Get into IT without qualification?

[Amazin]

I'm thinking about working in IT dealing with online aspect of things. I'm thinking of become a web/software developer in the long run. I looked online and I saw some IT apprenticeships. Usually you get paid £7500-£8400 per year.

Unfortunately I won't be able to afford to live in London with that sort of money!

What other ways can I try to get into the industry?

Someone told me recently that he got into it without qualification. Now he's a software developer. Anyone works in IT here?

 

[ryedale]

It's perfectly possible, I did a degree in French 17 years ago before I decided I wanted to get into IT and have had no formal IT training at all. Everything I've done has been self taught since after my degree ended

I think generally Employers want to see practical examples of what you can do rather than formal IT qualifications. I know that's the case for me now when I take somebody on and it's been the case when I got IT jobs before being self employed

 

[Paul_Rosser]

I did 20 years in the IT industry and whilst it is possible to get into IT with no qualifications you will need a decent understanding of how computers and software works.

As a first step you would be looking at getting a job in 1st line support, which means diagnosing and fixing simple issues either on the phone or on site. Then if you work for a decent company you should learn loads about networks, servers and lots of other cool stuff.

Starting salary for 1st line should be around the 15/16k mark, which isn't a lot but after 12 months doing that if you are any good then you can move to 2nd line where the salaries jump to 20-35k (depending on the firm). Whilst doing that if you want to get into programming long term then look at doing an evening course in development, then at the end of 3 years you will have a qualification and some practical experience.

 

[sophiaanderson321]

If you don't have degree and you get into IT, the work you do is just based on experience which is not correct. At times you get stuck and where your theoretical experience works. You cannot become professional without the degree.

 

[Ola1]

You will find that today, the competition is very fierce, for most positions , employers require certifications, relevant degrees or considerable verifiable experience.

Yet, you could do part time courses and start building a portfolio of skills, knowledge and contacts that way. That way you'd also find out if you really want to be in IT.

 

[Adam.Vause]

I know a few self taught ASP.net developers the proof is in your portfolio and it may take some serious time to get to a good enough standard without tuition and guidance.

 

[japancool]

If you don't have degree and you get into IT, the work you do is just based on experience which is not correct. At times you get stuck and where your theoretical experience works. You cannot become professional without the degree.

Of course you can. There are plenty of developers out there without degrees.

Having said that, a degree is a significant advantage. It provides you with a good grounding in all aspects of IT - at least, it did when I did mine, and it enables you to enter different areas of IT.

 

[KM-Tiger]

Yet, you could do part time courses and start building a portfolio of skills, knowledge and contacts

If you are in London, take a look at the part time courses at City University.

And why a web developer? That isn't where the future skills shortage will be. If you want to command a good salary, then either network security or system administration is the place to be. In particular the automatic provisioning systems. Take a look at Puppet, Chef, Saltstack, Docker.

 

[Amazin]

Thank you all for your inputs and very informative. I do have a degree in business and management but I wish it was IT now.

I thought know for a fact that many IT professionals don't have an IT degree. I was thinking start learning html, css, java, then pick one of the programming languages to specialise in. I thought employers will give you training on the job or even offering qualifications?

"If you want to command a good salary, then either network security or system administration is the place to be. In particular the automatic provisioning systems. Take a look at Puppet, Chef, Saltstack, Docker."

I was thinking of becoming a software developer. Thanks for pointing it out. I will look into it

 

[FSIvan]

please don't pay too much attention to the people who say that you won't get anywhere without a degree.

It's true that a fair number of potential employers will take that view but theses tend to be the larger corporations with big departments.

You'll also find a fair number of smaller firms who just want to know if you can do the work.

The learning route you take will depend on you and how you most enjoy learning be it books, video tutorials or a course at a local school/uni. What matters is the end result, if you can show that you can do the work and that you are passionate about it you will get a job.

 

[Chris Routledge]

I'd do some self taught software development and programming. Setup an old tower as a ubuntu server and have a play. General network admin troubleshooting is more about experience than certifications. Fact is real world problems are rarely resolved the way it's laid out on courses, especially the Microsoft certs.

A little website freelancing in your "free" time might get you going. Would show a good desire and commitment too.

Good luck!

 

[Simon.P]

General network admin troubleshooting is more about experience than certifications. Fact is real world problems are rarely resolved the way it's laid out on courses, especially the Microsoft certs.

A little website freelancing in your "free" time might get you going. Would show a good desire and commitment too.

Good luck!

I'll second that.
It's all about being determined to do something.
Good luck!

 

[Paul_Rosser]

Have to agree that experience counts for a lot more than qualifications in the real world of IT.

I actually know someone who has passed all the Microsoft server courses and has never actually installed or supported MS server, he just read all the books and answered the questions.

That said if you want to get into more management roles then you will be expected to write reports and so having an academic qualification is quite handy and a lot of the basics which are taught on courses like degrees, HND's etc. don't change much so is useful stuff.

 

[lynxus]

Right.

Few things.

1) Its possible ( I did it ) , However you do need a certain amount of knowledge to start with.. Hobby at least! with some good solid understanding.
Go for a low grade, level1 support kind of role.

2) Degrees? Nah. No need.
When we used to recruit. The director I worked closely with always said that a degree simply states that the person can "learn" that is it. No measure of ability other than that.

And I agree! We have had sooooo many "i have a degree" people come in and are useless!


Its harder in todays market. However there are plenty of low end ( 12 to 15k a year ) level1 support phone monkey jobs going.
Can you read off a sheet?
Can you use a browser?
Can you use a PC?

Done..


Now to get into programming, It can take a while.
I moved up from level1 right into 4th line / architecture , design and programming over the last 10 years.
So it can take time.

Good luck!

It just takes that one breakthrough to make it. so keep at it.

Failing that,
Some easy to learn and quickly gain certifications that can help a lot in IT are :
LPI 101 ( Linux )
CCNA ( Cisco networking )

Grabs some books, Read em, learn em and pass the certs in a year easy!

Hell, get a CCNA and you can be on 25k instantly..

But all this depends on how much you already know about IT.
To do programming you need to understand a large range of I.T.. How PC's function. What makes em tick , how to communicate between em etc.

Before anyone else jumps in here.. HTML and "Javascript" are not PROGRAMMING.


-G

 

[garyk]

If you don't have degree and you get into IT, the work you do is just based on experience which is not correct. At times you get stuck and where your theoretical experience works. You cannot become professional without the degree.

Sorry, simply not true. Harder these days, yes, not possible - complete hogwash. Trust me whatever you get taught in computer science with regards to systems and specifically programming is a good foundation but there is a universe of difference between the theory of programming and the real world commercial pressures and constraints.

One of the good things about IT (and there are plenty of downsides) is that you can get work without a degree. As others have said you probably have to start off in support. That's what I did back in 1991, and then moved development a couple of years after that.

Now here is what I tell people looking to get into development. Who do you know that runs a business or make contact with someone/several people that do. Offer to build something for free. The reason for doing this is:

1. It makes you accountable and you have to deliver something - trust me Ive seen dozens of people learn programming from a book to build something for their own use; it never gets finished
2. You gain real world experience
3. You have a reference site you can use as a case study/testimonial

Gary

 

[monaghan]

Right.
Before anyone else jumps in here.. HTML and "Javascript" are not PROGRAMMING.
-G

Depends on your school I've had many conversations with our kids teachers on this and the computing curriculum is slowly moving away from a Microsoft Office training course to something useful, but progress is slow.

Seriously though, if you are prepared to put in the time and effort, then you can do good things in IT, there wasn't even a computing A Level available when I was at school.

Microsoft exams can be passed by getting the relevant Microsoft Press self study books and setting up a spare PC at home. Cisco is the qualification to aim for if you want to get into networking, again, there are self study tools available, there is a whole wealth of programming tutorials for various languages.

Look to try and build real-world type systems in an area that you understand and build on this 1 step at a time. Plenty of people get their qualifications simply by study and have no real world working ability (they used to be called "Paper MCSE's" in a former company I worked for), these people are generally a waste of space

If you succeed then you will be constantly learning as technology changes so frequently!

 

[garyk]

Before anyone else jumps in here.. HTML and "Javascript" are not PROGRAMMING.

-G

Javascript is very much programming these days. It is commonly referred to as the language of the web. Now with a proliferation of single page applications (SPA) basically an app that runs in a browser javascript is being used to develop full blown apps so it is programming.

Need a javascript framework? well theres knockoutjs, angularjs, ember, backbone, extjs. Want to write games? well theres limejs, melonjs, impact, crafty, quintus etc etc. I could go on and on....and on.

 

[lynxus]

Javascript is very much programming these days. It is commonly referred to as the language of the web. Now with a proliferation of single page applications (SPA) basically an app that runs in a browser javascript is being used to develop full blown apps so it is programming.

Need a javascript framework? well theres knockoutjs, angularjs, ember, backbone, extjs. Want to write games? well theres limejs, melonjs, impact, crafty, quintus etc etc. I could go on and on....and on.

Yeah, I think I was a little harsh about javascript.

I still wouldn't class it as a "proper" language.

It really still is a scripting language at the end of the day and does not have the power and flexibility that something along the lines of C, Delphi, PHP, Java ( not to be confused with javascript ) etc

It doesn't have the resources ( System resources ) available to be what I would class as a proper language.
A lot of webbased games ( Quake3 for example ) all use Java applets and custom plugins that run natively on the machine rather than a JS scripting function.

Also, before anyone gets confused, Java and Javascript are two completely different things. They are not related in any way whatsoever other than the word Java..


Anyway, Drifting slightly..
Once again. NO you don't need a degree to get into I.T..

It helps, But its experience that really counts half the time. I'm a very senior engineer for one of the largest telecoms companies in the world.

I do NOT have a degree and neither do a lot of other very high paid, skilled engineers.