Also, maybe I'm insane but I see pretty much the opposite of what everyone else is stating in this thread. When I began getting into the field about 7 years ago certs were everything. The only degree most universities even offered were generic CS degrees that 9/10 turned out nothing but dirty socially inept code monkeys. Certs seem to hold half the weight they once did, and experience obviously being the de facto numero uno most important thing you can have on your side, most employers now are also wanting 2, usually 4 year degrees minimum for most jobs.
I tried to go the work and acquire my MCSE/CCNA straight out of highschool route in order to get into the field, until 3 years later I realized I'm only making half the money the guy who has his own office and is sitting around doing mostly nothing managing our database is getting because he has a 4 year C.S. degree. It didn't take much for me to go back to school before it was too late and work on my own B.S.
In regards to knowledge gained from what I've experienced, most of it is going to come from hands-on experience, and figuring stuff out yourself in real-world or at home situations. This is why you need to have a passion for the field. College is just going to do what it always has: give you a baseline, and a well rounded extremely overpriced education.
Degrees and experience seem to be becoming the norm for requirements when starting off in I.T. certificates are the pieces of paper that give you a slight edge over the rest of the field and possibly get you a slightly higher salary not the other way around.
I would wager the people in this thread telling you not to go to school have been in the field for 10+ years, have a solid work history and a plethora of certs. That shit doesn't really fly for most young kids coming out of school trying to make it into I.T. with little to no experience, no degree, and usually no certs. Go to school, be gainfully employed via co-ops/internships and get what you need to make yourself attractive to companies.
|