Retraining as IT contractor, starting at the bottom.

[LondonManc]

I am very sceptical of working with anyone who obtains instant IT qualifications who does not a related technical background. There are even some very dubious IT university degrees out there. I have had graduates to "assist" me and some of them have no clue what a parity bit is, they don't know how to rename folders and they are unable to make up a simple spreadsheet. I even had a graduate from Uganda who had never used a computer, apparently, the university only taught theory.

There are 10 types of computer people; those who know how to use parity bits and those who don't.

[Paddy]

£800 pd? INKSPE.

Only six bits, must be a 1960s parrot.

[psychocandy]

Start off as Psychocandy's Apprentice Keyboard Sanitiser and work your way up. There are no short-cuts in life.

Yep stick it in pull it out.

[SimonMac]

Hi, I have been working as a contractor in financial services compliance (ie not at all IT) for a few years and have noticed on here that a standard day rate for IT contractors is circa £800 pd, whereas I have never even got to half of that. I am also furloughed.

So, can I retrain as an IT contractor? I don't have high day rate expectations given that my only IT qualification is GCSE. Where would I start to get a basic bums-on-seats position? Would it be good to learn Python on the Harvard Uni site for example?

Thank you

My highest IT qualification is also a GCSE, so it is possible

[psychocandy]

Wind up surely?

I'd have to say I dont believe this but my BIL is like this.

Hes said a few times now he "fancies working in IT" and wants to know how to get a job like mine. I thought he was joking at first too. My Mrs has told me not to wind him up because I said "get a time machine, get more than 2 O levels, maybe go to college, get a job then come back and tell me how it went".

[Gibbon]

My highest IT qualification is also a GCSE, so it is possible

Wow that is surprising!

[Old Greg]

Hi, I have been working as a contractor in financial services compliance (ie not at all IT) for a few years and have noticed on here that a standard day rate for IT contractors is circa £800 pd, whereas I have never even got to half of that. I am also furloughed.

So, can I retrain as an IT contractor? I don't have high day rate expectations given that my only IT qualification is GCSE. Where would I start to get a basic bums-on-seats position? Would it be good to learn Python on the Harvard Uni site for example?

Thank you

Train yourself up in GDPR / privacy etc. Reasonable jump from compliance.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Hi, I have been working as a contractor in financial services compliance (ie not at all IT) for a few years and have noticed on here that a standard day rate for IT contractors is circa £800 pd, whereas I have never even got to half of that. I am also furloughed.

So, can I retrain as an IT contractor? I don't have high day rate expectations given that my only IT qualification is GCSE. Where would I start to get a basic bums-on-seats position? Would it be good to learn Python on the Harvard Uni site for example?

Thank you

Is this Rishi Sunak?

[bingocaller88]

I will give you a serious answer though.

Do you have an accounting qualification? If you do then it'll be much easier to make the transition because companies who are looking for IT professionals with accounting qualifications will accept much lower IT experience and still pay decent day rate. Otherwise I think it's going to be a long hard road for you.

Thank you. I don't have accounting qualifications (yet).

[bingocaller88]

What role in IT do you want? Those people on £800 pd whose money you are coveting - what are they doing? Not literally, as that'll be close to nothing, but what role are they in?

Thanks for replying. I don't know yet which role.

That will give you a clue as to what skills you need to get to their level in about 5 - 10 years' time depending on your ability to spin no experience but have a bit of paper and the strength of your network to get you into a job you're probably not qualified to do (the latter is the way I manage to get work, I'd still be a waitress in a cocktail bar otherwise).

Point taken about strength of network. If I was better at networking I would have a better role in my current field.