Are Good Paying IT Jobs Dead?!

[czygvtwkr]

A real IT degree is something that you almost have to go to school to learn such as design chips, operating systems, set up neural nets.

Stuff that I can do myself such as set up a few networked PC's, install an OS, or scan documents is not what I consider is degree worthy.

Your right it is what you learn at college. There is nothing wrong with learning to do these things but I see a problem when the people that plug in a network card or install an OS complain that they no longer get paid over inflated wages that can compete with those of people that do programming, chip design etc. Chances are the guy that got the CS degree can do the job of the guy that got the Computer Information Technology degree but the reverse isnt true.

 

[jazz lady]

Re: A real degree?

Originally posted by cityboy
So what is considered a real degree? Are you talking about people who go to community colleges or accredited business colleges? Some people can't afford or do not have the option to go to a state university, or private university. You do what you have to do. Not everyone has dual income parents to pay for their college, or grandparents who are sitting on mountains of cash, so I would think about what you just wrote.

That is me. All of my college education has been on my time while working full-time. I've graduated from CSM with an AA, which I paid for via student loans and then paid back the loans, then UMUC with a BS, which I paid for out of my pocket. Next week I will finish at FIT with a MS, which has been paid for mostly by my company.

A degree is nothing more then paper no matter where you go paper is paper. Its what you learned in college whether it came from Southern Maryland College or Johns Hopkins.

And THAT I totally agree with. I've seen a lot of college-educated kids coming out of a 4-year college paid for by their parents and their degree is mainly in partying. You can GO to school and pass, but how you apply yourself in the classes and the willingness and thirst to LEARN comes from within.

 

[cityboy]

Re: Re: A real degree?

Originally posted by jazz lady
That is me. All of my college education has been on my time while working full-time. I've graduated from CSM with an AA, which I paid for via student loans and then paid back the loans, then UMUC with a BS, which I paid for out of my pocket. Next week I will finish at FIT with a MS, which has been paid for mostly by my company.


And THAT I totally agree with. I've seen a lot of college-educated kids coming out of a 4-year college paid for by their parents and their degree is mainly in partying. You can GO to school and pass, but how you apply yourself in the classes and the willingness and thirst to LEARN comes from within.

I agree with you. I have seen the samething. I have put myself through school also out of pocket, to get my bachelors in Business Administration. I want to go back to school to get my masters in Public Administration. But its hard when you have a household to maintain.

 

[LazarusL2003]

Originally posted by Kain99
SNIP

Unfortunately for us all.... Not every company wants to hire the best. You cost to much and demand to much.

True story.

Wow, it’s like looking into a mirror!

 

[sleuth]

Re: Re: Blah, blah, blah.....

Originally posted by jazz lady
I think that is very good advice. The hard part is getting your foot in the door. I had a similar problem with a limited skill set when I started out, so I took a job as a IT trainee on a different skill. I have now parlayed that into a very nice career.


The other side of the coin is how much of your time are you willing to sacrifice for those $$$. I'm not willing to commute 3-4 hours a day to do it, although it's been offered many times, and I don't want to live there. I make good money down here, have a 9 mile commute, and fill my car up with gas every two weeks. Factor in the commute time, wear and tear on your vehicle, and the stress of the commute into those $$$ and see how much you're REALLY making.

You make really good points here. But regarding the second, even if he has to suffer the commute for awhile, I've always had the understanding that it's easier to find a job if you already have one.

Take a job, suffer the commute while you immediately start looking for a new one.

 

[jazz lady]

Re: Re: Re: Blah, blah, blah.....

Originally posted by sleuth14
You make really good points here. But regarding the second, even if he has to suffer the commute for awhile, I've always had the understanding that it's easier to find a job if you already have one.

Take a job, suffer the commute while you immediately start looking for a new one.

I wasn't talking about an entry level job to gain experience or get a job because you're unemployed. I did that and commuted 6 years to La Plata and back to Lusby. Plus I was working on my bachelor's degree. Once I had the experience and the education, I was out of there. Well, actually I got another job 3 months before I got my degree that paid a WHOLE lot better.

Once I had the experience/education, I parlayed it into good jobs close to home, although I've been offered jobs up in DC for much more money. It's not worth it IMHO to spend all your time commuting and working.

 

[Aimhigh2000]

Southern Maryland pay

Well, I have always found southern md especially St. Mary's to be behind on the payscale. I mean, look at the local govt pay rates. I take the time to drive to DC in order to make the $$$. I am also working on my Masters in Public Administration there too. With the high tech moving in, and the defense contractors, unless people start demanding the pay rates, there will always be a variance. Look at the variance between pay and housing costs. And as for real degrees, nowadays, a BS/BA is almost required for ditch digging. I don't know why, but that is the direction we have moved. I don't think it is so much where you get it from, as long as you have it. I am lucky that my BS says "Magna Cum Laude" and my masters shall have, with all things going as they are now, "Summa Cum Laude" Hey, demand the pay. If you worked hard to get your degree from SMC, or CSM, or Harvard, you deserve to get paid your worth.