The CCNA certification is the way to go for training in Cisco. With it, you'll learn how to handle maintaining and installing routers and switches. The internet is made up of many routers, and large companies who have different locations utilise them to allow their networks to keep in touch.
Jobs that need this knowledge mean the chances are you'll work for national or international companies that have several locations but need to keep in touch. Or, you may move on to being employed by an internet service provider. These jobs are well paid and in demand.
If you haven't yet had any experience of routers, then qualifying up to the CCNA level is definitely sufficient - don't be pushed into attempting your CCNP. With a few years experience behind you, you'll know if CCNP is something you want to do.
A knowledgeable and specialised consultant (in direct contrast to a salesman) will cover in some detail your current level of ability and experience. This is useful for working out your starting level of study. If you've got a strong background, or sometimes a little commercial experience (maybe some existing accreditation?) then it could be that your starting level will be very different from someone who is just starting out. For those students starting IT studies and exams for the first time, you might like to avoid jumping in at the deep-end, starting with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first. Usually this is packaged with most types of training.
Please understand this most important point: You absolutely must have proper 24x7 instructor and mentor support. Later, you'll kick yourself if you don't follow this rule rigidly. Beware of institutions that use 'out-of-hours' messaging systems - where you'll get called back during office hours. It's not a lot of help when you've got study issues and want support there and then.
Top training providers opt for an online 24x7 package pulling in several support offices across the globe. You will have an easy to use environment which switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres irrespective of the time of day: Support when it's needed. You can't afford to accept anything less. Direct-access round-the-clock support is the only viable option with computer-based courses. Maybe burning the midnight-oil is not your thing; but for the majority of us however, we're working at the time when most support is available.
Being a part of the cutting-edge of new technology is as thrilling as it comes. You become one of a team of people creating a future for us all. We're barely beginning to get a handle on how all this change will affect us. How we correlate with the world as a whole will be significantly affected by technology and the internet.
The money in IT isn't to be sniffed at either - the average salary in the United Kingdom for an average IT professional is a lot better than remuneration packages in other sectors. It's likely you'll make a much better deal than you'd expect to earn doing other work. Due to the technological sector growing nationally and internationally, it's likely that the requirement for professionally qualified and skilled IT workers will remain buoyant for the significant future.
Students will sometimes miss checking on a vitally important element - the way the company segments the courseware sections, and into how many bits. Trainees may consider it sensible (with training often lasting 2 or 3 years for a full commercial certification,) for many training providers to send out one section at a time, until you've passed all the exams. But: What could you expect if you didn't actually complete every section at the required speed? Sometimes their preference of study order doesn't work as well as some other structure would for you.
Truth be told, the perfect answer is to have their ideal 'order' of training laid out, but get all the study materials at the start. Everything is then in your possession in case you don't finish within their ideal time-table.
You have to make sure that all your certifications are current and also valid commercially - you're wasting your time with courses that lead to in-house certificates. Unless the accreditation comes from a company like Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA, then it's likely it won't be commercially viable - as no-one will have heard of it.
Jobs that need this knowledge mean the chances are you'll work for national or international companies that have several locations but need to keep in touch. Or, you may move on to being employed by an internet service provider. These jobs are well paid and in demand.
If you haven't yet had any experience of routers, then qualifying up to the CCNA level is definitely sufficient - don't be pushed into attempting your CCNP. With a few years experience behind you, you'll know if CCNP is something you want to do.
A knowledgeable and specialised consultant (in direct contrast to a salesman) will cover in some detail your current level of ability and experience. This is useful for working out your starting level of study. If you've got a strong background, or sometimes a little commercial experience (maybe some existing accreditation?) then it could be that your starting level will be very different from someone who is just starting out. For those students starting IT studies and exams for the first time, you might like to avoid jumping in at the deep-end, starting with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first. Usually this is packaged with most types of training.
Please understand this most important point: You absolutely must have proper 24x7 instructor and mentor support. Later, you'll kick yourself if you don't follow this rule rigidly. Beware of institutions that use 'out-of-hours' messaging systems - where you'll get called back during office hours. It's not a lot of help when you've got study issues and want support there and then.
Top training providers opt for an online 24x7 package pulling in several support offices across the globe. You will have an easy to use environment which switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres irrespective of the time of day: Support when it's needed. You can't afford to accept anything less. Direct-access round-the-clock support is the only viable option with computer-based courses. Maybe burning the midnight-oil is not your thing; but for the majority of us however, we're working at the time when most support is available.
Being a part of the cutting-edge of new technology is as thrilling as it comes. You become one of a team of people creating a future for us all. We're barely beginning to get a handle on how all this change will affect us. How we correlate with the world as a whole will be significantly affected by technology and the internet.
The money in IT isn't to be sniffed at either - the average salary in the United Kingdom for an average IT professional is a lot better than remuneration packages in other sectors. It's likely you'll make a much better deal than you'd expect to earn doing other work. Due to the technological sector growing nationally and internationally, it's likely that the requirement for professionally qualified and skilled IT workers will remain buoyant for the significant future.
Students will sometimes miss checking on a vitally important element - the way the company segments the courseware sections, and into how many bits. Trainees may consider it sensible (with training often lasting 2 or 3 years for a full commercial certification,) for many training providers to send out one section at a time, until you've passed all the exams. But: What could you expect if you didn't actually complete every section at the required speed? Sometimes their preference of study order doesn't work as well as some other structure would for you.
Truth be told, the perfect answer is to have their ideal 'order' of training laid out, but get all the study materials at the start. Everything is then in your possession in case you don't finish within their ideal time-table.
You have to make sure that all your certifications are current and also valid commercially - you're wasting your time with courses that lead to in-house certificates. Unless the accreditation comes from a company like Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA, then it's likely it won't be commercially viable - as no-one will have heard of it.
About the Author:
(C) Jason Kendall. Pop to LearningLolly.com for in-depth career advice on Cisco CCNA and Cisco Training.
