IT Career people

[tony]

web design is rough, i have a friend that does it full time and he struggles. and he is VERY good. does multiple car dealerships (think BIG ones) along with mayors, etc . . .

networking is my specialty (along with security). certs will get your foot in a door that normally wouldnt otherwise open but in almost all cases experience trumps certs. a degree is absolutely not necessary. however, like most careers without a degree, you will hit a ceiling. the IT market is really good in SA even more so if you have a clearance. it is also a great place to break into IT because of rackspace. they target younger out of college people and pay accordingly. also, keep in mind that high schools now teach certifications in IT so there is a LOT of competition. (and before anyone jumps on my rackspace comment, it is just my opinion based on my experiences with them and the people i work with who came from there or interviewed with them. if you work there and are happy with your salary i am happy for you!)

if i could make a suggestion, learn telephony. phone administrators are in very high demand. even moreso in SA since we have lots of call centers. you will get your feet wet with networking by default since IP telephony exists.

if you insist on networking look for helpdesk or cable maintenance type jobs. good places to get experience and knowledge and a foot in the door.