Certification Programs to get job/career

[Ele'ill]

In the US primarily, anyone have any opinions on doing the accelerated certification route for any field/industry instead of the 4+ year college thing? I almost have a 2 year degree (woo hoo) but am not feeling it and am not in school atm, and haven't been for a long time.

[Bala Perdida]

I think it's good, personally. I never had an interest in college growing up, instead I wanted to go into a trade. I'm hoping to start attending a trade school soon, although that shit is expensive. It's less than a semester at a lot of "real colleges" but most of what you're paying for is certification. Although they do have financial aid available and scholarships. Still, even if I get 5k in aid I'll probably still have to take out a loan.

My friend's who've done trade school say you learn much more actually in the field. Still, the schooling system won't let you get into a good job anywhere without paying first. Trade school seems to save more time than community college too. Which is usually the less expensive alternative. Trade school is usually less than a year and has short class sessions to accommodate working. Where I'm looking at classes are 5hrs 4 days a week. At community college I had one 3hr class that was vaguely related to my field and the rest was GE. Then the next semester I got two classes related to my field, each one day a week on the same day, and they were 7 hrs long. Would've taken me at least 5yrs to get certified at that pace.

If you have hookups, trade school is probably better. Even then, a lot of them will help you out somehow in getting you some interviews. You can even get trained and certified by some unions for free, but the applications are hella restrictive because everyone is trying to get in. Probably have a better chance getting hours in the field first, then going to the union. I'll have better feedback once I start. Hopefully I can get work in the field while I'm attending school. Some give you a trainee card (or equivalent) early so you can do that. I'd look to get into one of those.

I honestly didn't like college to much. Even if some classes did stir up interesting conversation. The violence of the grading system made that magic wear off anyway. Most trade school's are probably not free of that either, unless they just hand you the certification (which would be awesome), but you don't have to invert as much time and focus into them so that's more tolerable I guess.

[Ocean Seal]

In the US primarily, anyone have any opinions on doing the accelerated certification route for any field/industry instead of the 4+ year college thing? I almost have a 2 year degree (woo hoo) but am not feeling it and am not in school atm, and haven't been for a long time.

There are some examination based trades like it that you can teach yourself if you are primarily worried about the investment.

[BIXX]

There are some examination based trades like it that you can teach yourself if you are primarily worried about the investment.

Tell me more

[Ocean Seal]

Tell me more

Oh sorry I forgot to mention the trade, I know that information technology is one such trade but I'm sure that there are others. My friend is studying for the exam over the summer I think it's a lot of memorization as well as some intro programming and debugging skills.

[Ele'ill]

I want to learn something I'm at least vaguely interested in already and also practical to help others so am looking into something like renewable energy (just wait) where I'd get an understanding of electrical engineering as well as learn about production processes and where RE can actually be used, if I do well enough maybe just do electrical engineering. When I look around the city at any given city block where I'm standing I'd like to know how everything works and how to get it up and working again if it goes down.


I am also looking to minor in another cert program(s) to get EMS training past where i'm at now,. I'm also interested in triage training.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I know quite a few trade workers. My old roommate is in local 375 pipefitters, he makes lots of money.

Organized labor is still pretty strong in this state, though. I'm not sure what the situation is like elsewhere. Trade work also seems to attract a certain kind of personality type, IMO

Electricians/electrical workers make the most money out of the trades, IIRC. The only thing I've ever been certified in is HAZMAT disposal (a certification that you need to renew every year). Not only do you not need to pay anything for that certification, they pay YOU to take the classes and become certified. It's pretty sweet.

[VivalaCuarta]

You don't necessarily have to go to trade school. Many unionized construction trades have apprenticeship programs. Paid on the job training and free classes. But sometimes there's a waiting list or a lottery to get in.

[Ele'ill]

I wish there was a way to enlist in a trade the same way you'd enlist in the military. "Hey i'm really poor and hate my job and don't want to end up on the street again, I'm in a bad spot here's my signature and $1k teach me stuff". Someone mentioned the merchant marines but I get motion sickness. I had my dive certs at one point, that was kind of an odd story, but I was interested at one point in doing the industrial diving/welding/salvage thing. Of course it never worked out.

There's a good trade school here for electrical engineering type stuff but it is really competetive to get in. To me it would be the same as simply resuming the 4+ year college thing, but I might buy some used electrical books and see if my aptitude for it is the same as computer stuff (or i could just do computer stuff but that's a problem too).

[Ele'ill]

The only thing I've ever been certified in is HAZMAT disposal (a certification that you need to renew every year). Not only do you not need to pay anything for that certification, they pay YOU to take the classes and become certified. It's pretty sweet.

I'm looking into this type of thing too, I was almost 100% positive that this state did free classes/certs for career pipelines into entry level positions doing things like waste mgmt and power engeineering repair.

[willowtooth]

In the US primarily, anyone have any opinions on doing the accelerated certification route for any field/industry instead of the 4+ year college thing? I almost have a 2 year degree (woo hoo) but am not feeling it and am not in school atm, and haven't been for a long time.

currently there is no official federal certification program for solar power, but the NABCEP does offer a certification courses for both solar energy technicians and solar thermal engineers. Their course costs a few thousand dollars and seems to be around 9 months long, im not sure how many classes you can do on the internet, but I think you need too appear for a few classes in person, but you can always stay in a hostel or a shitty motel;) for a month or so if they need you too appear in a actual physical class

You're in america right?

http://www.nabcep.org/

[Decolonize The Left]

I'd look into apprenticeships. Not because that's what you want to do or because it's an end in itself, but because these days, it seems to me, who you know matters much more than what paper degree/certificate you have. I'd talk to people who are doing what you want to do and find out what you need to get there. If you seem interested and honest enough, they may open some doors for you and this route is probably much faster and less costly than training/certificate programs (which you still could do).

[Ele'ill]

@the last two posts, thanks, I'm looking at the nabcep page right now and since I have a base to live at for cheap rent and a roommate/friend who was genuinely excited to hear about my general plans, I think that it is def. an option. Traveling to the classes every so often is probably a pretty good thing for a resume anyways and is probably sustainable so long as it isn't the primary method of schooling because that could get exhausting. Who you know is def. a thing, the only people who I know did well after college in the IT/CS field was one naturally gifted hobbiest hacker type and some other dope who was about average. Both of them did apprenticeships through HS and ended up with paid entry level jobs making just above minimum wage doing routine networking stuff but post college and post Certification programs they made $$$, like debt largely paid off and houses for their parents. Everyone else afaik didn't do the apprenticeship route and ended up having switched majors or drifted around.

I am hung up on changing my life atm. It gives me anxiety to cancel gym membership and stuff but the other part of apprenticeship logic imo is being able to apply a lot of what you learn 'at home'. Whenever I've had a place to stay at for a lenghy period of time my room has looked like the engine compartment in Firefly. If I went to school for writing, or anything else, which I have, why wouldn't I practice the craft on my own? It is still a huge leap though.

[Decolonize The Left]

I dunno, people often lead totally different lives in the comfort of their own space--I wouldn't read that much into it. Regarding the apprenticeships, the main point was that who you know trumps what you know, at least, that's how it seems to me. I don't know if apprenticeships are good or bad, they just seem like an easy way to get a 'who' in that situation.

Good to hear you're excited for a change. I am too.

[Ele'ill]

I've done a lot of eliminating loose ends in my daily life the last couple weeks for whatever it's worth and have committed to taking a risk and buying a desk, getting internet, etc.. first time in a very long time. The only challenge left in front of me that all of this is riding on is what I am going to do.

The two daily 'hobbies' that could transfer over to some type of study or job/career, are writing and messing around with computer type stuff. I just know how competitive the IT field is and how skilled people are even before schooling and writing could take many different directions and would probably be more of a complement to something else. So my solution right now is to look at specific studies certs/apprenticeships/course work that would make me insanely good at only several things so that I could become competitive with people who have done it as a hobby forever and gone to 4+ years of school for general IT stuff. I figure companies are going to assign a handful of specific tasks anyways, you're not going to do everything, and you're going to do it their way. The example in my mind was a company that would send tech people out to do stuff to the network/hardware at various retail places I worked. They seemed to have a fairly linear set of tasks while probably have a lot of general knowledge outside it.

Does this make sense? I am really at a loss as to how to do this and I don't have the luxury to jump around too much from study to study.

[cyu]

Weapon + Desperation = Job

Crime: When the above equation is applied to one person.

Revolution: When the above equation is applied to many people.

[Ele'ill]

Weapon + Desperation = Job

Crime: When the above equation is applied to one person.

Revolution: When the above equation is applied to many people.


?

[cyu]

The rich don't steal bread - not because they are moral, but because they already have bread.

EDIT: Not that I'm encouraging you alone to steal bread or start seizing the means of production by yourself. That's just suicide, and we need your shooting skills later ;)

[Ele'ill]

not really a topic i'd ever talk about on the internet, def. not in a thread on this forum about actually doing things

the thread is about further exploring training in various fields

[cyu]

When austerity measures pass, those affected would be much more likely to talk about ignoring property law. If the oppressed are isolated from each other, then they are less likely to stick their necks out, but whenever austerity measures are implemented, there is an opening in public discourse in which very fundamental things can be questioned, since it wouldn't be called austerity if they didn't already know it would result in widespread discontent.

On topic: there are a lot of contracting firms that hire people with IT skills, then contract you out to other companies. Sometimes those other companies use your contracting period as a proving ground for your abilities, and if they like what you've done, hire you on full time instead of as a contractor.

[Ele'ill]

When austerity measures pass, those affected would be much more likely to talk about ignoring property law. If the oppressed are isolated from each other, then they are less likely to stick their necks out, but whenever austerity measures are implemented, there is an opening in public discourse in which very fundamental things can be questioned, since it wouldn't be called austerity if they didn't already know it would result in widespread discontent.
what?


On topic: there are a lot of contracting firms that hire people with IT skills, then contract you out to other companies. Sometimes those other companies use your contracting period as a proving ground for your abilities, and if they like what you've done, hire you on full time instead of as a contractor.

basically temp agencies

[cyu]

what?

Nevermind - just revleft polemics and not really related to what you're asking =]



basically temp agencies


Yeah, basically. Some, depending on your skill, can even pay more than a full-time permanent position, although you'll have less stability (and no corporate health insurance). That's just what I hear anyway - I haven't work for one myself (yet).

[Ele'ill]

Going to post this here for myself for later, and for anyone else who may search the forum and find this thread. I found this useful regarding tech certs although I'd question some things


http://blogs.cisco.com/perspectives/value-of-cisco-certifications-making-money-vs-study


In fact, if anybody has study guides for the Cisco cert exams or something better than and more specific regarding course work for the exams, pm me.