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I am new to IT so after much research I signed up for the online Google IT Foundational certificate program at $49 a month. I am finding this course not helpful and very confusing. In fact, I am lost! I have reached out in the discussion groups for help but have found it useless. Maybe it’s me. I once did online courses in finance which I did have a background and found I didn’t learn much. I met with an Advisor at SPC college in Tarpon Springs, Florida and he suggested the Cyber Certificate program for $3000. My research has told me that is ridiculous for a beginner. I am concerned since I am age 58 this is a much younger persons field, and I may be wasting my time. I do want to get out this backbreaking, low paying service jobs. I don’t want to give up yet! There may be a niche for me in this field and don’t want to be defeated before I begin! Any and all constructive advice is welcome. Thank you

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Pretty sure that Google course is mainly for Google certifications.

Just depends on what you want to do. If you wanna get into database management, IT services in general, and network security.

IT is a general phrase, there are a ton of specifics under that.

A good place to get started in my opinion and something I used to do is pluralsight.com and cbtnuggets.com. Monthly costs for access to their sites and a wealth of knowledge.

Also, YouTubers like Eli the Computer Guy have a ton of free courses to help you learn what you need to get certain certificates like A+ and other comp certificates.

And then there’s Spiceworks of course, there’s a ton of resources in the Learn section here: https://community.spiceworks.com/learn?source=navbar-footer

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It’s never too late, but it depends on you.

you’ve not said what you would like to do though and the courses mentioned are very, very different.

What parts of IT are you interested in?

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You say you’re a beginner, but in order to help, we need to understand your definition of “beginner.” Maybe it would help to understand what you HAVE done. Do you know how to format and reinstall an Operating system on a computer? Do you know how to set up a home network? Do you understand the fundamentals of networking? Do you know your way around a Windows Server? Do you understand the fundamentals of troubleshooting? Or programming?

I will acknowledge that your fears are founded. If you don’t have some sort of foundation, it will realistically take you a couple of years to learn, by which time you’ll be 60. Now look at things from an employer’s perspective… who would you rather hire with zero experience? A twenty-something who can contribute for years to come, or someone who’s looking at retirement from day one?

Please understand, I’m not trying to discourage you. I am merely working to understand where your skills reside currently, and in return to get you to see things from the perspective of a potential employer.

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Well as someone who is age 25 and started as Helpdesk only 2 years ago i think i rremember what it was to not know anything at all related to what IT means you have to do or know or what the requirements are. I would suggest you approach more of a helpdesk level which is to solver problems on a computer level and just a bit on a network level.

But it is not easy and most of the stuff you need to learn just like in any other profession are easier once you have some experience and put your hands on it. You will slowly start to develop a sense of knowledge and you will be able to connect the dots and understand the big picture. Unfortunatly the information is vast and some people make it seem like just bc it is Helpdesk and a beginner level, then everyone can be ready in 3 months. In my experience it is not like that. But you will grow with time.

If you need material to learn i would suggest a couple of youtubers

For a practice of issues you will face as an Helpdesk daily i would suggest the youtuber COBUMAN. He covers a ton of different problems and how you can resolve them. As per more theoretic knowledge about the world of computers and network i would suggest COMPTIA A+ Certification material. The cert itself is around 400usd both exams but even if you do not want to spend for the cert itself the material alone is very valuable to you. And it can be found for free. Youtube professor messer, Mike Meyers have a ton of videos regarding that and you can find free PDF here and there on google. Even if the latest pdf would cost you some money to buy.
Build a general knowledge around the world of IT and then look to see where you settle in it

I guess these were my 2 cents. i hope it helps at least a bit :))

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Well done for attempting to learn. The perfect learning technique is different from person to person and depends upon your background experience and the way their mind works. With any course a starter get confused by all the jargon and can miss the essential points. I think it best that a starter finds a way of getting some practical experience so that they at least know what they don’t know and the questions to ask. They can also get enough experience to help them decide what direction within IT that maybe open to them. If there is a charity or some other organisation around you that you can help to get that experience that may a way of starting. Another option would be to select some home projects to gain experience on as getting them working will take research and learning.
Finally, if you don’t try you can’t succeed. Take small steps, keep going and hope for the best.

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Thanks for giving your advice. I was apparently not concise. I have no interest in every working for anyone again in a corporate job. I am not foolish to believe I can every compete with any of you or some 20-year-old who loves and knows computers with a passion. I would like to find contract work where I can work remotely. I took this course just to dip my toe into IT. This may be the worng course for me. My background was in finance, sales and customer service. I thought I could leverage my knowledge and experience into something better by taking some IT course work, I am just trying to better myself. I am thinking now maybe I should be looking at something different like Digital Marketing. But there may be other types of coursework I should be looking at and that’s why I am seeking your advice. To Dave Cork, you are not discouraging me. You are just giving me invaluable advice. I appreciate all the comments and advice from everyone else!

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If you don’t plan on working a corporate job, who do you plan on working for, an SMB or yourself?

Either way, with the SMB jobs, you’ll need to compete, and to work for yourself you need experience, which you get when you work for an SMB or a corporate company.

Unfortunately, there are no courses out there that will allow you to land the job you desire, without experience to back it.

What IT skills do you already have?

Have you reached out to universities or schools where you could likely learn on-the-job?

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Hi Maxx,

The Google IT Foundations cert is a good (and cheaper!) alternative to going and getting the CompTIA trifecta, in my opinion. Now, at this stage in the game those basic CompTIA certs are really only going to help get your foot in the door for lower-level Helpdesk type positions. However, that fundamental knowledge is still important even if you want a position more advanced than service-level work.

What I would recommend considering is pairing the Google IT Foundations certificate with one of the Cybersecurity paths which Coursera offers (you can stick with Google or go with the Microsoft one, either is pretty good). That could get you into a position to land some cybersecurity-type stuff.

If you get stuck with material in those certificate paths, just do a internet search for the topic which is giving you trouble and see if you can find other sources to help you understand the concepts. That’s really all we do in the IT field, anyways.

Also, if Youtube is a helpful tool for you, I’d recommend looking up Professor Messer. He does a great job covering the material in the basic CompTIA certifications, and a lot of that material will cross over and be covered in the Google certificate paths as well.

I agree that paying $3,000 for a program at a college is probably a waste of money. However, I would definitely recommend taking a basic tech class at a local community college. Usually they have one which covers most of the material on the CompTIA A+ certification, but also gets you hands on in terms of tools and hardware. That may be helpful for putting all the pieces together in your head.

There are other paths to take as well that are tech-related which aren’t directly IT-related. AI is going to be a huge wave of the future, so getting up to date and learning the ropes there could be really valuable to you as well.

Best of luck to you!

@maxx0206

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I don’t think there is an easy answer for your question. If I was in your shoes, I would try my best to answer the questions that have been asked here. It would help those asking guide you better. Don’t give up, but keep an open mind. There a few people here trying to help you.

Personally, I learn better by doing something than by reading about it. It maybe a good idea to build a simple home lab that will allow you to learn by doing. You can google home lab options and see which you fits your budget and needs.

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I appreciate all of your advice! I am leaning towards an in-direct non-IT role. Whether that is in digital marketing, AI, sales etc. I will have to determine as I go along into this new field. I find college advisors the least helpful since they just want to push another degree without understanding anything about the field. I still can’t believe the last college advisor thought getting a certificate at SPC in Cyber was an easy career path. I may need to meet with a career couch who really knows the job markets and can ascertain my strengths and weaknesses. I’m a hands-on type of person and find online learning to not be very helpful. I use AI now and find it fascinating but see myself as a user and not a programmer. I hope I find something that aligns with my aptitude and goals. Thanks again!

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Coach.

You’ve likely been unlucky and picked one who wants more bodies in the room as that boosts their income or sponsorship. A career coach isn’t a bad idea, that was what I was hoping you’d find by talking to local education institutes.

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I can kick myself Rod since I wasted so much time researching Cyber and not into other programs that would be a better match for me. I should have known better about Cyber when I kept hearing on the radio constantly that you could get a new career in as little as a few months with My Computer Career. I have found all the advice given in this community more helpful than any other source I used. It seems I’m back to square one. I will be canceling the Google cert program and try to find something that aligns better with me.

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I think we need to know what do you know about IT, specifically from a business perspective and where do you see yourself - what areas interest you.

It’s a very varied field and everyone wants to do Cyber sec these days, but without basic understanding, it’s like trapeze artist who has vertigo.