Who works in the Information Technology Field? What is your Experience?

hey guys and gals! just wondering who works in the IT field and what do you do?

I worked as a Help Desk Specialist for about a year and a half. I then moved to the Cellular industry working Roamer Support troubleshooting Roaming customers issues on the cellular network.

I am also a part time PC repair technician.

Where did you guys get your roots and experience? Where have you taken that experience in life?

 

I think you have a bunch of folks who work in IT on the board, I have over 25 years, started in the military and continued into the civil service. Experience is in networks/infrastructure (voice, data, video) including terrestrial and space based wireless as well as the security of those networks and includes all items to the end user.

As to where it has taken me, I still have a job and am glad for the opportunity to work in a field I enjoy.

 

Satelite communications sounds very interesting!

 

Satellite Communications is great stuff, but HF is also cool when you factor in the challenges of propagation. There are several DL programs now in Space Studies that have potential:

http://www.space.edu/

http://www.apus.edu/AMU/Academics/SubPrograms.aspx?paid=2161

This field will be around for awhile.

 

I am the Manager of Software Quality Assurance for Fidelity Financial Services. Been at it for about 12 years...and I cannot wait to get out of it! Sure the money is good but IT (to me) is a terribly unfulfilling, endless drone of a career.

 

IT seems like it could be unfufilling. I have heard from a lot of people in it that you can only do it for so long. I really like technology sooo much as my hobby, job, and career goal, but I may go into technology management after being in technology for a decade or so.

I am ready for to continue in IT for now though.

 

I've got a decade of experience. I just completed MS in CS and got a CISSP. I'm about to work on CCNA. I hope to work on CS phd online. Just trying to set myself apart from the crowd with education.

I will say that, if money was no object...IT would be more fun. Cause then I'd just do stuff that was fun. But seeking the certs and education, while providing positive feedback, kinda get in the way of learning

 

I've spent the last 5 years working in the internet and telecommunications field. I started out as a helpdesk agent for a regional telephone company and progressed from there to a help desk supervisor and finally technical support division supervisor before assuming my current role as director of call center and dispatch operations. My primary interests are network infrastructure and network security, but I am slowly developing an interest in telephone translations. I enjoy working in IT primarily because there is always something new and challenging to learn.

I am trying to branch out a bit though. Unfortunately I'm a wee bit type cast. I am very effective at call center management, so those are the type of positions I tend to get. I enjoy it but I am not so sure that is where I want to be in 20 years so I have been considering other options.

In January I start a new venture as an adjunct computer technology instructor for Okefenokee Technical College. I'm really looking forward to it, so wish me, and my students, luck.

 

I have worked in the technical field for 18 years. Electronics to biomedical technology, to computers, to biomed/computers mixed. I repaired medical equipment for about 8 years and I saw the change. All medical equipment was becomiong networked so I went back to school for computers.

I currently work as a Field Service Engineer / Field Trainer for a medical equipment manufacturer. I repair medical equipment and computer networks used to capture digital images of surgical procedures. The networks are typically 5 to 10 workstations with a server. The new software is web based so we are getting into VPN's and wireless tablets.

I also help write the training classes and teach the classes in the corporate office that cover operating systems, computer hardware, medical software, and medical devices.

 

Anyone look for a field service job in the New England area?
The company I work for has an opening the the New England area. Requires 2 years degree, field service experience (medical prefered), A+ cert.

They want to fill the position ASAP.

I don't want to list the company name. PM me if interested.

 

Wow, there is a lot of experience on this board. Very interesting read.

 

Randell,

which program did you choose for your PhD after doing MS ITM and was there any program getting into the program. Did that program satisfied all requirements for admission into PhD

 

I am going for the PhD in Business/MIS but I think I will change to the PhD in Business/Management.

No problmes getting in.

 

CIO

I received a BS in letters & science (poli sci & history) many years ago, complemented it with a minor study in computer science, and have been in the business ever since. Oh yes, along the way I picked up part of an MBA, and have used those credits towards completion of a tailored MA (business & leadership) at present.

I'm a CIO for colleges and universities, and plan to stay there. Corporate situations don't turn me on too much - there is too much discarding of good talent once you turn 45 in those environments.

Not too technical here, although I've managed several projects and operations where I've transformed technology completely - both in terms of networking infrastructure (e.g., Token Ring to Switched Ethernet/fiber WAN), and MVS/VSE to Linux. Of course web and portalization of applications is a constant theme over the past 5 years....

Most of what I do is politics, budget, administration, and making sure that all of our students and faculty are getting top quality services for the dollars spent....

 

To explain better...The MS ITM is more of a management degree than a technical degree. Thirty credits transfered to the PhD program. The MS ITM has courses such as Management of Information Technology, Managing the Global Virtual Marketplace, Management of E-Commerce, Management and Organizational Behavior, Strategic Marketing, etc.

I was able to fill some of the core classes for the PhD but I still need to take an accounting class and a stats class. The rest will be my concentration.

I was told I can change from MIS to Management concentration without any problems since it is within teh PhD in Business umbrella.

Hope that is a better explaination.

 

I have done technical work for a long time now. So going towards management or even academia would be of interest. Do you think for that it will be better to go with MS in Business or management ? and as Carl_Reginstein mentioned after a certain time/age its difficult to keep up and hanging on to IT.

 

could one move on to PhD after doing MBA or is it too limited in content for further studies ? or is MS a better choice (in CS or Business)

 

If you work in academe, having a PhD (even in basket-weaving) is always good for applying for and getting those VP of Information Technology jobs, provided of course you have the necessary technical managerial experience. The degree also needs to be from a fully accredited institution, because academics like nothing better than to rip on someone's credentials (in other words, if it isn't RA, don't even bother listing it - DETC won't cut it with this crowd)....

 

I would shift to a business degree if management is what you what. How about something like an MBA with an IT concentration?
http://www.tourou.edu/cba/mba.htm
or
http://www.ncu.edu/university_information/dpro_spec.asp?dpro_id=19&dpro_section_main_id=39
or
http://www.ncu.edu/university_information/dpro_spec.asp?dpro_id=19&dpro_section_main_id=53
or
http://www.ncu.edu/university_information/dpro_spec.asp?dpro_id=19&dpro_section_main_id=44
or
http://www.ncu.edu/university_information/dpro_spec.asp?dpro_id=19&dpro_section_main_id=30

 

These are both great degrees. Embry Riddle also offers a space studies masters. I had contemplated the North Dakota degree myself since they plan to offer a PhD in Space Studies but the cost was prohibitive to me.

That being said I do not believe any satellite manufacturer would accept anyone with this degree in a technical role. They want EE, ME, physics, and chemistry degrees.

I know of USAF personnel who have obtained space studies masters.

Incidently outsourcing (to India) has already started in the commercial satellite engineering field.