Need some insight to help my relative senior HS getting into the field but I’ve been retired so I’m lacking some boots on the ground insight

Posted by moldyjellybean@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 5 comments

My relative is asking for advice, he likes tech but his parents aren’t all there (super religious, don’t believe in vax so he had to be home school, he’s behind).

I’m trying to help him gain some independence, a skill so he isn’t trapped. I’ve taught him how to set up a free esx host when it was free, how to setup vms, dc, dhcp, dns, ad, a plex server, backup of it etc. Most of this has been on VMware which I don’t see a great future for.

He doesn’t like networking and powershell isn’t his strong suit. He knows a bit of docker k8 etc.

Is there something AI related a person of him limited knowledge that he can get started on? Even the tech side of VX, video editing, transcribing etc? I’ve been retired since Covid so a lot of things change and I don’t want to get him started on a path that doesn’t have a large future.

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Kumorigoe@reddit

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no_regerts_bob@reddit

man, i would not want to be starting out in this industry right now. spend some time over at /itcareerquestions they have a lot of advice and a nice wiki

syberghost@reddit

My advice is don't. Traditional system administration is a dying industry, everything's shifting left. The containerization stuff he "knows a bit of" will be far more useful if he wants to work in IT.

I made the jump two years ago out of a large SA organization into platform engineering. I'm the new kid on the team instead of the three-decade veteran, but I have survived *THREE* rounds of layoffs in my old org that started two months after I bailed, and the stories I hear from those folks about trying to find new jobs would make Stephen King lie awake at night.

Dreadedtrash@reddit

Honestly if he wants to get in to the industry he will most likely start at helpdesk. Everything you taught his is great, but basic troubleshooting skills are an amazing thing to have. I'd focus on that and he can apply it to just about anything.

bjorn_lo@reddit

There is no bad knowledge. The more he knows, the better. But, he is not going to get far in the field until/unless he gets "ok" at networking. Also powershell might be the standard, but knowing any scripting language can help. Even shellscript.

For an entry-level 'helpdesk', suggest he get a Comptia Cert. IT Fundementals is very easy, most shops require the next one up which is the A+.