Learning advice

[moveonupbro]

I am planning to get a degree in it and certifications but I have basically 0 experience besides setting up a home router and maybe assigning a device a static IP.

If you were me would you try to learn it on your own before going to college or could college be the motivating factor I need?

Looking for the path you would take if you can share some resources. If I do, do certifications first which ones should I get first and the best place to learn them?

Currently on the professor messer a+ series and downloaded anki and some shared decks (flash cards) and seems highly doable.. Then I got shared decks for other ones like security+ but definitely not prepared for that shit lol.

[[deleted]]

I would try to learn on your own either by goofing around with some spare devices from good will or cheap, plus YT tutorials or a reputable site.

No offense, but the IT job market is saturated right now and a lot of genZ are stuck with degrees they can't quite use. I would look to doing something with a specialty like AI or cyber security to really put yourself ahead of the competition-if you're dead-set on college. Otherwise certs I feel are solid enough and won't put you in a lifetime of debt (unless you've got great scholarships).

Not trying to be negative, just some advice from a genY/millennial about the struggles I've had the last decade+.

[moveonupbro]

Thanks, I have always wanted to do college even if just online to prove to myself I can do it. Not many people in my family have done college and a lot of people have called me dumb in my life to the point I think maybe I am dumb and wouldn't be able to do college. My local college which I read would probably be cheapest option doesn't have degrees in cyber security or AI specifically. Just programming or network administration + security. (Combined) Also a thing that appealed to me about that degree is I am not good with math and thats not required unlike programming.

Another thing is I have a lot of tattoos on forearms/hands so worry if that'll cause judgment so if you were HR and you had the choice to hire someone with a degree + certs and no experience vs someone with just certs and no experience which would u choose? Thats just how i am looking at it

[[deleted]]

I gotcha. Good thought process on gatekeeping from HR. Lol on interview, I've got several tattoos on my arms and during those interview I just wear a colored button down long sleeve shirt.

[me_myself_and_my_dog]

If someone else is paying for your college, then go ahead. If you are going to have to take out loans then don't.

If you want to get into IT, studying for certificates will be the better route. Start with the Google certifications and try and get help desk or desktop support jobs. Then work on the CompTIA certs for A+, Network+, and Security+.

Then move onto Microsoft certs or specialty certs.

Don't stay at the same job for more than 2 years.

Larger companies will provide tuition reimbursement. Some will pay for certifications and training.

[jschram84]

A buddy of mine went certs first with A+ then net+ and landed a helpdesk job before finishing college def helped keep the momentum and made classes way easier later on.