The question: I am a student of law, but I want to
switch to an IT career as a network engineer or a web developer.
What would you suggest?
The solution: Use your background to appeal to
employers
Make the most out of the resources available to you at
university and aim to bulk up your CV before graduating. Find out
about work placements at your university.
After that, courses in A+/Network+ and Server+. A+/Network+ will
give you the basic principles of IT. You can then polish your
skills with Server+, which is widely recognised as a strong
foundation for IT careers.
The kind of training you choose depends on how much time you
have and what suits your learning style. E-learning courses can
take months, instructor-led training takes weeks, and accelerated
learning can get results in days.
Web development is a competitive market, so you need to start
networking at trade events, industry websites and blogs. Comptia
does an i-net+/ CIW associate certification that covers the
basics.
To become a network engineer, the best courses to look at are
Cisco's qualifications, in particular the CCNA programme.
The job market for network engineers and web developers is
competitive, but with only 0.6% of law graduates choosing IT as a
career, you are bound to stand out. This will go in your favour as
employers are always looking for IT professionals with a broader
outlook.
Solution by Robert Chapman, chief executive and co-founder
of The Training Camp
The panel: Hudson, Reed Technology, Zarak Technology, No
Limits Coaching, The Training Camp
Need advice on your IT career? E-mail your questions
to:computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk
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