[asmox]

In a little over a year, I'll be separating from the military with approximately three years experience maintaining and repairing various electronic systems (radar transmitters/receivers, transmission lines, other analog and digital communication systems), and a little over three years experience with network support in a very active production environment - including installing, configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting LANs and WANs and all associated equipment and software (more of the maintaining and troubleshooting though), managing and administering a Windows 2000 domain environment with over 400 users, running cable (UTP/STP and Fiber), performing general desktop support for users, and doing paperwork for all of the above.

I'll also have a few basic certs (A+, Net+~), and.. an Associate's in Information Systems.

What's it worth in that scenario?

 

[mjg]

associates degree doesn't say much. your experience is good, but an associates degree is more or less useless without educational work following it. Bachelors nowdays are pretty standard so it's basiclly a good start, but an incomplete education.

 

[EyeAmEye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjg associates degree doesn't say much. your experience is good, but an associates degree is more or less useless without educational work following it. Bachelors nowdays are pretty standard so it's basiclly a good start, but an incomplete education.

what he said. you need atleast a bachelors, unless you run across the one or two non-robotic employers that use their brains instead of a fact sheet to assess potential employees. they are few and quite far between, so another two years education (atleast) is probably a good idea.

 

[Asr]

Of course, work experience is generally valued more than education to most employers, so I wouldn't worry about your associate's degree.

 

[JahJahBinks]

You can apply to companies like Lockheed Martin but most likely you will end up being a technician. You will not get a position that requires you to design something. But they should value your experience in the military. It's even easier if you already have a security clearance.

 

[marvin]

Are you looking for a career in IT or in engineering?

 

[Wmcmanus]

As the others have said, try to finish your bachelor's as soon as possible. It will open more doors for you. It will also make it less likely that you'll want to jump out of windows by being overworked, underpaid, and the only person who knows anything for the company you work for. No kidding! Ok, well the jumping out of windows thing was a joke. But I've seen it time and time again where a young person has some great experience, plus a passion for what they do and a knack for real world problem solving, but because they haven't finished their undergrad degree, they get held back from the real career opportunities that they deserve.

The good news for you is that you'll be VERY empolyable form the moment you get out of the service, so you can work full time and go to school part time. My only other bit of advice is, please, please, please, don't assume that you know everything when you walk into your classes! I'm not saying that you're this type of person, but the point is that you should try to use the opportunity in the classroom to further your knowledege. It's often the subtle points of learning that matter the most. Things that go beyond what is in the book or what is required by the professor that somehow open your eyes and help you to put what you already know into a fuller context.

That, and take courses that challenge you, no matter how hard they might be. Avoid the "Easy A" courses that will be too simple for you given your prior knowledge and experience.

 

[asmox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvin Are you looking for a career in IT or in engineering?

IT.

Thanks for the advice guys.. and I guess I worded my question wrong. I didn't particularly want to know the value of an associate's degree (I know it isn't much today), but more along the lines of what kind of work I could be looking at with my experience coupled with an associate's while I work on my bachelor's.

Thanks again!

 

[Edwood]

Your experience will be far more important than the associate's degree.

Get a job first. You can get pretty much all those certs without a degree.

-Ed

 

[Illah]

Depending on the specifics a degree may or may not matter. Some places *really* want a degree, it's like insurance that you're not a ffff-up since you made it through school. Other places want talent, and whether that talent comes from a Stanford education or a unique work history doesn't matter. If you're seeking work it'll be harder for your resume to break through without a brand name school, but once you're established it matters less and less as your proven track record will be worth way more than even an Ivy league school on the resume.

--Illah

 

[imho]

ANY form of education will benefit, rather than hurt you. Experience usually beats out education in the end but never hurts to be educated. Besides, it is SO much easier to get a bachelor's degree with an associates in place...your military experience will also be A+++ since you will be well disciplined.

My wise father always tells me,

"They can take your money and friends and health from you but NEVER your education..."

 

[erikzen]

You will most likely have no trouble working in your field with your background. However, if you have any aspirations of moving beyond network administration to upper level managment you'll need the bachelor's degree; and if you want to be CIO you'll need your Masters in computer science. IMHO, anyway.

I have 3 brothers-in-law (brother-in-laws?) who have similar experience - one who did 8 years active duty in the Marine Corp - and they have not been able to move past "managing the grunts". In the end they want to be demoted because the extra headaches aren't worth it to them and they hit the glass ceiling so they never really get to make any strategic decisions.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I'll agree with the above; go finish your bachelor's degree. You will have an additional advantage coming from the military: you get the GI Bill as well as other student loan/grant deals than most people get. Take advantage of it.

Also, I'm not sure of your specialty, but I know some Navy electricians who were wable to translate their experience to the union and easily became journeymen once they left the service. I don't know if you're interested in that, but the pay is quite good and it's a respectable job.

You might also want to take a look at the GROL and the accompanying FCC licenses for operating/repairing marine radio setups. My guess is that you'd pass them handily and then you'd be able to get a job working on that.

You're in a good position, though. You ought to be able to land a decent job (there are tax breaks for hiring ex-military, too) and you can use the GI Bill and/or other programs to get a B.S. You know, I think you might even be able to get the military to pick up the cost of some classes if you take them now, before you get out. If you can put away 16-24 units or so in addition to your A.S., you're going to be very close to a four year degree when you get out. Take advantage of all this, you'll really benefit.

 

[amphead]

Get your Bachelors degree, then get your Masters degree! With a Masters degree you could also teach at a university!

 

[MrSlacker]

holy bumpage....