[Sim]

Spencer, have you ever thought about doing an A+ course. Search "CompTIA A+ Certification" on Google and read about it, if you haven't already. I recommend this course as it gives you a good foundation for any techie job. Most colleges would do this course. Visit your local college, some even have night classes.

It won't take more than 1 year to complete. I would enrol and at the same time apply for entry level techie jobs. Nowadays every business needs a technician. Visit local department stores... they have technicians who support their tills (all computerised nowadays) and also back office staff and telephones. Most business will have migrated to VOIP by now. Also already mentioned here PCworld is a goot stepping stone.

If you really wanna go for it and to succeed in a network technician/engineer career I would recommend getting network + then the cisco certs - CCNA, CCNP, etc. IP telephony is the future.

P.S. Really good advice by Bubba

[thingie2]

If your interested in CCNA I could probably link to some of the documents if you want, as I'm ment to be doing it extra along side my A2's this year. I'll have to check that's legal though, not sure about it.

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by Sim

Spencer, have you ever thought about doing an A+ course. Search "CompTIA A+ Certification" on Google and read about it, if you haven't already. I recommend this course as it gives you a good foundation for any techie job. Most colleges would do this course. Visit your local college, some even have night classes.

It won't take more than 1 year to complete. I would enrol and at the same time apply for entry level techie jobs. Nowadays every business needs a technician. Visit local department stores... they have technicians who support their tills (all computerised nowadays) and also back office staff and telephones. Most business will have migrated to VOIP by now. Also already mentioned here PCworld is a goot stepping stone.

If you really wanna go for it and to succeed in a network technician/engineer career I would recommend getting network + then the cisco certs - CCNA, CCNP, etc. IP telephony is the future.

P.S. Really good advice by Bubba

I HAVE that book lol, I bought it last week. The damn thing is 1600 pages long and I'm on like page 40 lol, which is still basically introduction. It comes with a CD that has practice exames and such I guess, I haven't run it yet.

I did a thread, "How did you folks learn all this crap" or something like that on the General hardware section and got little response so i bought the book. Cost me 60 bucks (around 30 quid right?) which is WAY cheaper than the 3500 bucks New Horizons wanted for a 1 week course. LOL I figure as I get further in the book you guys will answer any questions I have better than some paid assassin, I mean teacher at new horizons........ Listen to what he just wrote Spencer, the book is really good so far, chock full of info.

Dave: Thanks bro for the compliment and the rep, I was worried I was too harsh and would get the boot lol. Oh and I've worked for myself the last 25 years as well, with some time off to raise my little girl until she was old enough for school. Isn't it funny how many folks think if you work for yourself you just have to be a millionaire? You described it just perfectly. I once had 10 crews and after all was said and done I think I made more when I started out just building the damn houses by myself............ I spent more time filling out paperwork for the damn gov't and paying taxes (as do you probably) that most people don't even know exist. Crap, I even have to pay "unemployment insurance' on myself although I can never legal collect any benefits. What am I gonna do, fire myself lol? Sorry If I got off topic a little, that is a bit of a hot button for me I reckon, still I would rather work for myself...........

[Spencer2004]

wow a+ only takes a year? sweet! i dont think i could learn it from book though bubba :D

so what kind of stuff cound i do with a+ and whats the difference between that and over languages such as c++ and java?

[Sim]

Spencer, A+ is not a programming language. It’s a course designed as a standard in foundation level that validates the knowledge of computer service technicians. It includes basics of PC core hardware, printers, networking components and concepts, also basic Windows OS navigation and configuration. As I said in my previous post search "CompTIA A+ Certification" on Google and read about it. In your first post you wrote that you wanted work with hardware, repairing, upgrading, servicing, building, hence I recommended this course.
You can prepare for the A+ by using study guides, books, but experience with a lot of PC hardware is a definite advantage. But if you don’t like books then go to tech college and do this course.
If you just want to put together computers at the local computer shop, yeah A+ could help. A+ is considered an introductory certification, intended to get you ready for MCSE, NET+, etc... My advice is to really think about what it is you are wanting to do, then start looking at job listings in those fields to see what employers are looking for. Work there for a couple years to get some experience, maybe get a few more certificates... then go for the higher paid jobs in the required skills that you have and you have the certificates to prove it. Don’t get me wrong certificates doesn’t guarantee you a job, but it does help you understand computers, good for self development and it will certainly give you solid look when you go for higher paid jobs.

[Sim]

Bubba, another thing that many folks think is that if you work for yourself you become rich instantly becuase you keep all the money to yourself and work minimal hours... this is not true :-) Overnight success; there is no such thing as overnight success; unless you win the lottery. Also I have friends who work for themselves and they never really stop working... always constantly thinking about their business.

[fantastvik]

Originally Posted by Spencer2004

hey, im leaving skool in a couple years and i cant really decide on the job i want. i know that i want to work with computers but i dont know exactly what. i have a boner for computer hardware so i would like to work, erm, with computer hardware. for example repairing, upgrading, servicing, building, etc.

could someone advice me on what i should go with, who to work with, what computer hardware related jobs are available, what they pay, what qualifactions i need etc etc.

start off with basic assembling, then slowly venture into networking and in the final stages you can go for routers and other stuff

[Spencer2004]

lol sorry, a+ sounded like programming :D. so am i right in thinking that this is just an exam you take and not an actual course? either way looks prommicing, i did some of the test questions and got 8/10 :D

[Sim]

There are courses, where you take an exam at the end. Or you can just take the exam and get the certificate if you pass.

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by Spencer2004

lol sorry, a+ sounded like programming :D. so am i right in thinking that this is just an exam you take and not an actual course? either way looks prommicing, i did some of the test questions and got 8/10 :D

Yes and at the same time no. You take a test to get A++ certified. You take a course to learn the stuff you need to get certified. They also strongly reccomend that you work in the field before you take the test. Kind of like being a lawyer. You go to law school to learn the crap, but then you have to take a test to BECOME a lawyer, same with a doctor, or many other fields. Am I making sense here?