Having had a few discussions over the last week with the missus, we have come to the agreement that we shall be looking to move to Ireland within the next two years.

With this in mind I have decided to look at getting myself a few microsoft exams under my belt and possibly certification (if i can manage it) My question you you fellow geeks is this. Has anyone here done it yet? is it hard? and where is the best place to start?

I know they cost a bit of money but that is not an issue, my current job is ok I suppose but I doubt I could move over to Ireland and demand money. I am looking at getting myself in a position where with my qualifications and my experience at my current place. I can get a job at a bigger company which will allow me ample opportunity to move up the ladder.

No idea mate. You could always sell your body...

I've got my MCSE certification done in about 1.5 yrs. But it can be easily done within a year.

If you do the "learn the answers by heart" method you can do it in 6 months probably

Why would you change from Mechanical Engineering to IT?

Why not work as a contract draughtsman? You can already use autocad, why not learn how to RC detail for example where a reasonable detailer can make £30/hr in the current market.

Lets take a typical week of 45 hours for example. Giving yourself 4 weeks leave (48 week working year) gives you an annual salary of £64,800 (£72,000 if you can handle 50 hour weeks) even if you only start on £24 a year until you get some experience under your belt you would still earn £51,840 whilst not working particularly hard.

I can't imagine that a 3D modeller in mechanical engineering would be earning much less in all honesty from what I've seen of the regional market and given that the Olympics are going to make the market ever tighter and thus salaries higher for those of us that are half decent, I would suggest you put off the move until the Olympics are over but seriously consider going contract on something that you already know well.

These are Manchester rates, head to the smoke you would be earning more of course and I have to confess that I don't know what the Newcastle rates are.

Just food for thought.

That's a sound calculation bar these 4 words...kinda breaks down at that point init

MCSE is nice in theory but as Kuif says any fucker can get one with brain dumps. I know 6 MCSEs and only one of them knows how to unlock user accounts. I'm considering doing the exams for the sake of it, though I'd probably say Oracle SQL is where the money is.



I would recommend asking for more than 24 quid a year though, I doubt you can live off less that 50p a week in ireland.

Oh noes I think I'm underpaid, maybe they can stretch to £25pa and I can afford to have XMas again

Damn my rebellious fingers not typing what my brain is thinking

stay the hell out of IT Cal

You'll be just another person with an MCSE. You'll get an ok starting position but nothing big until you have experience under your belt because MCSE qualified people are 10 to a penny. Just like CCNA and any of the other technical qualifications where someone's life doesn't depend on the technology. Most of these quals have been devalued by the MCSE in a week! type courses where you sit for 8 hours a day with a highlighter and fucking thick book just highlighting the paragraphs that you need to memorise for the exam.

Follow EN's advice but give yourself 8 weeks hols and work 40 hours a week and no more :p


M