CCNA is the usual starting point for all Cisco training. This allows you to handle the maintenance and installation of routers. Basically, the internet comprises of vast numbers of routers, and many large organisations who have different locations rely on them to allow their networks of computers to communicate.
The kind of jobs requiring this kind of skill mean the chances are you’ll work for large companies that have various different locations but still want internal communication. The other possibility is joining an internet service provider. Both types of jobs command good salaries.
If you’re just entering the world of routers, then the CCNA course is more than enough - at this stage avoid being tempted to do the CCNP. Once you’ve worked for a few years, you will have a feel for if it’s relevant for you to have this next level up.
Trainees looking at this market can be very practical by nature, and won’t enjoy sitting at a desk in class, and endless reading of dry academic textbooks. If you identify with this, try the newer style of interactive study, where you can learn everything on-screen. Years of research and study has repeatedly verified that an ‘involved’ approach to study, where we utilise all our senses, is proven to produce longer-lasting and deeper memory retention.
Interactive full motion video utilising video demo’s and practice lab’s beat books hands-down. And they’re a lot more fun to do. It’s very important to see courseware examples from any company that you may want to train through. They have to utilise video, demonstrations and various interactive elements.
Go for CD and DVD ROM based physical training media in all circumstances. Thus avoiding all the issues associated with broadband outages, failure and signal quality issues etc.
Many trainers supply a practical Job Placement Assistance facility, designed to steer you into your first job. Sometimes, this feature is bigged up too much, as it’s relatively easy for a well trained and motivated person to find work in the IT environment - because there’s a great need for skilled employees.
CV and Interview advice and support might be provided (if not, see one of our sites for help). Make sure you bring your CV right up to date today - don’t wait until you’ve finished your exams! Quite frequently, you’ll secure your initial job whilst you’re still studying (even when you’ve just left first base). If you haven’t updated your CV to say what you’re studying (and it isn’t in the hands of someone with jobs to offer) then you’re not even going to be known about! Most often, a specialist locally based employment service (who will get paid by the employer when they’ve placed you) is going to give you a better service than a sector of a centralised training facility. Also of course they should be familiar with the local industry and employment needs.
A constant grievance of many training companies is how much trainees are focused on studying to pass exams, but how ill-prepared they are to market themselves for the position they’ve studied for. Don’t give up when the best is yet to come.
One interesting way that training providers make extra profits is by adding exam fees upfront to the cost of a course and offering an exam guarantee. It looks impressive, but let’s just examine it more closely:
These days, we tend to be a bit more aware of hype - and generally we cotton on to the fact that we are actually being charged for it (it’s not a freebie because they like us so much!) Qualifying on the first ‘go’ is what everyone wants to do. Going for exams one by one and funding them as you go has a marked effect on pass-rates - you prepare appropriately and are aware of the costs involved.
Isn’t it in your interests to not pay up-front, but when you’re ready, not to pay the fees marked up by the college, and to do it locally - rather than in some remote centre? A lot of extra profit is netted by many companies who get money upfront for exam fees. A number of students don’t take them for various reasons but the company keeps the money. Astoundingly enough, there are providers who actually bank on it - as that’s where a lot of their profit comes from. You should fully understand that re-takes through organisations with an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are always heavily controlled. You will be required to do mock exams until you’ve demonstrated an excellent ability to pass.
With the average price of Pro-metric and VUE exams in the United Kingdom costing around 112 pounds, it’s common sense to fund them one by one. It’s not in the student’s interests to fork out hundreds or thousands of pounds for exams when enrolling on a course. Commitment, effort and practice with quality exam preparation systems are the factors that really get you through.
So many training providers focus completely on the certification process, and forget the reasons for getting there - getting yourself a new job or career. You should always begin with the final destination in mind - don’t make the journey more important than where you want to get to. Avoid becoming one of the unfortunate masses that choose a course that seems ‘fun’ or ‘interesting’ - and get to the final hurdle of an accreditation for an unrewarding career path.
Spend some time thinking about the income level you aspire to and what level of ambition fits you. This will influence which particular qualifications will be required and what you can expect to give industry in return. The best advice for students is to speak with experienced industry personnel before they embark on a retraining programme. This helps to ensure it contains the relevant skills for the career path that has been chosen.
Your training program should always include the very latest Microsoft (or Cisco, CompTIA etc.) authorised simulation materials and exam preparation packages. Due to the fact that a lot of IT examining boards are from the USA, it’s essential to understand how exam questions will be phrased and formatted. You can’t practice properly by merely going through the right questions - it’s essential that you can cope with them in the proper exam format. Ensure that you test whether you’re learning enough through tests and practice in simulated exam environments to prepare you for taking the proper exam.
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