Hello,
28 yo man, I’ve been thinking about changing careers for a while now. I have a Master of Science in Transport and Logistics, but after a few years of working in that field, I’ve realized it’s not something I want to pursue anymore. On top of that, the job market for this industry in my country is cooked when it comes to money and job opportunities.
I’ve always been curious about IT, but I never seriously pursued it. After doing a lot of research, I’ve decided that this is the direction I want to take, even though people are saying that "IT will be dead soon".
At the moment, I’m struggling to choose between two paths: Networking and Data Engineering / Data Analytics.
I'm fast learner, I can dedicate around 3-5 hours daily to learning, and I hope it will get me somewhere close to junior level.
The problem is simple - I have to focus on just one path.
I can’t realistically do both, I need to sleep and work my current job. I already have some basics: basic knowledge of SQL, VERY basic Python skills, and a foundational understanding of networking.
I understand that both networking and data-related fields are relatively resistant to AI and require continuous learning. There are some scenarios: on one hand, I could start as a helpdesk dude and gradually move into a network engineering role, especially since I’ve already begun learning for the CCNA certification (I’ve been following Jeremy’s Lab, and it’s going well and smooth so far).
On the other hand, data analytics and data engineering seem to offer more job opportunities, more growth, but they also require more time and deeper knowledge to break into. I could potentially start as a data analyst, and move to data engineer position after time, when I get the right experience and knowledge.
Which path would you choose, considering the future job market and the impact of AI if you were in my position?