Direction and Guidance

I went to the Technology Job & Internship Fair at DePaul University this past week. I
spoke to AT&T, Allsate Insurance, CME Group, and Options Clearing Coporation about Internships and Development Programs. The AT&T recruiter mentioned their Network Engineering Technology Development Program. Allstate took my information and told me about their Summer Interships and showed me the different positions I could fill, including Network Engineer. CME Group was also a Network Engineering Internship. Options Clearning was either PC or Network Services.

I started looking at the descritpions and requirements and decided that these programs and internships were all worhty goals for which to reach. However, there are some educational shortfalls. I will have certifications when I am done with the current training program in A+, Network+, and MCITP, however, I still need more education in networking. I plan to pursue this stronger foundation at either Truman College or Computer Systems Institute.

I am planning to get an ASK Mentor and discuss my situation with the DePaul CDM Career Advisor to get her thoughts on the best way to tackle the educational side of the coin. There are two main options: second bachelors or masters.

If advised to pursue a second bachelor's degree by the Career Advisor I will then seek out the advice of a transfer counselor in the admissions office to determine what courses I have that transfer into the B.S. in Network Technology program. This may also trigger application to DAPP. I will also ask which courses I can take at Truman College in order to reduce the cost of the program.

If advised to pursue an MS in Network Engineering and Management degree I will still consult a transfer counselor to determine which courses I should take and have them transfer into the Prerequisite phase of the program.

After completing the DePaul portion of the advising is complete I will discuss with an advisor at Truman College an appropriate course of action with regard to the courses I will take either an Associate in General Studies degree or a Basic Certificate in Networking Systems and Technologies and and Advanced Certificate in Computer Information Systems as well as 8 credits in Mathematics.