Cisco training is intended for individuals who wish to understand and work with routers and switches. Routers connect computer networks over the internet or lines dedicated for that purpose. The chances are that your first course should be your CCNA. Steer clear of going immediately onto your CCNP because it is very complex - and you need to work up to it to take on this level.
As routers are connected to networks, look for a program which teaches the basics - perhaps Network+ and A+, before getting going with CCNA. You must have an understanding of the basics before getting going with Cisco or you may encounter problems. Once qualified and looking for work, companies will expect good networking skills to complement your CCNA.
It’s advisable to do a specially designed course that will systematically go through everything ahead of starting your Cisco CCNA course skills.
Let’s face it: There really is pretty much no personal job security available anymore; there can only be industry and business security - a company will let anyone go when it suits their trade needs. It’s possible though to locate security at the market sector level, by looking for areas of high demand, together with work-skill shortages.
The most recent national e-Skills investigation brought to light that over 26 percent of IT jobs cannot be filled mainly due to a chronic shortage of properly qualified workers. Therefore, for every 4 jobs that are available across IT, businesses are only able to locate properly accredited workers for 3 of them. Properly trained and commercially accredited new staff are as a result at a total premium, and it’s estimated to remain so for many years longer. We can’t imagine if a better time or market state of affairs could exist for gaining qualification for this hugely expanding and blossoming business.
Evidently, the UK IT market promises marvellous potential. Yet, to investigate fully, what are the questions we need to pose, and what are the areas we need to look at?
Starting from the idea that we need to find the area of most interest first and foremost, before we’re able to weigh up which career development program ticks the right boxes, how are we supposed to find the correct route? After all, if you don’t have any understanding of IT in the workplace, how are you equipped to know what any qualified IT worker does each day? How can you possibly choose what accreditation path will be most suitable for success. To get through to the essence of this, we need to discuss a variety of different aspects:
* Our personalities play a significant part - what gets you ‘up and running’, and what are the activities that really turn you off.
* Why you want to consider getting involved with the IT industry - it could be you’re looking to achieve some personal goal such as self-employment for example.
* Is your income higher on your priority-list than other factors.
* With everything that IT encompasses, it’s important to be able to take in the differences.
* Having a cold, hard look at the level of commitment, time and effort that you can put aside.
The best way to avoid the confusing industry jargon, and find the best path to success, have an informal chat with an experienced professional; a person that can impart the commercial reality as well as each accreditation.
Please understand this most important point: You absolutely must have proper 24×7 instructor support. You will have so many problems later if you let this one slide. Many only provide email support (too slow), and so-called telephone support is normally just routed to a call-centre that will make some notes and then email an advisor - who will then call back sometime over the next 24hrs, at a suitable time to them. This is all next to useless if you’re stuck and can’t continue and only have certain times available in which to do your studies.
Keep your eyes open for colleges that utilise many support facilities active in different time-zones. Each one should be integrated to enable simple one-stop access together with round-the-clock access, when you want it, with the minimum of hassle. Never ever take second best where support is concerned. The vast majority of would-be IT professionals who drop-out or fail, are in that situation because of a lack of support.
Most trainers typically provide a shelf full of reference manuals. This isn’t very interesting and not a very good way of taking things in. We see a huge improvement in memory retention when all our senses are brought into the mix - educational experts have expounded on this for as long as we can remember.
Study programs now come on CD and DVD discs, so you can study at your own computer. Video streaming means you will be able to see the instructor presenting exactly how to perform the required skill, and then practice yourself - in a virtual lab environment. It’s imperative to see some example materials from the company you’re considering. It’s essential they incorporate video, demonstrations and various interactive elements.
It’s usually bad advice to go for purely on-line training. With highly variable reliability and quality from most broadband providers, it makes sense to have disc based courseware (On CD or DVD).
Commercial certification is now, undoubtedly, taking over from the older academic routes into the industry - so why is this happening? With the costs of academic degree’s climbing ever higher, and the IT sector’s increasing awareness that corporate based study often has more relevance in the commercial field, we have seen a dramatic increase in Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe based training paths that educate students for much less time and money. This is done through honing in on the skill-sets required (alongside an appropriate level of associated knowledge,) instead of going into the heightened depths of background ‘padding’ that academic courses often do (because the syllabus is so wide).
Think about if you were the employer - and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. What is easier: Pore through reams of different degrees and college qualifications from several applicants, having to ask what each has covered and what vocational skills they have, or choose a specific set of accreditations that specifically match what you’re looking for, 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.
Don’t accept anything less than an authorised exam preparation system included in your course. Ensure that the mock exams haven’t just got questions on the right subjects, but ask them in the same way that the proper exam will ask them. This can really throw some people if they’re met with completely different formats and phraseologies. Practice exams are enormously valuable as a resource to you - so when it comes to taking your actual exams, you will be much more relaxed.
Getting into your first IT role can feel more straightforward with the help of a Job Placement Assistance service. Don’t get caught up in this feature - it’s easy for their marketing department to overplay it. Ultimately, the still growing need for IT personnel in the United Kingdom is why employers will be interested in you.
Update your CV at the beginning of your training though - you should get plenty of help from your training provider on this. Don’t procrastinate and leave it till the exams have actually been passed. Getting your CV considered is far better than not even being known about. A surprising amount of junior jobs are got by trainees in the early stages of their course. Most often, an independent and specialised local recruitment consultant or service (who will get paid by the employer when they’ve placed you) will perform better than any centralised training company’s service. Also of course they should be familiar with local industry and the area better.
Not inconsiderable numbers of men and women, so it seems, put a great deal of effort into their studies (for years sometimes), only to do nothing special when looking for their first job. Introduce yourself… Work hard to put yourself out there. Good jobs don’t just knock on your door.
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