Help with career path

[la_guy]

I was attending a 4 yr university for Computer Science for which I was told was Hardware related, only to enter the program and realize it's all programming based. :\

Nothing against programming and software its just not for me.

Having said that I completed C+ and JAVA which was miserable. I am not strong in math and programming is all math with algorithms which require lots of analytical thinking.

I am looking for some advise on a career path to take. The IT foeld is so broad there has to be something out there for a hardware geek. Perhaps something with networks and such.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Whether pursuing a computer software degree or, computer engineering degree, you will have a boatload of math. Can I suggest a tech degree from a community college? Specifically, companies and military are screaming for folks with avionics degrees and aircraft structural training.

 

[mxnerd]

If your math is no good, you shouldn't get into computer since/engineering field in the first place. And yes, the topic is very very broad.

Computer engineering is more hardware oriented, but you probably need to be good in physics too. Because in computer engineering, the hardest will be IC design/manufacturing, that's extremely hard, not many people can do it.

Network is not particularly hardware oriented (like swicthes, routers), you could be dealing with server OS configuration and network troubleshooting, it's more communication oriented, and it's not easy, either.

Computer related job/career, software, hardware or networking, is really not for the faint of heart, unless you believe you have the mindset, dedication & endurance.

 

[seepy83]

la_guy, you can look into Computer Information Systems (CIS) or Management Information Systems (MIS) degree programs. MIS has a heavy focus on the Management side of IT. You dont need a computer science degree or incredibly strong mathematical abilities to do Systems/Network Administration or Engineering, or IT project management. I've been pretty successful over the past 5 years with a B.S. in MIS and technical training/certification (Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, SANS Institute, etc). For me, the technical classes came after I finished by B.S. and got a job and my employer would pay for them.

 

[Arsynic]

I was attending a 4 yr university for Computer Science for which I was told was Hardware related, only to enter the program and realize it's all programming based. :\

Nothing against programming and software its just not for me.

Having said that I completed C+ and JAVA which was miserable. I am not strong in math and programming is all math with algorithms which require lots of analytical thinking.

I am looking for some advise on a career path to take. The IT foeld is so broad there has to be something out there for a hardware geek. Perhaps something with networks and such.

I'm a CS graduate who ended up hating programming and I'm now a Network Engineer. I advise all kids in college to focus on business with a minor in IT or a major like Computer Information Systems which has some business focus. I wish I knew what the hell I was doing in college and focus on that. I would have Majored in Business and minored in Computer Information Systems.

The days of the computer geek in the enterprise is gone. Businesses are looking for more business-saavy IT folks who can interface with the management team the and coders in some dungeon over in Bangalore.

Programming is a dead-end if you're in the U.S. as all of it can be offshored for 1/4 the price or even less.

 

[wages]

I was attending a 4 yr university for Computer Science for which I was told was Hardware related, only to enter the program and realize it's all programming based. :\

Nothing against programming and software its just not for me.

Having said that I completed C+ and JAVA which was miserable. I am not strong in math and programming is all math with algorithms which require lots of analytical thinking.

I am looking for some advise on a career path to take. The IT foeld is so broad there has to be something out there for a hardware geek. Perhaps something with networks and such.

Why would you every go CS if you want to go deep into hardware?

If you want hardware go Electrical Engineering. You will do it all: CMOS/semi-conductor physics, VLSI, PCB's, CPU architecture, control systems, and a little bit of assembly and C programming.

And, about the business route, DO NOT DO THAT. If you walk into an office with a BSEE everyone knows that you can pick up everything you need to know about the "business" side of things in a weekend because you have already had to show that you could master very complex subjects like electromagnetic theory, classical control systems and electromechanical energy conversion while taking your degree. You will have proven that you are smart and can pick up all the business bullshit later.

Whatever you decide to do, best of luck.