[woody599]

I'm caught in two minds at the moment on which way to go in life within the next year or so.

I'm currently in the Army as a Communication Systems Engineer and have been for the past 3 years now. I'm looking to leave within the next 1-2 years. I have two paths in mind, either:

- Complete CompTIA A+ and Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) qualifcations in my spare remaining time in the Army. (And possibly another similar qualifcation if enough time.)

OR

- Go into University and complete a Computing/Networking Degree

I've been trying to add up the pro's and con's, and it ultimately comes down to howmuch better is a degree compared to other qualifcations such as Cisco, Microsoft and other computing qualifcations.

Is 4 years at university plus a truck load of debt worth it in the long-run over these qualifcations I can be doing while still working and earning?

Whats your opinion on it all guys?

[poony]

Definitely not a degree course, stayed where you are. You can always go to uni. when you finally out of the army, Tried to save some £ while you are earning. No job guaranteed at the end degree course.

[cid]

If you are signed up to enhanced learning credits you should check out the website, you may find student debt is not an issue. Though if your degree is 4 years it may only cover 3 of them, but that would still leave you 27k better off.

Perhaps you could get the best of both worlds, I'm don't know anything about your trade and the quals you get from it and such, but is it possible to acquire the skills and quals you would anyway and also go to uni after you leave?

Sigs or RE? I don't even know if it really makes a difference, i know of most of the RE trades the scaleys seem to have the best luck in civvie street. 1 lad signed off the very start of December, was in a better paying job with BT before Christmas, but he was class 1 sigs.

You can claim some of the cost of distance learning courses back through standard learning credits whilst you are still serving, you get a claim a year, defiantly worth it. As one of our (geeky trade to do with soil analysis ...i dunno what its called) is using stand learning credits to partially fund he's maths studies through the OU.


good luck.

[paladimathoz]

I was going to take the comp Tia A+ exam last year but it proved to expensive for something I was just interested in / make some part time work. Plus it only lasts 5 years and you have to renew it.

There isn't a lot to it tbh