Advice On Life

[Itachi]

Well, i got accepted back into cic, but i don't wanna go back, too much distraction immc, and the environment not really conducive to work, i applied to fatima for form 6 as well as Holy Cross. A funny thing happened though, when i went to fatima, i was talkin to the form 6 dean and he told me that form 6 is really for people who have no clue where they want to go in life, he said if i already know what i wanna do form 6 is just wasting time, he recommended that i find out from ppl in the field that i wanna work in, what i should do to get experience/certification and so on. Basically what i want to do, is something computer related, repair is cool, but i lookin for somethin that high in demand and can get me a nice salary, as i plan on getting married in about 7 or 8 years. My pops also said when i turn 21 (5 years from now) he'll give me capital for me to open a business or whatever i want to do. I know a lot of the fellas here a lot older than i am, and i lookin to allyuh men for some advice, what kind of certification should i go for and where should i go for it and such ?

[w1ntry]

Well I wouldn't go as far as saying the 6th form is for ppl that don't know what they're about as 4 A's is a min req for sponsorship at Mt. Hope. And of course getting a schol or Open Schol is a plus (no shit) sounds more like he detering you. Anyways, since i've had some experience with what you're reffering to being in IT now though I did Eng in UWI. The fields relating to computers that have any kind of money are in most cases very saturated. Thats not to say you can't make money. Basic PC building or white box system integrators are abundant and its a very competitive business whereby most ppl rely on similar or the same wholesalers. Which means ur profit margins are low and to sell in the bulk req. to make a decent living is beyond a single person. Also ur competing with Dell... that's difficult to say the least. Service is where you can be profitable and having good connections helps here, as in getting ur foot in the door for maintainance contracts etc. Networking has alot of money, but ur gonna be competing with larger companies that have alot of resources and experience, this is a difficult market to enter into. Networking on the scale of routing, managed switches etc is also usually not a small scale endeavour. If you are interested which u seem to be the sort of qualifications you're looking at are as follows:
MCSA, MCSE, MCSD
CCNA, CCNP, CCNE
A+, network+
CompTIA certifications
These are the kinds of certifications you would require, or at least what I recommend.
There is another field thats computer related that I think is pretty lucrative, more so than the others. Its website design. learning scripting languages such as pearl and PHP, knowing C and C++ is also handy. Using HTML, DHTML, javascript. All these u can learn over time and practice and get damn good at. Look at Trinitaku and gamers and G@TT. Alot of talent iymc. And ppl pay good money for websites. Database driven websites are also the norm, for instance all those i mentioned above (coincidentally run on php and MySql I am willing to bet). SQL is also handy. Whilst certifications are nice and definitely a must have, do not downplay the importance of a degree. Whether it be in a computer related field or business related. I think its important to consider doing at least a 1st degree. Alot of my friends and colleagues are doing masters and some their Doctorate. All this adds to the credibility of ur company or the company you work for. Well this is my advice to you.

[Itachi]

Thx for that advice, i was thinkin about doin the degree actually, i doh need a schol really, my pops will pay for education, and i doh really feel like sparin him by gettin a schol, he kinda hasn't done much for me otherwise. I just wonderin if to do As now or if i should try somethin else, cuz really As isn't somethin i wanna do, i basically was gonna do it, cuz everyone else doin it and my girlfriend pushin me to do it (counts for a lot btw, this is the woman i plan on marrying)

[eks]

Well for one warning man-yuh see stuff like SQL and the CompTIA certs is stuff you hatta put yuh mind to it eh. No half arse mindset will get yuh through.

[Hidden]

It's A levels they allowing you to do or CAPE?
Donot go Holy cross btw..

Even if I wasn't sure about what I wanted to do with my life, I would still do the A levels....always something better to have than just cxc :)

[Itachi]

guess so eh, they lettin me do cape, sorry, but i still call em As lol

[w1ntry]

A few things I must comment on:
1. The perspective of not sparing ur father on tuition whilst I can appreicate where u are coming from, thats not a good excuse. Winning a schol is not merely a way to ease ur parents but also something u should do for urself, hearing u remind me how old u are and that ur perspective on life has a long way to go. I am not attacking ur person just merely showing a forms. Regardless of how ppl treat u in life its up to u to show them ur bigger and better than them, rem that,

2. You should not let anyone influence u, this is coming from experience. From BIRTH I was destined for ENG. but thats not to say I always wanted to do that. Sure I was better at sciences than other subs but thats no excuse. You should ultimately do what you want to do, and if u can't at some point in ur life, then take the avenues available to you and later on u'll be in the position to go where it is u initially wanted to go. If u get stuck doing something ur not really into ur gonna be miserable. Remember: Lucky are you who does what he loves and loves what he does. Not the man who loves the money and hates the job. PPL commit suicide over jobs, believe me do something U as a person WANT to do.

3. This is definitely NO offense but, this ties into the above, DOH LET NO WOMAN tie up yuh head to do something yuh may not want to do. And very importantly, don't let ur feelings for someone make u think u like something. Dude ur young obviously. I was in a similar situation once upon a time. I was with a girl (faithfully) for over 5 years. This was to be the mother of my kids, so to speak and I can tell u that ended HORRIBLY. You don't know where u gonna be in the future, so don't let other ppl who may not be there in UR future to determine it. Those are just my foolish words, take it as u will.

[Xecutiona]

Amraj-form 6 dean for fatima is an asshole....

well i goin and get in real trouble wen i go back...not goin last term and what not

hoss...make ur decisions WHILE furthering ur education...he jus sayin dat for you to be discouraged...he wants you to disreguard wat he say and come into form 6 to learn...not to mess up stuff


and some life advice from yuh boy....

doh say dat u goin and mrry dis gyl eh...or else you go end up like me :(

tabanca is a serious ting

be wise....doh close yuh gate before the dog gets fed son

[Paradoxxx]

Form 6 dean of Fatima is WRONG.

A Level is another step towards a higher level of education, it doesnt only mean that you know more but you have a higher CAPACITY to learn than the average joe providing that you pass etc ;)

There are of course exceptions to the rule, but these are few in number, I refer to those ppl that are just super duper smart natural gosuism, rich families yada yada

Take my advise do the MC A's, DO NOT go straight into SBCS or SAMs, do the MC A's.

Elec Eng = Mostly hardware (IC programming, Hardware OS etc, gates iymc)

Com Sci = Mostly Software (varients with management, math etc)

The computer industry on the whole is saturated, every n00b and their d0g would do a MCSE course and become 'qualified'. THis saturation is responsible for the general low salaries of certain aspects of the industry. I strayed away from "Network Admin" and went into programming , its not what I would have wanted to do for a living, but say what it pays.

[CRaZYMoFo]

do the As hoss, you young and in love, take some time and make sure that that is what u want oui
u ever consider going away to study son?
if so then do SATs while doin As
i say get a degree in comp sci while trying out diff aspects of the field and figure out what u really want son
if u wha marry my cuz, i wha choc cake and vodka at d wedding

[SPK]

I agree, and many of us here have done A Levels/CAPE or whatever, but it's all the same.

Get your education solidly set in, this will be your foundation for the years to come, even if you think you may not need it.

Looking in IT careers, I'll say depending on what u planning to do exactly, get ur MS/CompTIA/Cisco certifications as you deem valid to what you feel is most applicable to you, but seriously, try to get urself in line to have a degree behind your name, that's a certification that will hold steady for life...I'm speaking from experience here, I started the UWI degree, felt it wasn't for me, and tried doin certifications and working, and it's tough out there, they want a degree! Hence y i gonna be doin the CIS degree from University Of London come next yr if all goes well...

But you still have time, do the A Levels...take it from me, and everybody else here I think would agree with me completely!

[Hidden]

Don't shortchange yourself at all.
There are people I have known that were fortunate to get to do what they wanted even without A's...but as I said they were fortunate.

Think of it like this, why just assemble a computer with a cd-rom drive, when for just 2 dollars more you can get a Dvd-RW?

[SPK]

Exactly Dinesh.

There are a few who DO make it out there, but it's definitely a minority...

Always have a backup plan ready...in this case, your A Levels and degree will be your backup plan....

[Itachi]

ok thx dudes, i think i get the idea now, why jump into it now right ? i have my whole life ahead of me, just take the 2 years and do the friggin As, so i cud at least have somethin to fall back on.....

[LARUTO]

you know out of everything i have read here i still cannot believe this youth want to get married in 7-8 years.

A levels not necessary, but it is a good experience, nice preperation for the type of studies involved in tertiary education centres.

if you considering opening a business as well maybe you could invest in some simple management courses on saturdays, might be worth your while.

[Paradoxxx]

A's is categorized as Pre-Tertiary rather than Secondary Education, imho A's is more tough than UWI.

[kayode]

Form 6 dean of Fatima is WRONG.


Dead wrong. Disturbingly wrong.

Sixth Form is the only/bext way to get into certain tertiary education programmes.

That's not to say that everyone in Sixth Form knows where they want to head, but people who do have a clear path they want to follow in life regularly put A Levels as one of the steps.

Also...education is never wasted.


Here's a tip though: Your father promised you capital to open a business at a certain age.

Do yourself a favor and work and get some experience in the field that you want to open your business in.

Get experience from the ground up. Try to understand the position of everybody who will be working for you, everyone you will interact with, the ins, the outs, the up and downs of the business you intend to enter.

It will help a lot.



Originally posted by Paradoxxx@Sep 4 2005, 05:45 PM
A's is categorized as Pre-Tertiary rather than Secondary Education, imho A's is more tough than UWI.
Quoted post



I agree. UWI is a more comfortable process than A's could ever be.

*merged

[androsovic]

Hmm,well some advice given to me was : "Dont do what you like...do what you're good at,in time,you'll learn to like it... and if what you like is already what you're good at well good for you". Well the latter was my situation.Though im looking to branch off into a specific field.What I could advise you if you're going into computing though, is to do a degree,would be to supplement it with the short courses,as sum1 was saying (A+ etc). Good posting by everybody btw

[Hidden]

What A level subjects did you want to do Roy?
A level computer is a bitch by the way, I wouldn't lie.

[w1ntry]

doxx A's harder than UWI? (I doh mean to sound bad here but) you were in Sco sci or something? cause Eng was a kick in the nuts and even nat sci ppls is be bawling with 80% FAIL rates... I doh know what U reffering to... LMAO, if I could draft in Secondary school the way I draft (draft==buss book no jutsu) I would have been a schol winner oui.

[eks]

Well for me I get bun in O's first time, repeated, did better but didn't 'qualify' for A Levels back in Hillview (family pocket wasn't big enough) so I ended up home for a full year after sending in apps. to other schools only to realise I was late and didn't have the $$ to fund a new term in a different school.

So thus: working man at age 18. No A's. And dat does bother me insanely sometimes.

Right about now, i'll be honest: I still have little idea where I going. But I taking it in stride and with time and going for what I like to do and what I'm good at: PC repair, building and maintainance. Delving a bit into photography and journalism at the spare moments.

I'd say put a little bit into some other things-just for wildness sake IF and only IF you have the time and can handle it. A little diversification looks good on a resume IMO.

[Hidden]

Everyone develops at their own rate, and differently.
Some may find A levels to be easy, and university a kick in the nuts, others it's the other way around.
I have known people to barely scrape grades to get into Nat sci, and then graduate with Honors etc.

Everyone is unique, you just have to try and figureout what works for you.

[SPK]

lol...well for me i scrape into UWI, did the course for a year, but found that the style of learning didn't fit with me one bit, so I quit, and started some courses...but that doesn't mean I not gonna get a degree!

Always keep your mind (and eyes) open for possible opportunities...

*sigh @ having to donate my kidney to start doing CIS next yr :(*.

[kayode]

Doh hadda rush into UWI...just make sure that the years between your education stints are spent constructively. You should be getting relevant experience.

I did sh*t at A Levels and I started to work at 18 too.

Didn't get into UWI till I was 22. Graduating in a few weeks. I'm 25.

The years between leaving school and entering UWI went a long way into preparing me for UWI. Made the coursework and campus life a lot easier to manage.

Might work out that way for you whenever you decide to go to school wherever.

[mEGAvI]

MAn you are young, and although you may be eager the start getting paid you should take some time to mature.

i did most of maturing in form 6. i became the person i am today due to the experinces i had in from 6. rushing into the work environment without a mature mindset can be stressful.

Its good that u noe what u want to do in life, it took me a couple years to realise what i wanted to spend the rest of my life doing. jus stay focus, cuz nothing is ever easy.

MuCHreSPeCT

[eks]

I tell guys who want to leave school same speed and jump into the job market that it NOT that easy out here. I've only been at my job for a year and a half-my first REAL proper paycheck job and seriously: there are the days you get up and even the thought of a paycheck doesn't motivate you.

If you have the opportunities and methods to manage your way through school with the folks paying: use them. Don't waste it or take advantage of it but make use of it. Because working off the bat at 18 isn't a nice thing in any circumstance. Sure the exp. is nice and you'll feel a bit higher in the world but that doesn't always cut it for mental stress.

[kaizen]

not to barge or anything but since ur not contemplating doing cape ..as ..which ever why not pursue an associate degree <costat> etc i did that and now im in law/pyschology degree im not sure the feedback on this method but its worth a taught.
if someone mentioned this earlier forgive me lol didnt read through every post