To ask if you don't have a degree and earn a good salary...

[atcrossroad]

What do you do and how did you get into it?

IT - failed my Geography degree currently on £50k but have earned over £100k some years.

Got into it by accident. Was an insurance broker and got a job at a company that made insurance software.

My sibling earns well over 100k in pharmaceutical recruitment. No degree, joined after A levels in an entry level position and is very good at it so has been promoted a few times and earns lots in commission

Hi HBGKC. I hadn't made it clear, I sell at two different London markets a week. I don't make what I sell. Its quite niche but very popular (sorry, don't want to say what it is as may be a bit outing). I have to work darn hard to source it though which I love. I've always been a hard worker and as it turns out rather enterprising. Fwiw my dh also doesn't have a degree and is a web designer (self taught) and earns more than I do so there is hope for your dd. I found I couldn't concentrate/absorb information at school. Awful memories but stumbled upon something I love and am actually quite good at!

@bd67thSaysReinstateLangCleg your comment regarding no HR people are worth that salary is short sighted. My role is specialised within HR and I keep tribunal claims to a minimum but training managers and ensuring they follow the law, when they do make mistakes we pick up the pieces by preparing for tribunal and ensuring we have the evidence needed for the barrister to defend us. This saves the company a fortune.

Hi, I work in corporate tax, director level in industry. I am ACCA and CTA qualified. Base is about £150k, bonus + shares brings it up to £150k. I have been very lucky at my current company and been promoted a couple of times so my base has increased by about 50% in the last 10 years.

Thanks @beethecrackon24995, I'm glad you've found a niche that works for you.

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I have a degree, a masters and two other professional postgrad qualifications and earn 41k as a...you guessed it...teacher. My husband has CSE's and no A levels or degree. He earns 75k...he is a programmer. Formal quals mean little compared to experience in that field.

The lowest grade art degree so barely worth the paper it’s printed on. Stayed on a low ish wage for over 20 years the career changed into project management. I’m on £44k in HE at the moment but I don’t love it. Trying to find my thing - contentment is my motivator more than income.

@MegaManic I really appreciate your reply. I am thinking about doing CTA. Perhaps I shall now!

Me and hubby left school at 15 with no qualifications. I studied more recently and gained a Diploma. Husband works as a self employed builder. Joint income: £54K plus rents from investment properties

Sounds like a really interesting job

"IT support is often a foot in the door for a lucrative Software Engineering job."

But more often not otherwise you wouldn't have so many people working as system admins, they'd all be off doing the better paid work.
Of course IT is a well-paid sector in general.

No worries. CTA is really worth having. It is hard studying and working but if you have another 20-30 years of work you will definitely reap the benefits in salary terms. Good luck!

I’m about to finish a software development course ( Java). Am enjoying it too.

Have covered all the basics in code ( arrays, methods, etc)

Looked at coding design, security, methodologies, version control ( Git) tools plus few other bits left to do.

Can the IT people here give a fair assessment of job likelihoods on the basis of this course plus an earlier MySQL one, some python, HTML, CSS, XML and lots of project experience on web based projects?

@Notwavingbutsignalling Is your plan to do a devops role?
Do you work somewhere where you can get some experience before going out to market?
There are lots of roles out there but some of the really great paying ones may want some experience. Local authority and charity sector can sometimes be a bit more accommodating.

No degree or a levels although I did get a qualification later on in life career related and I'm on 42k, similar to my husband who has got a degree in an unrelated subject to his career

@TheRealKatnissEverdeen

I think I could later on in the year. My current place of work is academic - my role is admin.

The course leaders are advising us that we could go for junior dev roles on a salary approx. £20.000 in London. Seems very low to me ( I’m a graduate, long out of college).

@Notwavingbutsignalling you will need to get that first bit of experience. I don't know what junior dev roles pay but if they are in the region of 20k then I'd only do for around six months.
However, I'd throw your hat in the ring for other things and see what comes back.

Jump onto YouTube and look at developer interview questions and check whether you feel 'ready' to answer those.
Although IT interviews are typically scenario based and not theoretical. For us, the devs run late because of competing programme issues, resource, changing requirements, issues with tools, security checks ITHC and a raft of other things. You will need to be able to show, that as well as your technical skill, you can balance the other pieces that are non tech. Also route cause analysis skills will be key. Apologies if I've stated the obvious.
But I think you should try non junior roles if you feel confident.

thanks @TheRealKatnissEverdeen

really helpful. I think it’s about getting a foot in the door, no? If they see you are competent and someone they feel could learn and be trusted, then a better opportunity might come up once your in. Or am I deluded?!!!!

I’ll go for a junior post as well as anything in a field I have experience in - that way my knowledge of the field might compensate for tech skills they feel they could train me up on.

@Notwavingbutsignalling absolutely to foot in door. I think you have a great plan. Good luck 🤞🏾

Cheers@TheRealKatnissEverdeen

🙂

DH been cutting hair 15 years, we met as he finished his hairdressing course at college. Opened his barbershop 6 years ago on his own with no financial help. Now got 5 people working for him and makes about 100k a year. He didn't even finish school, but he worked really hard to get where he is.
I was an academic overachiever and I make min wage in retail.... 🙃