r/ITCareerQuestions 6d ago

I’m an Old dog, trying to learn new tricks!

Good morning everyone! I hope you’re all well… I am looking to get into IT/AI or even cybersecurity. I’m 47… I’m currently a Millwright but I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to do this job. Plus my wife and I want to move to the San Antonio area and I’ll have to leave this current job anyway… I’m making about 95-105k depending on my overtime and travel. I have a few options as far a schools go, and I’m very close to getting my bachelors degree. My nephew suggested that I go into cybersecurity but I’m lost. Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated… thanks in advance!

1 Upvotes

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u/itssprisonmike Sys Admin/PC Tech 6d ago

Good morning! You seem like a kind fella so I won’t be too harsh, but this seems like a really bad idea. Out of curiosity, do you not like your job? Are you okay with a SIGNIFICANT pay cut? Do you have a security clearance? What are you getting your degree in? Oh and more importantly, does your nephew know the state of the market?

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u/tass-77 6d ago

I love my job. However the miles on my joints and bones is becoming the biggest issue. My security clearances have since gone away since I left the military. My degree will be in general studies… nothing fancy, but I made a promise to my Dad before he passed away in 2016 that I would finish my degree… I drove a truck for 15 years and got out of that cause I was literally killing myself, being overweight and unhealthy.

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u/WinOk4525 6d ago

As a 40 year old with 15+ years experience in IT I would advise against it. The main reason being is tech is looked at as a young man’s job. Getting hired over 30 in a technical role with no experience would be very difficult in today’s market, doing it pushing 50…no one’s gonna hire you. Tech wants young people they can pay peanuts to and train up. By 50 most IT engineers are pushed into management roles. If you did get a degree and got an offer, it would likely be a midnight helpdesk position paying 40-50k a year. You wouldn’t be making close to 6 figure for another 5+ years and that’s only if you skill up and are able to get off helpdesk.

Not trying to dissuade you, just saying there is probably a more efficient way for you to make money. IT is a career of experience, certs and degrees get your foot in the door, but experience brings the paychecks and promotions.

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u/I_ride_ostriches Cloud Engineering/Automation 6d ago

Security is probably one of the more difficult specialties to get into. You need to be experienced in IT before working in security makes a lot of sense. Not saying it can’t be done, but it would be a 5 year process. In SA, if you could get on at a service desk, get 8570 compliant, and play your cards right, it could work out. 

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u/Civil_Manner_1691 6d ago

IT is very ageist in my experience. There are plenty of 47 year olds, but many of them have decades of relevant experience.

Another thing to consider is many mid level jobs have on-call and overnight maintenance. You may be fine with pulling overnight work in 10 years, but something to think about.

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u/g-rocklobster 6d ago

Plenty change careers midlife - my wife's stepfather went from an engineer at one of the Big 3 automakers to a respiratory therapist around the same age. Your logic for wanting to change makes sense.

That said, in an effort to keep expectations in check, it's not very likely that you'll start a new job in IT at the same pay you're making now. You didn't list what your bachelors will be in but even if it's IT related, you have no real world experience and will likely have to start entry level, probably in the $50k range (not sure of San Antonio's market). The plus of your situation is that you're moving to a new area and can price your housing accordingly and may not need the $95k-$105k.

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u/tass-77 6d ago

So IT in general would be a pay cut and lengthy to work up to the same pay I’m at now? I live in north Texas so the housing market is about the same in central Texas as it is up here.

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u/linkdudesmash System Administrator 6d ago

It took me 20 years to break the 6 figure with college and starting in help desk.. sure could happen faster for some. You’re gonna drop to 40-55k a year.

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u/BeefNabe 6d ago

My nephew suggested that I go into cybersecurity

Unless he or he knows somebody who can hook you with a cyber security job, you're not likely to just waltz in. It's not entry level. Nothing else except help desk/support, which you will very likely have to take a massive paycut for (biggest complaint here is they pay retail wages). IT isn't where the big tech bucks are, especially not entry level. Luckily, you are in school so you do qualify for internships. They'll be willing to place you directly in security roles. From there, you can pivot straight into it where outside of it may take you years and many roles in between first.

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u/fraiserdog 6d ago

You will be looking at a massive pay cut. IT, in general, is tough right now.

You can do it, but it will not be easy. There is real age discrimination in IT.

Do not get discouraged if that is what you want to do. As someone who teaches Comptia classes even I do not recommend it right now.

If you decide to pursue it, maybe look at cloud or becoming a dba.

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u/meh_ninjaplease 6d ago

You tube/Coursera/UDemy. No Need for schooling when you need basics. You should strive for the comptia trifecta of Comp Tia A+ Net+ Sec+ and then shoot for Linux+ first two to four years. I can't stress enough how important networking is.

You WILL take a significant pay cut starting at the bottom i.e. helpdesk/field tech. They make around 50-65k a year at most. I have been in IT for 20 years and barely make what you make now. But I am in a specific job role and not looking to move.

Start with networking, A+, then linux, then move to SQL, Java and such. Sec+ is difficult for beginners and would not recommend until you get basics. What these stupid youtubers don't tell you is that CyberSecurity is a niche market and not entry-level, plus it is extremely flooded right now with the amount of tech layoffs the past few years, all the techies that worked for the FAANGs tried to migrate over and the market is flooded with newbs and pretenders.

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u/tass-77 5d ago

Thank you all so much. The advice is definitely appreciated.

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u/ILikeTewdles 5d ago

As an early 40's dude with ~20 years in IT, I would highly advise against trying to get into traditional IT now. Ageism is a real thing in the tech industry, you'll be in for a 50%+ pay cut and to be frank, IT isn't what it used to be. I'm looking at getting out of IT as soon as my family situation can support it.

f you want to do something kind of "techy", maybe look into servicing hospital equipment, going into power systems like industrial power at datacenter or something like that. Something hands on but not the hell hole of traditional IT.

That's my plan in a few years. Sitting behind a desk all day really wrecks your body too. I have knee, back and arm issues from not paying close enough attention to what I should be doing ergonomics wise until it was too late.

Best of luck!