It would be interesting for me to find out how many readers agree or disagree on this (this comes after reading other discussions on certifications)
I started my computing career and training 17 days after I left school – 1 July 1996 – I did a 4 week Access to IT course, and then an NVQ Levels 1 and 2 in IT. After leaving, I started a computer course in 1998. About 3 days into it, I gave up – not because I wasn’t interested, but because I didn’t like the programming aspect of the course! I thought and thought – I want to work in this business, but how am I going to do it without certifications or experience? Then I had a thought – maybe I can go along to the IT department and see if I can gain work experience with them. They agreed on 6 months initially. 1999, 2000, 2001 came, was still there. In 2001, my then boss (who wasn’t interested in me doing any on-the-job training| left. My new boss was. So in 2002, I started an NVQ Level 3 in Installing and Supporting IT Systems, whilst working with them.
The experience that I gained from working with the IT guys was A LOT more valuable to me than doing the course that I started. That, mixed with the NVQ, was a very good way of learning.
I left in 2004, and throughout the time I was at college and since then as well, I’ve been maintaining and troubleshooting computers, and set up my own business.
Just goes to show that 6 years of working in a big IT department is much better (for me anyway) than taking expensive courses (too much for the self-employed anyway). Some of my clients say I’m actually better than leading computer stores!