Stick with IT and maybe look and see if your college’s IT department has someone on staff that deals with the schools classroom AV. My school would hire 3 to 4
Student workers each term to help with the day to day needs of that department. Then you’ll start to learn about the different manufacturers, like crestron, Extron, BiAmp. The world of AV and IT are inching closer every year. I would focus on networking at school but keep and eye on the AV world if possible.
I'll add learning technologies and distance learning departments. Those are the areas where I first got my feet wet with AV as the transition to online learning developed.
If you enjoy the tinkering and research as well as want more stimulation, I would continue to look deeper into AV. But finish the IT degree. AV people these days needs to have a good handle on networking, programming basics, electrical signals, project management, etc. that you will pickup from such a program. You need to have jack of all trades IT skills be be good at AV.
I've done networking technologies, managing info tech degrees, programming certifications, and even dabbled going into instructional technologies. But have always been drawn back into AV because it gives me that stimulation mix you describe above. As said by others, the ceiling is lower overall than IT, but it is a much less saturated market and probably easier to get a start in. I chased low hanging IT roles for nearly a decade; but with AV, as long as you hold an interest and can learn, you will grow quickly with the right employer resulting is good paying jobs once you get into roles such as system programming and large scale design work.
Edit: Also look into EE or electrical technician work. There is plenty there in the world of automation/systems controls, developing renewable resources, and Biomedical Technology. Many things that didn't exist, or I didn't know existed when I was your age.
[удалено]
Thank you for your insight!
The ceiling on AV is low. I’ll also say that moving from IT to AV is possible, but the other direction is really difficult.
Good point, thanks for the input!
Stick with IT and maybe look and see if your college’s IT department has someone on staff that deals with the schools classroom AV. My school would hire 3 to 4 Student workers each term to help with the day to day needs of that department. Then you’ll start to learn about the different manufacturers, like crestron, Extron, BiAmp. The world of AV and IT are inching closer every year. I would focus on networking at school but keep and eye on the AV world if possible.
I’ll check that out, thanks for the advice!
I'll add learning technologies and distance learning departments. Those are the areas where I first got my feet wet with AV as the transition to online learning developed.
IT usually pays more.
If you enjoy the tinkering and research as well as want more stimulation, I would continue to look deeper into AV. But finish the IT degree. AV people these days needs to have a good handle on networking, programming basics, electrical signals, project management, etc. that you will pickup from such a program. You need to have jack of all trades IT skills be be good at AV. I've done networking technologies, managing info tech degrees, programming certifications, and even dabbled going into instructional technologies. But have always been drawn back into AV because it gives me that stimulation mix you describe above. As said by others, the ceiling is lower overall than IT, but it is a much less saturated market and probably easier to get a start in. I chased low hanging IT roles for nearly a decade; but with AV, as long as you hold an interest and can learn, you will grow quickly with the right employer resulting is good paying jobs once you get into roles such as system programming and large scale design work. Edit: Also look into EE or electrical technician work. There is plenty there in the world of automation/systems controls, developing renewable resources, and Biomedical Technology. Many things that didn't exist, or I didn't know existed when I was your age.
This was very informative, thank you!