Should you be aspiring to become Cisco accredited, and you’ve not yet worked with routers or network switches, you should start with a CCNA course. This will give you the knowledge you need to understand routers. The world wide web is built up of many routers, and large commercial ventures with several different sites also need routers to allow their networks to talk to each other.

Routers are linked to networks, so seek out training that features the basics on networks (CompTIA Network+ as an example – maybe with the A+ as well) before getting going with CCNA. It’s essential to have some knowledge of how networks operate before you start a Cisco course or the chances are you’ll fall behind. Once qualified and looking for work, employers will be looking for networking skills in addition to the CCNA.

Getting your Cisco CCNA is the right level to aim for; don’t let some salesperson talk you into starting with the CCNP. With experience, you can decide whether you need to train up to this level. If so, your experience will serve as the background you need to tackle the CCNP – as it’s a very complex course – and shouldn’t be looked upon as otherwise.

Far too many companies only look at the plaque to hang on your wall, and completely avoid why you’re doing this – getting yourself a new job or career. Always start with the final destination in mind – too many people focus on the journey.

Don’t let yourself become part of the group who select a program that on the surface appears interesting – and end up with a plaque on the wall for an unrewarding career path.

Stay tuned-in to where you want to get to, and build your study action-plan from that – don’t do it back-to-front. Keep on track and study for a job that’ll reward you for many long and fruitful years.

Have a conversation with an industry professional that has a background in the industry you’re considering, and is able to give you an in-depth explanation of the kind of things you’ll be doing on a daily basis. Getting to the bottom of all this long before beginning a retraining course will prevent a lot of wasted time and effort.

Commercially accredited qualifications are now, undoubtedly, taking over from the more academic tracks into the industry – but why is this the case?

Industry is now aware that to cover the necessary commercial skill-sets, proper accreditation from such organisations as Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA is far more effective and specialised – saving time and money.

Academic courses, for instance, clog up the training with a great deal of loosely associated study – and much too wide a syllabus. This holds a student back from getting enough specific knowledge about the core essentials.

Put yourself in the employer’s position – and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. What should you do: Pore through reams of different degrees and college qualifications from hopeful applicants, trying to establish what they know and what workplace skills they’ve mastered, or select a specialised number of commercial certifications that perfectly fit your needs, and then choose your interviewees based around that. You can then focus on how someone will fit into the team at interview – instead of long discussions on technical suitability.

Being a part of the leading edge of new technology is about as exciting as it can get. Your actions are instrumental in shaping the next few decades.

Many people are of the opinion that the technological revolution we have experienced is easing off. This couldn’t be more wrong. Massive changes are on the horizon, and the internet in particular will be the biggest thing to affect the way we live.

The regular IT man or woman across the UK is likely to get significantly more than his or her counterpart outside of IT. Mean average wages are amongst the highest in the country.

The good news is there is no end in sight for IT sector expansion in the UK. The market sector is still growing rapidly, and with the skills shortage of over 26 percent that we’re experiencing, it’s most unlikely that this will change significantly for decades to come.

Validated exam simulation and preparation software is a must – and must be offered by your course provider.

Avoid relying on non-official exam preparation systems. The terminology of their questions is sometimes startlingly different – and this leads to huge confusion in the actual examination.

Obviously, it is vital to be confident that you’re completely ready for your commercial exam before embarking on it. Practicing ‘mock’ tests helps build your confidence and saves you time and money on failed exams.

(C) Jason Kendall. Try LearningLolly.com for quality advice on Cisco CCNA and CCNA Certification Courses.

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