They value employees who take initiative, work autonomously, and contribute to team projects. Keep on studying. The Associate degree is only the beginning. The computer field is in a constant state of change. Fifty to sixty percent of what you learn today will be obsolete within two years.
Most software programs change at least once a year.
Computer hardware changes on an average of every six to nine months. Continue to build your skills by taking seminars and courses, by reading trade magazines, and by pursuing technical certification. Attend conferences on computer technology. Many employers require a degree in addition to technical certification. Northern Virginia Community College has articulation agreements with a number of four-year colleges and universities in the area that accept the credits you earn in the IST degree programs.