The CCNA certification is where it all starts for Cisco training. This teaches you how to operate on maintaining and installing network switches and routers. The internet is made up of many routers, and large companies that have various regional departments rely on them to keep their networks in touch.
The kind of jobs requiring this type of qualification mean the chances are you’ll work for large commercial ventures that have several different sites but still need contact. On the other hand, you might end up being employed by an internet service provider. Either way, you’ll be in demand and can expect a high salary.
Get on a tailored route that takes you on a progressive path to make sure that you’ve mastered the necessary skills and knowledge before starting your training in Cisco skills.
We can’t make a big enough deal out of this point: You absolutely must have proper 24×7 support from professional instructors. You’ll severely regret it if you don’t.
some companies only provide email support (slow), and telephone support is usually to a call-centre which will just take down the issue and email it over to their technical team – who’ll call back sometime over the next 1-3 days, at a suitable time to them. This is all next to useless if you’re stuck with a particular problem and only have a specific time you can study.
The best training colleges provide an internet-based 24 hours-a-day system combining multiple support operations over many time-zones. You will be provided with a simple environment that accesses the most appropriate office no matter what time of day it is: Support when you need it.
If you opt for less than 24×7 support, you’ll regret it. You might not want to use the service during late nights, but you’re bound to use weekends, early mornings or even late evenings at some point.
Students who consider this area of study often have a very practical outlook on work, and don’t always take well to classrooms, and slogging through piles of books. If this is putting you off studying, use multimedia, interactive learning, where you can learn everything on-screen.
Research has repeatedly shown that becoming involved with our studies, to utilise all our senses, is far more likely to produce long-lasting memories.
Locate a program where you’re provided with an array of DVD-ROM’s – you’ll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, and then have the opportunity to fine-tune your skills in fully interactive practice sessions.
Any company that you’re considering must be pushed to demo some simple examples of their training materials. You’re looking for evidence of tutorial videos and demonstrations and a wide selection of interactive elements.
Opt for actual CD or DVD ROM’s whenever you can. You can then avoid all the difficulties of broadband outages, failure and signal quality issues etc.
You have to make sure that all your exams are current and commercially required – forget programmes which provide certificates that are worthless because they’re ‘in-house’.
Only properly recognised examinations from companies such as Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco and CompTIA will have any meaning to employers.
What is the reason why academic qualifications are less in demand than the more commercial qualifications?
With a growing demand for specific technological expertise, the IT sector has been required to move to specific, honed-in training only available through the vendors themselves – for example companies like Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe. Frequently this is at a far reduced cost both money and time wise.
They do this through concentrating on the skills that are really needed (alongside a relevant amount of background knowledge,) instead of trawling through all the background detail and ‘fluff’ that degree courses often do (to fill up a syllabus or course).
Put yourself in the employer’s position – and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. Which is the most straightforward: Pore through loads of academic qualifications from various applicants, asking for course details and which vocational skills they’ve mastered, or choose particular accreditations that exactly fulfil your criteria, and draw up from that who you want to speak to. Your interviews are then about personal suitability – rather than on the depth of their technical knowledge.
Written by Scott Edwards. Navigate to Comptia A Plus or www.CiscoCCNA-2U.co.uk.