[ubuntu-uk] Advice for the future

[Darren Mansell]

Chris Rowson wrote:
>> It'd be interesting for people to put their money where their mouth's
>> are, and tell us what they do for a living and what their level of
>> qualification is. It's the only real way to see if having a degree
>> makes a difference or not.
>>
>> Anyone who is currently on a degree course is of course going to say
>> that it's the best way forward, as alternately anyone who hasn't got
>> one is going to say it doesn't matter...
>>
>> I'll start the ball rolling...
>>
>> Chris - No Degree - Second line support engineer (although I've
>> recently started working a in job which involves project coordination,
>> service reviews etc etc)
>>
>>  
>>     
Just posting this as it probably serves as a good example of the 
experience route:

    * Left school when I was 16 with 4 GCSEs (C grade), got a G in IT.
    * Worked in lots of different training schemes in Electrical
      Installation while getting £38 / week while doing C&G 236 at
      college part time.
    * Worked in a catalogue shop when I couldnt get a job as an
      electrician. Got my NVQ L.2 in retail and L.3 in customer service
    * Worked for Dixons selling personal stereos
    * Worked for Currys / Mastercare giving electrical advice and simple
      electronic fixes
    * Worked for Evesham Technology in 1st line support
    * " 2nd line support
    * " 3rd line support
    * " R&D, got interested in Linux at Mandrake 7 time.
    * Worked for a computer company supporting Linux servers in various
      ways. Learned a helluva lot about Linux there.
    * Now work for a company providing mission critical hosted solutions
      to the majority of insurance brokers out there. Got a good wage
      and it was all down to my Linux experience and a good interview
      where I finally thought sod it and sold myself. Couldnt be
      bothered to not look arrogant any more and proceeded to explain to
      them how each technology worked that they asked if I had heard of.