interested in joining the IT sector

[LoosierState]

greetings. i currently work as a structural engineer, 2 years removed from college. while the job pays very well, it does not really interest me. i am interested in getting back into the IT field (my first job post high school was doing minor IT work for an auto parts foundry). i started college in computer engineering, with hopes of doing hardware design.

i quickly realized i had no interest in that, and switched to major and graduate in civil engineering. now, i am somewhat starting to regret it. i feel i would be interested in network architecture, i.e. being a network administrator.

i feel very confident in my understanding of hardware and whatnot, but the industry has passed me by. i have no idea where to start with training, certifications, etc. i don't know any computer languages besides plain old 'C', and i am sure that is worthless by now, but i am confident in my ability to learn new languages if need be.

where do i start? what are the good IT jobs to have these days? what certifications are critical to success? thanks in advance, and apologies for the long-winded post.

 

[Mirage]

Well, there are many good IT jobs these days. I'd say one of the best paying jobs is high end Flash Development (i.e. 3d games, apps, websites, etc). I personally know of a few websites that have amazing Flash portfolios, and charge over $150 an hour.

What are your main IT interests?

 

[LoosierState]

im much more interested in hardware and networks, moreso than writing code, although i am sure i would need some language familiarization to do anything in IT. i was reading on Cisco's website about their certifications. even back when i was IT savvy, those were the ones to have. i may find someone around town with some knowledge of that process.

 

[Albey]

If you'd like to go into network administration, then go for microsofts msce course along with A+ and Net+. You can get a good job (about $16-25 an hr) at almost anywhere with a msce cert.

 

[Thermal]

I wouldn't go MCSE until you have atleast a few years of experience, and the same goes for Cisco certifications. Many employers will be cautious around people that have these high-end certifications without the years of experience to match. I would suggest looking into the entry-level certifications (i.e. Comptia's A+, INET+, Network+, etc), and try to land a entry-level job in Help Desk, Computer Tech, etc for a few years. Other skills are important as well such as communication/people skills. Above all, just keep studying and learning, because computers are constantly changing.

 

[JohnR]

I believe good jobs consist of side server and browser based programming now of days. PHP programming has been booming lately and will continue to do so. Also, web design everyone who has a site is in need of a web designer. At least, if they are trying to get somewhere.

 

[KennethGordon13]

What is an average starting salary for an entry level IT position??


Regards