I don't have a degree in CS or EE, or a cert of any kind, and I've often been slighted for that lack. However, I always found small companies that loved my attitude and creative capabilities. Stay away from the BigFCorp's, and find a small company that has a one-man SWAT team (That's software writing and testing, of course) and get hired as his assistant. You'll get the flexibility you need to finish your degree, although you'll probably burn lots of darkness, too. I always found it to be thoroughly enjoyable because the whole company literally turns on your work. I went from 31G to 64G at one place in about 3 years, and that was only my 3rd real computer job.

One caveat... that's a programming ladder, not IT. I find IT types and departments are much more ossified than programmers, and programmers are a heck of a lot more valuable. I look at IT (as in network admin) and I think it's a scary place I wouldn't recommend going. If you have any talent at programming, jump on it and polish it. You'll get hired.