The Right Cisco Networking Training Compared
Posted: Tuesday, October 13, 2009
by Jason Kendall
If your search is for Cisco training and you haven't worked with routers before, then the qualification you require is CCNA. This training program has been put together to instruct men and women with a working knowledge of routers. Many large organisations that have different locations need routers to connect their various different networks of computers to allow their networks to keep in touch. The Internet is also built up of hundreds of thousands of routers.
Get on a specially designed course that takes you on a progressive path to make sure that you have comprehensive skills and knowledge prior to starting your training in Cisco skills.
Of all the important things to consider, one of the most essential is always 24x7 round-the-clock support from dedicated instructors and mentors. So many companies we come across only provide office hours (or extended office hours) support. Find a good quality service with proper support available at any time you choose (no matter if it's in the middle of the night on a weekend!) You want access directly to professional tutors, and not a call-centre that will take messages so you're consistently being held in a queue for a call-back during office hours.
Keep your eyes open for study programmes that incorporate three or four individual support centres around the globe in several time-zones. These should be integrated to provide a single interface as well as 24x7 access, when you need it, with no hassle. Don't compromise where support is concerned. Many trainees that give up, just need the right support system.
Now, why ought we to be looking at qualifications from the commercial sector as opposed to more traditional academic qualifications taught at schools and Further Education colleges? With university education costs climbing ever higher, together with the IT sector's recognition that accreditation-based training is closer to the mark commercially, there has been a great increase in CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA based training paths that provide key skills to an employee for much less time and money. Of course, an appropriate portion of relevant additional information must be covered, but essential specialisation in the areas needed gives a commercially educated person a huge edge.
When an employer understands what areas need to be serviced, then all they have to do is advertise for someone with a specific qualification. The syllabuses are set to exacting standards and can't change from one establishment to the next (as academic syllabuses often do).
Accredited exam simulation and preparation software is essential - and absolutely ought to be supplied by your training company. Ensure that the exams you practice are not just posing the correct questions in the right areas, but additionally ask them in the same way that the proper exam will structure them. It can really throw some students if the phraseology and format is completely different. Obviously, it's essential to make sure you're completely ready for your final certified exam before embarking on it. Practicing 'mock' exams adds to your knowledge bank and saves you time and money on wasted exam attempts.
One feature that many training companies provide is a programme of Job Placement assistance. This is to steer you into your first IT role. With the massive skills shortage in Britain right now, it's not necessary to place too much emphasis on this feature however. It's not as difficult as you may be led to believe to land your first job as long as you've got the necessary skills and qualifications.
One important thing though, don't wait till you've completed your exams before updating your CV. As soon as you start a course, enter details of your study programme and place it on jobsites! Many junior support roles have been bagged by students who're still on their course and haven't even passed a single exam yet. This will at the very least get your CV into the 'possible' pile and not the 'no' pile. The most reliable organisations to help get you placed are generally specialist independent regional recruitment consultancies. As they will get paid by the employer when they've placed you, they have the necessary incentive to try that bit harder.
Certainly be sure that you don't invest a great deal of time on your training course, and then just stop and imagine someone else is miraculously going to find you a job. Stand up for yourself and get on with the job. Put as much energy and enthusiasm into getting the right position as it took to get qualified.(C) Jason Kendall. Pop to LearningLolly.com for intelligent career advice on Adult Retraining and Cisco CCNA Course.
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