Q1: Ask about the lab-to-lecture ratio. With lower priced 2-year programs, they often save money by cutting the costly virtual lab environments. But in IT, theory without a sandbox is of almost no value. Ask if you will be configuring virtual networks, or reading a few paragraphs about it in a pdf you download. Q2: The biggest bang for your buck is in completing one "production grade" project (that you can collect a link to demonstrate on GitHub). The mentor is important, but the recruiter can't see a conversation; they can see the script you wrote to automatically deploy a server, or the functional database schema you created. Q3: If you have an offer, get to work! The industry leans heavily on "Years of Experience" (YoE). A practical guideline is to find an entry level role with tuition reimbursement so you can finish your Bachelor's on the company's dime while you build your resume. Q4: I wish that more programs spent time on troubleshooting methodology and documentation. Most of the IT professional's day will be fixing problems they didn't see before. Knowing how to do research and write a clear Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is what separates a junior from a lead. Q5: Check whether your instructors are still working in the industry now. If they haven't been in the live production environment in the last five years, then they are most likely teaching age-old systems that will not help you get a job in a cloud first workplace. Q6: An associate degree program will best prepare a graduate for the so-called "Front Line" of the IT profession, such as Help Desk, Desktop Support, Junior NOC Technician roles. They will catch you up to the vernacular, and give you a basic understanding of systems ready for you to pursue your ideal security or cloud architectural role. Q7: Build a home lab as soon as you can! Never wait for a class to formally give you permission to learn something. The students who get hired first are the ones who can talk about the server they broke and fixed in their own living rooms with free tiers of cloud services and a junk pile of old computers. You can trot down the path shown by the Associate Degree, and know exactly where the things you learn are going to make a difference in your career. Just use the whole process as a launch pad for your curiosity, to get hands on experience.
When I ran a global e-commerce platform, I would tell my students to find out what hands-on "work" they would actually do in their system. The greatest reward is completing one "real world" project that supports end users (even at a small scale). If you need money quickly, working immediately is smart; if you want career mobility, a bachelor's degree is a good start. Programs should include security basics, cloud fundamentals, and troubleshooting. Also, verify that your instructor has access to "live labs" and that there are types of post-graduate job opportunities available from this program (alumni outcomes).
If a student asked about the payoff of completing an associate's program in IT, I would say the payoff comes from an internship or job shadowing position where you get to solve real problems. Students can either take classes as soon as possible and gain immediate work experience ("work ASAP") or pursue a bachelor's degree to lead a team later. I would like to see more emphasis placed on hardware, networks, and ERP basics in programs. When researching programs, check the availability of labs, the certification options offered, and employer partnerships. Students graduating with an associate's degree are most likely to be qualified for a "help desk" and/or "systems support" positions.
Students should ask their instructors how their learning is evaluated beyond traditional testing methods. What will be the value of one certification paired with a well-created portfolio project? Help students determine which path is best for them by asking these two questions: Can I obtain a job that will help me grow today, or will I need additional education to move forward? Programs should provide instruction in scripting, documentation, and user support. Please verify that the program is updating its curriculum and that there is a feedback loop between instructors and students. Associate degrees are typically best suited for preparing students for junior IT support and operations positions.
I am Jake, the founder of Digital Ascension Group. I have found, mentored, and placed early career IT talent in real production envirionments in my IT career, and this is my perspective as the founder of DIGITAL ASCENSION GROUP. The most important questions an online IT associate student should ask themselves before signing up at an online college is the following: Where did the graduates of this school land six months after graduation? Where did they begin working? What kind of work did they do? An inexpensive online college may look good on paper, but the reality is that this type of program usually leads students to unstable employment, such as in a helpdesk queue, and provides little or no opportunity for advancement in the IT field. You want to see proof that students have progressed from this type of employment into positions such as a systems administrator, cloud support specialist, security operations center (SOC) member or junior network support technician. Don't accept employment that only involves routing tickets. One of the most beneficial decisions a student can make is to take one serious hands-on experience that reflects a production environment; for example, building a true home lab, cloud tenant, security stack, or internal support tool teaches far more than obtaining three certifications. The students that I interview who can show me something they created were always hired faster than candidates who did not have the experience of creating a product, even if they had very thin resumes. I have developed a very simple framework to help students choose between working immediately or obtaining their bachelor's degree and obtaining a job immediately. If a student can find a job that provides real-world exposure to real infrastructure, security, and cloud systems, then they should take that job; if they can only land entry-level jobs (basic helpdesk queue positions), then they should continue on to obtain a bachelor's degree and/or additional certifications to allow them access to these higher-leverage environments. Unfortunately, many associate degree programs don't include a strong foundation in cloud fundamentals, basic automation (PowerShell/Python), and a security operations training. Those three skills are considered entry-level skills in today's workforce and are not considered advanced skills.
Working with cybersecurity and coding schools, I see students succeed when they verify job placement rates and ask whether the program teaches current industry tools. Cheap educational programs are frequently based on an outmoded curriculum which doesn't prepare new graduates for current careers, training people in AWS, Python and modern frameworks while learning outdated systems. The ideal career progression is to build a portfolio whilst studying for relevant certifications at the same time. Those students who have certifications that are recognized by the industry, such as CompTIA or AWS, and develop public portfolios on open platform for code sharing like GitHub perform better. Real-world skills are required over certified test results by employers. When pondering whether to work at 18 or go to college, think about the earning potential of associate programs offering over $50,000 per year. For some, working while earning a part-time degree can offer escape from student loans. Skills and practical experience are more important than a fancy degree for most entry-level tech jobs. Schools would do well to stress problem-solving and documentation skills. Though they may have taken classes in various tools and languages, most students have not been properly trained to solve problems systematically and communicate clearly - both necessary skills in a junior hire.
From a personal standpoint, before taking a low-cost online IT Associate Degree program, prospective students need to ask themselves whether the program will equip them to solve problems, rather than just learn how to use the right tool. The most important decision when it comes to making a profit for new IT professionals is generally to complete one project that gives you experience working on something that has real-world application and shows how systems react to changes in a real environment, as this is exactly what entry-level employers are looking for. When determining whether to enter the workforce immediately after graduation or to continue to a Bachelor's program, I always tell students to determine if they are being held accountable for increasing their responsibilities and their learning velocity in their current job position-if not, furthering their education will increase their rate of growth. I also think that many more Associate programs could emphasize Cybersecurity Fundamentals, Troubleshooting Under Pressure, and Communication Skills, as IT work is not only about using the right Technology, but also about making good judgments and collaborating effectively. Students who choose the lowest tuition option should ensure they have access to Labs, Instructor Support, and clear paths to obtaining Certifications or Transfer Credits. Ultimately, an IT Associate Degree is best for preparing new graduates for entry-level Operational positions where reliability and the ability to learn quickly are key, and I would recommend that students treat their Associate Degree as a Launch Pad-learn to develop good habits of learning continuously early.
1)Before enrolling in any IT program, confirm that the curriculum covers the topics required for, and will allow you to sit for, industry-recognized certifications such as CompTIA or AWS. Confirm as well that the credits earned from the program will transfer to a four-year college if you decide later to pursue a bachelor's degree. 2) While obtaining a single internship may provide some of the most meaningful proof of your ability to apply technical concepts in a fast-paced, real-world business environment, this type of practical experience is often more valuable to prospective employers than any demonstrated certification(s), as it contains evidence of both professional reliability and soft skills. 3) If you have niche certifications and are looking to advance your career through experience "on the job," you may want to get to work right away. If, conversely, your career goals are to move into upper management or specialized architectural roles in large corporations, continue your education and earn a bachelor's degree. 4) Many programs could benefit from placing greater value on "soft tech" skills. More emphasis should be placed here, especially in terms of teaching technical communication and project management skills that involve many departments. The modern junior role also requires greater emphasis on skills related to cloud architecture and automation scripting. 5) Your first priority when selecting a school should be to verify that it is regionally accredited, as this is the only way to guarantee that the degree you earn will be respected by potential employers, as well as by other colleges/universities. You should also investigate the faculty's most recent industry experience and make sure that the technical methods being taught have not become outdated due to their long-term use. 6) An associate's degree will give you the training necessary to serve as the technical "first responder" in a variety of positions, such as help desk manager and junior network administrator. Once you graduate from your program, you will have the ability to troubleshoot technical issues, operate and maintain basic server operations, and help end-users be more productive. 7) Don't ever stop tinkering with your own hardware and setting up home labs; both of these activities will help you stay ahead of what is taught in school. Most people who have been successful in this industry have utilized both curiosity and a willingness to break something in order to learn to fix it.