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Bearing in mind that, rating myself from 1-10 on the experienced
geek scale I'm at about a 2 1/2 (but climbing frantically!)
> 1) Does high-tech always *require* an advanced education?
Not at all from my spot in the audience. As I read job postings,
the only degree that seems to matter is a Bachelors, but even
then it's usually phrased as "Bachelor degree or equivalent
experience." My impending Associates is having trouble even
getting me an internship. Experience appears to mean way,
WAY more than formal education.
> 2) What are good ways to lower the cost of admission to the
> high-tech' club'?
If by this you mean cost of education, I currently attend St. Louis
Community College at $42/credit hour plus books. I'm looking
to University of Missouri St. Louis beyond that and the cost isn't
much more. I'm paying mostly with federal loans and so far,
every penny including interest has been tax deductible. So, in
essence, my education has been free.
If by this you mean that pursuing an education is too high a cost
in time/resources/etc., I'd say it depends on how quickly and
effectively you can teach yourself. From there, it's a matter of
working your way into an entry level job without formal
training to show for it. Not at all uncommon from what I'm
hearing.
> 3) How does one explore one's interest in computing, short of
> spending years in class finding out?
Books, magazines, talking to other geeks, any number of roads.
In fact, I'm finding more and more that most of what I need to
know in this field is -not- taught in the classroom. I went the
college education route mostly because when I started, the
peak of my knowledge was how to change my Win95 desktop
wallpaper. I needed direction, a starting point, and something
to put on my resume that I'd done something documentable in
my life remotely connected with computers. I decided on a
State college over a tech school because I want a more well-
rounded education versus just being trained as a worker bee.
The outdated notion that state schools turn students away based
on gender/race/etc. is both silly and sad. They take anyone who
pays tuition into any program they want to enter (albeit, once in,
it is necessary to pass the classes). What I -do- see are too many
women and minorities who buy into that outdated notion
because their friends tell them "You'll never be accepted into
the good old boy's club" or the gangsta rapper on MTV tells
them that the white man will never give them a white man's job.
We live in a Machine-driven society that pumps such messages
into people's heads to keep the majority in the majority and the
minority in it's place. Change to that mentality on a global,
societal basis, will be gradual. As Dan points out, supporting
teachers like Kathleen is a good place to start ... unbiased,
unprejudiced presentation of information, choices, and options.
Leadership by example is often more powerful than any
soapbox.
- - - Mary
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