Request 1st line support course

Skyline

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I will get the comptia done before I do that to give myself a fighting chance.
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I feel like I'm learning useless stuff right now.. like the difference between led and LCD and all the sub sections with them. Do I need this sort of information over load?
Yes - You need to know as much "Useless" information as possible from the beginning, especially as you don't currently have an IT Role - You don't know what you will need to know when you do find that job.

As Nightscare says the more money is now with Cloud and Development, however I would still do the CompTIA exams if you can.
You can teach yourself about everything Cloud but with no experience no one will hire you over someone with no qualifications but 5 years experience.

Do the A+, look for bog standard 1st line support at an MSP and then build your knowledge from there.
 
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NightScare

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The CompTIA Linux+ ,Network+ , A+ wouldn't be a bad starting point.

The first thing to do would be to look at the jobs in your area, is it predominantly Microsoft, or Linux, Whats about and what skills do they need, and tailor it from there.
 

PoPcOrN

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Stuff like that, generally speaking you can get away with core linux knowledge and some knowledge of most the technologies they are offering, No-one will ever have 100% as every organisation uses different tools.

I'd recommend LPIC 101/102 201/202 , some courses on Ansible/Docker and Bash.

I got really lucky and started @ 123-reg domain support and somehow landed myself a 2nd line job for a managed hosting company (When i had zero Linux experience), learnt it all on the job and moved on from there.

A https://linuxacademy.com/ subscription will be invaluable to you.

I shall look in to this asap. I'd like to point out I am in no way a smart person. I've never done coding and know literally nothing about anything that's past general pc knowledge. My friends think I'm a pc wizard but it's all just general stuff with software to hardware etc. Would you still recommend doing the above? @NightScare
 

Skyline

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You don't need to be smart, you become smart in that field you're working in.

If you have basic general PC knowledge in terms of troubleshooting and resolving then stick to that.
Windows based, 1st line support.

You will learn more on the job that you will doing any course, we all learn as we go along by troubleshooting (Googling!)
 

PoPcOrN

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You don't need to be smart, you become smart in that field you're working in.

If you have basic general PC knowledge in terms of troubleshooting and resolving then stick to that.
Windows based, 1st line support.

You will learn more on the job that you will doing any course, we all learn as we go along by troubleshooting (Googling!)

Some great advice from all of you. Right now I will stick with 1st line support as my goal and make plans once that's in place.
 

Seanofsmeg

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I'd like to point out I am in no way a smart person. I've never done coding and know literally nothing about anything that's past general pc knowledge. @NightScare

Failed a all my GCSEs, never did A levels yet about to complete an online degree from open uni for software. I wouldn't call myself smart by any stretch of the imagination. I'm curious and love computers and solving puzzles which kind of fits with coding I find. I find will trumps skill. The longer you have that drive to succeed the better you will become compared to someone who has her skill but no will will start off with a head start but not improve much.

Good luck in what your doing and I hope your studying and hard work turns into what your looking for
 
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Violent

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Just apply for jobs even if you are not qualified for them. A lot of employers don't even look at you qualifications anyway. If you be straight up with them they might be willing to put you through the training themselves.
Just be willing to accept the lower salary.
 

Skyline

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Meh

Half of them I know - Mainly just from doing day to day tasks.

Some I'd have no idea but it's nothing Google won't find for you as and when you need it ;)
 
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Seanofsmeg

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Recognize the names but what they actually do? .... Couldn't tell ya without google or my more favourtie buddy for learning Mr.YouTube
 

kyndigs

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Don't even learn about networking except the fundamentals, network engineers are a dying breed and will be irrelevant in the next 5-10 years, as everything shifts to more software defined services, outside of core networks everything will be software, frankly the shift could not happen soon enough.
 

PoPcOrN

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Don't even learn about networking except the fundamentals, network engineers are a dying breed and will be irrelevant in the next 5-10 years, as everything shifts to more software defined services, outside of core networks everything will be software, frankly the shift could not happen soon enough.

Should I not bother with network+ then?
 

kyndigs

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Should I not bother with network+ then?

Honestly, no network stuff is so common that it just gets outsourced from India cheaper, you should learn the fundamentals to talk about and understand how they apply but then focus on infrastructure, esx, hybrid, hci, cloud, or choose some applications to focus on like SharePoint, Exchange, AD, SCCM, Dynamics365 these are all in high demand.
 
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Violent

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Our network guy got made redundant as it can all be done remotely and we already have a network team in USA. It's so satisying calling them during our work hours when they are still in bed. Any physical stuff on site is just done by our server team or the technicians. So I will agree that you will probably only need to learn the basic fundamentals of networks.
 
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Chriz

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I did the CompTIA A+ and Network+ over 10 years ago, fundamentals are all still relevant today, the basics of networking are covered under A+, Network+ just expands on it and its probably unnecessary as stated above. I went on to start a Games Development Degree which I quit out of after 6 months (no challenge was like college year 1 all over again) luckily I had the opportunity to get a 1st line helpdesk job in a HR Software company, after a year I was 2nd/3rd line, then moved through various different roles over the last 8 or so years (QA/DBA/DevOps/Consultancy)

If you can, get a job with a direction you want to progress in. 1st Line is definatley the best 'foot in the door' starting point, gives you a very good base to work from.
 

Skyline

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Networking will always be needed - However the need for them gets smaller and smaller.

Personally, I'd go down the Cloud route and look at becoming a specialist in that area.

Start with A+ for the basics, get a job in 1st line then self teach yourself all about Cloud.

Office 365, Sharepoint, AWS, Azure etc etc.

Loads and loads of companies are looking to shift everything into the cloud.