Most of my basic foundational
knowledge of information systems were attained while
I attended |
After graduating from |
depth
self initiated study of |
soon realized that I needed a higher educational degree. Not because I needed the information gained from a so called “formal education” |
with the title, “Bachelors Degree in Computer Science”, but because most businesses in my geographic locality with good paying job |
postings were requiring it! So I enrolled at Indiana University South East in pursuit of a BA, even though I new that a very large part of |
what I would learn in college would be a waste of time in relation to the knowledge and skills that I needed in my job field (programming |
and computer operations) at that time and in the foreseeable near future. |
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Later in life I would find that I would only use about 5 to 10 percent of what I had formally been required to learn in college. And that 5 |
to 10 percent was all English skills, written and oral, nothing else! |
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Further development of my foundational knowledge proceeded while attending Indiana University South East in pursuit of a Bachelors |
Degree in Computer
Science. While at |
more in depth foundational knowledge of information systems specifics. But still the information that I was learning was not what I was |
needing for my job in information systems, all except for one particular area of study, you guessed right if you said “English”! After |
over 2 years study at IUS I was becoming frustrated and baffled by the amount of useless information that I had to learn and had yet to |
learn in order to acquire a BA. And the cost of attaining all this useless information was nothing to scoff at either. So after a few more |
useless classes and finally losing my personal battle with the enlightenment of “Calculus and Its Everyday Uselessness in the Home and |
Workplace”, I decided that I had enough wasting of my time and money. I quit my studies at IUS! |
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Now my knowledge & skill sets would progress as a result of research, self-study and specific courses as they related directly and |
specifically to career knowledge and skill set requirements. I found this to be a more cost effective, faster and even enjoyable means to |
the attainment of the required knowledge and skill sets of my career choice. |
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As my career advancement proceeded through the various companies, job titles and salary increases I found an ever increasing number of |
companies starting to require unrealistic and non-essential certifications for jobs that were very basic in technical and skill level |
requirements to perform the job. An example that I commonly saw was an MCSE certification requirement for the job title position of |
Network Administrator. I was becoming dumbfounded by the requirements to be grossly over certified in areas where only a small |
amount of all the information required to be learned in a particular certification would be useful in practice in day to day job related |
activities. Again the “total cost ownership” of some of the certifications was somewhat expensive, if not ridiculously so. I decided to |
start thinking of better ways to keep up with the advancements in technologies as they specifically related to my career in information |
systems. I also dabble researched, in my spare time of course, in somewhat unrelated technologies to my own career path to see what I |
might be missing or what might be useful to the company I was working for. |
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I continued my tried and true methods of quickly acquiring the information and skill sets that I needed |
to perform job responsibilities that were migrating to progressively more advanced technologies. Now instead of paying for certification |
books, or how to books and skimming through them to acquire the information that I needed I began searching the internet for e-books. I |
found volumes of e-books that are very general and very specific in relation to performing tasks that I needed to set-up, maintain, |
administer, up-grade, and migrate the technologies I was involved in. I was in e-book heaven! And it was all free, complete with reader |
reviews! Needless to say I went on an e-book download frenzy. I downloaded so many e-books that it would take weeks to read |
through them all and most all of them pertain directly to those specific areas of interest and need that I was looking for. My knowledge |
and skill sets have progressed at a much faster rate than possible with institutional schooling or formal certification training. And all it |
has costed me and the companies that I have worked for is an internet connection and alittle research time and in some instances it was at |
my own cost in money and time. |
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So why with all the near free verifiable information so abundantly available 24/7 at the touch of a few or more buttons are companies for |
the most part, I have found a few exceptions, still requiring degrees and certifications that are not necessary and in some cases grossly |
over rated? |
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My professional development activities and methodologies have worked for me and saved or made money for companies that I have |
worked for for over 20 years |
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