience)? or is it from being an "apprentice," if you will (in which case, how do you become an apprentice)? i am still in high school, and so i was just wondering which path to take, how to get there, etc... anyone with any imput would be a great help charles
