If Cisco training is your aspiration, and you’ve not yet worked with routers or network switches, you should first attempt CCNA certification. This will provide you with knowledge and skills to work with routers. The internet is made up of hundreds of thousands of routers, and large commercial ventures with many locations also need routers to allow their networks to keep in touch.

It’s vital that you already know a good deal about how computer networks operate and function, as networks are built with routers. Otherwise, you’ll probably struggle. You might look for a course covering the basics in networking - perhaps Network+ and A+, and then do a CCNA course. Some providers offer this as a career track.

Getting your Cisco CCNA is perfectly sufficient to start with; don’t be cajoled into attempting your CCNP. Once you’ve got a few years experience behind you, you will have a feel for whether you need to train up to this level. If so, your experience will serve as the background you require to take on your CCNP - which is quite a hard qualification to acquire - and mustn’t be entered into casually.

A lot of training companies only provide basic 9am till 6pm support (maybe a little earlier or later on certain days); very few go late in the evening or at weekends.

Beware of institutions who use call-centres ‘out-of-hours’ - with the call-back coming in during office hours. It’s no use when you’re stuck on a problem and could do with an answer during your scheduled study period.

We recommend that you search for training programs that have multiple support offices across multiple time-zones. Each one should be integrated to give a single entry point together with access round-the-clock, when you want it, with no fuss.

Always choose a training company that gives this level of learning support. As only round-the-clock 24×7 support gives you the confidence to make it.

Considering the amount of options that are available, there’s no surprise that nearly all newcomers to the industry get stuck choosing the job they will follow.

Because without any solid background in computing, how should we possibly understand what someone in a particular job does?

Consideration of several areas is vital if you want to expose the right answers:

* Personalities play an important part - what things get your juices flowing, and what are the areas that put a frown on your face.

* Do you want to get certified due to a specific motive - for instance, is it your goal to work at home (maybe self-employment?)?

* Is salary further up on your list of priorities than anything else.

* Because there are so many different sectors to gain certifications for in the IT industry - you will have to gain a basic understanding of what separates them.

* Taking a cold, hard look at the level of commitment, time and effort you can give.

For the average person, getting to the bottom of these areas requires a good chat with someone that knows what they’re talking about. And we don’t just mean the certifications - you also need to understand the commercial needs and expectations besides.

A lot of students presume that the traditional school, college or university path is the way they should go. Why then are commercially accredited qualifications beginning to overtake it?

The IT sector is now aware that to learn the appropriate commercial skills, official accreditation from the likes of CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA is far more effective and specialised - for much less time and money.

Many degrees, for example, become confusing because of a lot of background study - with much too broad a syllabus. Students are then prevented from getting enough core and in-depth understanding on a specific area.

Just like the advert used to say: ‘It does what it says on the label’. The company just needs to know where they have gaps, and then advertise for someone with the specific certification. Then they’re assured that a potential employee can do exactly what’s required.

Be alert that all exams you’re studying for are recognised by industry and are up-to-date. Training companies own certificates are not normally useful in gaining employment.

If your certification doesn’t come from a big-hitter like Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco, then it’s likely it won’t be commercially viable - as no-one will have heard of it.

(C) 2009 Scott Edwards. Pop over to www.NewCareerCourses.co.uk/nncc.html or HTML Classes.

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