Education options

[daveborg98]

I am currently in a Admin, Help Desk, everything else job. I love the company I work for and they pay me very well for not having a degree or formal training. I am all self taught and have learned a lot. I manage 9 servers, 5 of which are blades. We host our own email and websites. I manage both of those, Tape Backups, NAS, Phone Servers, Contant Filters, SQL Server, Great Plains Accounting Software, and Imaging software. There are various other things as well. I have been wanting to go back to school and finish a degree or get certified in various areas. I also work 40-80 hours a week depending on the time of year.

I am wanting to learn to program, as my company hires that out at the moment. If I can learn that, I can work into them paying me the extra money to do the programming. I know that it is not something I can go to a school for 6 months and then be an expert, but maybe 7 or 8 years down the road it may be worth an extra 15-20K/yr.

Also, is $60k/yr, company truck, 8-10k in bonuses, and $175/day when I travel good pay? I am not sure on what the averages are.

Would going to night classes at the local Community College and then transfering for a bachelors be best? Or would going to a VoTech be a better option. I am torn between which one. Money is not really an issue when it come to this. I have been thinking about this for a couple years and would really love to be able to program.

I know this is long but any and all help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Skunkwourk]

I think you're doing very well, and a futher education can't hurt. Will your employer pay for some of your schooling if its related to your job?

 

[Koing]

You could programme from books and the net.

Once your passed the 'graduate' phase when you go to job applications they don't care about your degree. They care about your programming skills. They will test you on your knowledge and particulars about the language you work in etc.

I don't think any of the software guys my company were talked about their degrees. But dam they were tested about their knowledge and other things in their interview.

Looks like your doing well!

But a degree may open up more £££ for you later down the line?

One guy had a degree in EE and now he is a developer. Worked EE jobs for a while and got experience that way. Then decided he wanted more £££ and taught himself to program via books and the net. He enjoys programming more and has no problems.

Koing

 

[cchen]

VTEch would definitely be better. Do they offer night or weekend classes?

 

[daveborg98]

The company I work for will pay for my education, or at least part of it. That is why I am interested in moving ahead with it soon.

Koing - Would you happen to have any links to the places that he used? I searched google but it came up with so many things that I don't know what is good and what is not. I am interested in VB, as that is what my company uses.

Same goes for everyone, if you know of a good source, that would be appreciated. If there is a online course that I can buy, I am willing to do that.

I only know about one of the local VoTechs and they only offer classes during the day, but I have not looked much.

 

[Koing]

I'll ask about what books and stuff he used. I don't think he used much in the way of the web as this was about 12-15yrs ago. He is 41yrs old now and is a dam good programmer in C++ and other stuff. I'm sure he has been on some training course to help brush up/ improve on his programming skills though.

Going to that College place would be a big start for you :thumbsup:

Koing

 

[zerocool1]

Originally posted by: Eghck
I think you're doing very well, and a futher education can't hurt. Will your employer pay for some of your schooling if its related to your job?

I think that's worth looking into. I know many companies do that, just a matter of finding out if yours does.