How to get into IT

[darmstadt]

Not exactly a groundbreaking piece of journalism but its the view of the bloke who has a job that gets me. The bloke is a graduate with a Masters in Mathematics yet he's just a helpdesk pfy. Whats the point of spending all that time at Uni when you're just a glorified call center assistant at the end?

[Liamxtype]

Most IT folks I know seem to have gotten into IT "by accident", that is, they had a different career first, myself, I was a refrigeration engineer, the co. I worked for went bust and I was offered a Helpdesk job, that was 18 years ago. I took opportunities that were available to upskill and learn new technologies, and still learning now!

[minestrone]

I honestly feel really bad for anyone who chose to do IT as a career in the last few years. Granted in you first year or so working in IT you are a bit of a cretin, fumbling about and causing people hassle but you mature and progress.

All the places I have been in at over the last 5 years do not hire grads, they hire bobs, IT as a career choice is over as far as I can see and that is sad.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I honestly feel really bad for anyone who chose to do IT as a career in the last few years. Granted in you first year or so working in IT you are a bit of a cretin, fumbling about and causing people hassle but you mature and progress.

All the places I have been in at over the last 5 years do not hire grads, they hire bobs, IT as a career choice is over as far as I can see and that is sad.

Tha's a bit of a broad statement isnt it? IT is quite a wide area and perhaps you are just talking about the technical areas?

[minestrone]

Tha's a bit of a broad statement isnt it? IT is quite a wide area and perhaps you are just talking about the technical areas?

Pathetically bad.

[sbakoola]

Pathetically bad.

I sort of agree with Bobs taking jobs and rates going down I'm glad that I was around during I.T.s heyday when I was making crazy money.

These days Cambridge and Oxford graduates get crap wages in IT and it usually stays that way for years.

[OwlHoot]

I sort of agree with Bobs taking jobs and rates going down I'm glad that I was around during I.T.s heyday when I was making crazy money.

These days Cambridge and Oxford graduates get crap wages in IT and it usually stays that way for years.

Also I'd imagine Oxbridge graduates, or any computer science grads for that matter, would be looking for jobs in science or games programming or other high-tech niche areas, rather than bog standard business IT (which they may be both inexperienced in and way overqualified for). So even fewer opportunities are open to them.

[minestrone]

I sort of fell into IT after graduation, there was never a plan, I just got here by some kind of good fortune mixed with a bit of hard work. Good luck I suppose.

[nomadd]

Not exactly a groundbreaking piece of journalism but its the view of the bloke who has a job that gets me. The bloke is a graduate with a Masters in Mathematics yet he's just a helpdesk pfy. Whats the point of spending all that time at Uni when you're just a glorified call center assistant at the end?

I worked on a contract 5 years ago where they wanted a trainee I.T. permie; asked me did I know of a keen young person who'd be interested. I mentioned a mates daughter who had just finished her Math degree with a 1st. She was rejected without interview or consideration - as they "didn't know what they could do with a Math person."

[minestrone]

Honestly? Fools!!

"I have just written a logically derived line and on the next line I will write a line logically derived from this line"

"sorry love, you might do that in your maths degree but that does not cut the mustard in programming"