The CCNA is where it all starts for Cisco training. This teaches you how to operate on the maintenance and installation of network switches and routers. The internet is made up of many routers, and many large organisations that have a number of branches use them to allow their networks of computers to communicate.

Gaining this type of qualification will most likely see you working for large commercial ventures that are spread out geographically, but who still want secure internal data communication. Other usual roles could be with an internet service provider. Both types of jobs command good salaries.

If routers are a new thing for you, then studying up to CCNA is definitely sufficient – you’re not yet ready for your CCNP. After gaining experience in the working environment, you will have a feel for if it’s appropriate for you to go to the level of CCNP.

We’re regularly asked to explain why academic qualifications are now falling behind more qualifications from the commercial sector?

Key company training (in industry terminology) is more effective in the commercial field. The IT sector has acknowledged that such specialised knowledge is essential to cope with a technologically complex world. Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe are the big boys in this field.

University courses, for example, become confusing because of too much loosely associated study – and much too wide a syllabus. Students are then prevented from getting enough core and in-depth understanding on a specific area.

The bottom line is: Authorised IT qualifications give employers exactly what they’re looking for – it says what you do in the title: i.e. I am a ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ in ‘Designing Security for a Windows 2003 Network’. Consequently employers can look at their needs and what certifications are required to fulfil that.

One of the most important things to insist on has to be 24×7 round-the-clock support via expert mentors and instructors. It’s an all too common story to find providers that only provide support to you inside of office hours (typically 9am-6pm) and sometimes a little earlier or later (but not weekends usually).

Beware of institutions that use messaging services ‘out-of-hours’ – where you’ll get called back during normal office hours. It’s not a lot of help when you’ve got study issues and could do with an answer during your scheduled study period.

Keep looking and you’ll come across the top providers which provide their students direct-access support 24×7 – including evenings, nights and weekends.

Look for an educator that is worth purchasing from. Only proper live 24×7 round-the-clock support truly delivers for technical programs.

Considering how a program is ‘delivered’ to you is often missed by many students. How many parts is the training broken down into? What is the specific order and what control do you have at what pace it arrives?

Often, you’ll enrol on a course staged over 2 or 3 years and get posted one section at a time – from one exam to the next. It seems to make sense on one level, but consider these issues:

How would they react if you didn’t complete each and every exam at the required speed? Often the prescribed exam order won’t fit you as well as some other structure would for you.

The ideal circumstances are to get all your study materials posted to you right at the start; every single thing! Then, nothing can hinder your capability of finishing.

Searching for your first position in IT can be a little easier with the help of a Job Placement Assistance service. With the huge need for more IT skills in Britain right now, there’s no need to get too caught up in this feature though. It’s not as difficult as you may be led to believe to land employment as long as you’re correctly trained and certified.

Update your CV at the beginning of your training though – you should get plenty of help from your training provider on this. Don’t wait till you’ve finished your exams.

Various junior support roles have been offered to trainees who are still studying and haven’t got any qualifications yet. This will at least get you on your way.

If you’d like to keep travelling time and costs to a minimum, then you’ll often find that a specialist independent regional recruitment consultant or service might be more appropriate than the trainer’s recruitment division, because they are much more inclined to be familiar with the local job scene.

A regular grievance of some training companies is how hard people are prepared to study to get qualified, but how little effort that student will then put into getting the job they’ve studied for. Don’t falter at the last fence.

(C) Scott Edwards 2009. Pop over to Cisco Training or CLICK HERE.