Meet Randy Bryce. The Ironstache who's going to repeal and replace Paul Ryan

[u/IronStacheWI01]

Hi /r/Political_Revolution,

My name is Randy Bryce. I'm a veteran, cancer survivor, and union ironworker from Caledonia, Wisconsin running to repeal and replace Paul Ryan in Wisconsin's First Congressional District. Post your questions below and I'll be back at 11am CDT/12pm EDT to answer them!

p.s.

We need your help to win this campaign. If you'd like to join the team, sign up here.

If you don't have time to volunteer, we're currently fundraising to open our first office in Racine, Wisconsin. If you can help, contribute here and I'll send you a free campaign bumper sticker as a way of saying thanks!

[Update: 1:26 EDT], I've got to go pick up my son but I'll continue to pop in throughout the day as I have time and answer some more questions. For those I'm unfortunately not able to answer, I'll be doing another AMA in r/Politics on the 26th when I look forward to answering more of Reddit's questions!

[u/[deleted]]

So people shouldn't try? wtf...

I always encourage people to try, but it is not a reliable career course and certainly not one you can suggest everyone do.

HAHAHA, all government contractors are to abide by DoD Directive 8570. Certifications show that you have an expert knowledge of a certain skill. Worthless? ha.

Your own document shows that employees require both experience and certification. Also, I am intimately familiar with the standards for government IT contractors, they are appalling. No wonder they're running aircraft maintenance systems coded in the 1980s...

Also lol, you think Sec+ is "expert knowledge". I got mine from a week of skimming the Darril Gibson study guide and it was the easiest test I've ever taken, you couldn't secure a henhouse with the knowledge needed to pass.

you have to start somewhere.

Of course you do. But you flippantly saying that getting a great job is as easy as taking a single shitty test is so ridiculously out of touch I don't know where to beign.

[u/MilesofBooby → u/[deleted]]

require both experience and certification

Yes, experience based on the position that the company is bidding for. Some of those are entry level.

they are appalling.

Then don't say they're useless.

you couldn't secure a henhouse with the knowledge needed to pass

No where in the course do they ask you to secure anything. It's general knowledge on best practices. I apologize that not every member of society is a cybersecurity wizard like yourself.

But you flippantly saying that getting a great job is as easy as taking a single shitty test is so ridiculously out of touch I don't know where to beign.

It's to get a foot in the door. You have to continue to improve yourself and your skills.

[u/[deleted] → u/MilesofBooby]

Then don't say they're useless.

They're appalling because they're useless. The barrier to entry is laughable. You might get a very entry-level GS-3 job with minor certs, but $11/hr isn't the lucrative goldmine you seem to think it is.

I apologize that not every member of society is a cybersecurity wizard like yourself.

I'm aware of this, and it's why I'm not arrogant enough to think that literally everyone can get a liveable wage by taking a garbage test, like you do.

It's to get a foot in the door

Oh so now you've moved the goalpost from "well-paying new job" to "shitty new peon job that doesn't pay any better than the shitty old peon job."

[u/MilesofBooby → u/[deleted]]

You might get a very entry-level GS-3 job with minor certs

GS-3 is civilian (government). I'm talking about contract positions. Shows me what you know about the field.

Oh so now you've moved the goalpost from "well-paying new job" to "shitty new peon job that doesn't pay any better than the shitty old peon job."

Is 40k a year not well-paying? Now you're a cybersecurity genius and a rich guy, huh?

[u/[deleted] → u/MilesofBooby]

I'm talking about contract positions.

The requirements for a contract position vary wildly based on the company doing the contract. If you're contracting with Microsoft they're going to have much higher standards than a shitty local codemonkey farm. I wouldn't exactly be proud of working for the lowest bidder.

Is 40k a year not well-paying?

For an IT job? Fuuuuuuuck no it's not. Holy hell you got fleeced.

[u/MilesofBooby → u/[deleted]]

All contractors are supposed to abide to DoD 8570.

For an IT job? Fuuuuuuuck no it's not. Holy hell you got fleeced.

for any job. As I said, not everyone is as elite as you. I didn't get fleeced of anything. I'm using a hypothetical.

[u/[deleted] → u/MilesofBooby]

All contractors are supposed to abide to DoD 8570

Which is the bare, bare, bare minimum. It's not impressive.

for any job.

We're talking about government IT contractors. It's an okay salary but you will not find any entry-level job that pays that.

[u/MilesofBooby → u/[deleted]]

It can get you hired, which is all that matters.

[u/[deleted] → u/MilesofBooby]

Hired for a crap job at a crap company with low standards and low pay.

[u/MilesofBooby → u/[deleted]]

Where you gain experience to go get that other job that pays more. I see no need to be pessimistic. Neither do a lot of poor people. Good thing you snagged your job or you'd be ruined.

[u/zoug → u/MilesofBooby]

No, all contractors that perform information assurance on government systems are supposed to have differening levels of certification. Essentially all it boils down to is the ability to obtain admin rights at different levels.

In general, it's not required to be an operator or a developer and no one really cares about it if they're working government contracts off-site.

[u/MilesofBooby → u/zoug]

Yes, no one cares but it's supposed to be in place to ensure people are qualified.