So let's just say, I don't know what I want to be when I grow up, lol. The problem is, I'm grown up... So maybe a little about me. I'm a network engineer, I've been in IT almost 15 years, only recently transitioned from being a systems administrator to a network engineer, about 2 years ago. I have an associates degree in physics, but really that doesn't mean much. And it has been so long since I have taken a class I'm pretty sure I have forgotten almost everything. If I decide to go back to school, I only hope I can skip the humanities classes. Ok, so without going through my life's story, which nobody wants to know anyway, I'll shorten the story and just say that I struggle with the small things. I like the big and flashy, well maybe not so big and flashy, but I generally tend to skip the tiny nuances of the subjects. I study what I need to study to complete a project. While this can be great, and to others it may seem that I learn something really fast, what really happens is incredibly inefficient, as I don't learn the basics. most of the time I find the basics too boring, and I struggle with my attention span while learning.
Anyway, I find myself in a predicament, my current career is starting to get, let's just say a little dry. I am not intending on quitting my day job and going to school, but I get no enjoyment out of my job anymore. But that is also status quo for me. I thrive on new knowledge, then move on to something else. Working in IT that has led me through all sorts of different jobs, but still in the same relative field. Now though, I have started my own business as a "maker" for RC racing products. No, my business isn't profitable, lol. I think I may be down about $10k this past 8 months. But alot of that is all the tools I have had to buy, plus R&D is expensive, lol. Then distributers want huge margins... Anyway, I digress. The point is I have found this new hobby that I have turned into a business, and kind of want to pursue it. But I think I actually may need to learn a bit more of the small details.
All that to say, I maybe want to go back to school. Or if not school some other structured form of learning what I need to know. I am a one man shop as far as my business is concerned. I've learned CAD, 3d printing, basic electronic theory, how to use KiCad for schematics and designing pcbs, and how to stumble through programming a 328P mcu. I'm scared of all the other mcu's out there, lol. Again though, I'm not planning on quitting my job, so it will be school, job, and side gig. Which means my wife won't see me a lot, but that is alright because I stood by her when she worked a full time job and got her MBA at the same time. If I get a degree maybe, maybe I get a job as an EE. But I can't say for sure that would happen, also it will take quite a while, and like I said, I'm already grown up.
Let's get to the brass tacks here. If a degree, online vs in person. Good school vs unknown. If not a degree, what structured programs are out there to learn. Left to my own ends, I'll skip the boring stuff and be right back here, so I need some structure. But I'm a little scared. An EE degree isn't an easy degree, and my mind isn't what it was 20 years ago. But a 4 year degree would be nice to get. Despite my experience in IT, not having a 4 year degree has hurt some of my career choices.
Well, anyway, I appreciate any responses.
Thanks,
Andrew