At totally different instances of my profession, I discovered certifications to be a essential a part of my studying journey. My first position as a channel programs engineer at Cisco drove me to start my certification course of. Now, as a part of the Studying & Certifications crew, it’s all about creating assets and pursuing coaching.
Once I discover a new know-how space I need to study, I search for a key vendor in that exact house to seek out out if they’ve a technical coaching program. Many instances I’ll pay for an examination simply to check and validate my very own information. However in the case of Cisco, the coaching and certification atmosphere continues to be next-level, standing the check of time. Listed below are 4 the reason why Cisco Certifications are nonetheless the only option for my studying and certification journey.
#1: Cisco certifications prioritize lifelong studying
The cool factor about Cisco coaching is it creates a path for individuals to study all through their careers. You possibly can progress from the CCNA to a CCIE, relying in your talent degree. Or, you possibly can transfer ahead down a siloed path towards one particular know-how. As an example, let’s say you begin out in a networking job and your employer desires you to develop your expertise for his or her information middle. You possibly can then take a deeper dive into information middle applied sciences with Cisco coaching. Or, you possibly can choose up a number of applied sciences and begin new paths.
But it surely’s about greater than that. Cisco supplies a constant, clear, logical path to certification that’s based mostly on the abilities it’s good to achieve success in the actual world. Even should you don’t pursue the certification itself, you realize that you would be able to belief Cisco coaching as a result of it’s aligned to a globally acknowledged IT certification program. And should you full coaching particularly designed to arrange you for a certification examination, then testing is all that’s standing between you and a shiny Cisco certification. So, why wouldn’t you’re taking the examination that awards you the popularity your information deserves?
As for present Cisco certification holders, they should renew their energetic Cisco certification standing earlier than their certification expires. If you need to study extra about how Cisco prioritizes lifelong studying, check out how the Cisco Recertification Coverage encourages licensed people to maintain their information rising — and preserve it present.
#2: Cisco certifications keep forward of evolving applied sciences
As know-how evolves, Cisco certifications proceed to be acknowledged throughout the business, standing the check of time to stay related. That isn’t a coincidence, both. It takes a aware resolution to replace and evolve the whole program and guarantee its certification holders have the instruments they have to be profitable and ready for what lies forward.
If I’m concerned with a technical job, equivalent to networking, I don’t need my first certification to be from an organization no person has heard of. It is sensible to hunt certification from Cisco, the market chief in a number of applied sciences. Cisco certifications cowl so many merchandise and applied sciences that align with many job alternatives. In some areas, 40 to 50 p.c market share.
Cisco’s Affiliate, Skilled, and Skilled certifications symbolize your degree of experience with particular applied sciences and talk the place your expertise land in a globally acknowledged, revered means. Hiring managers belief Cisco. They know that when you have your CCNA and have stored it present, your information isn’t previous. You’ve recertified and stored abreast of know-how modifications.
In a means, incomes a Cisco certification tells the world that Cisco has your again. And when an IT chief vouches to your information, you possibly can belief that their popularity can get you within the door. CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE technical expertise or certifications are the usual markers in job-listing {qualifications}.
#3: Cisco certifications’ expert-led neighborhood of learners
With 25 years of certifications from totally different organizations, I nonetheless imagine Cisco has the perfect methodology, constructing a constant path with a neighborhood that will help you put together and preserve your information. With another organizations, you may have to earn 60 Cisco Configuration Skilled (CCP) hours. Positive, you possibly can learn all of the stuff from any supply you’ll find, and possibly they’ll settle for these hours. However with Cisco, you’re not scrambling to seek out your hours. All the things in your path is related.
The Cisco Studying Community provides you a spot the place you possibly can talk about subjects with Cisco enterprise unit assets, engineers, and your friends within the discipline. After which there’s Cisco Reside, which all the time delivers a ton of studying alternatives and other ways to convey Cisco Licensed professionals, learners, and consultants collectively (check out this yr’s CCIE celebration in Las Vegas), the place they might join and have a good time their neighborhood.
#4: Cisco certifications and… Cisco coaching
Cisco is chock-full of related coaching supplies for learners to review in the best way that works greatest for them. You will have Cisco Press know-how books in addition to cert-specific research supplies. Digital lab merchandise, equivalent to Cisco Packet Tracer and Cisco Modeling Labs, can be found to remain present and study new issues. And in case you missed it, Cisco Studying & Certifications has a wholly new digital studying expertise coming quickly.
I do know of no different vendor certification program that brings all of the totally different items to the desk, with coaching occasions, webinars, and lifelong studying paths that provide the incentive to change into an professional in a specific space. With Cisco certifications, I do know the subsequent logical step from a CCNA is a CCNP. I do know what books and coaching to get. Perhaps there’s an ELT or ILT course to start out prepping. In the end, the coaching, assets, and experience all merge to kind a whole bundle. Once more, Cisco is constructing that path, and it’s a easy one to navigate.
My recommendation to your studying and certification journey
While you’re able to embark by yourself certification journey, begin with one thing that pursuits you. Whether or not it’s simply one thing you need to know extra about or to grasp baseline expertise in an space that potential employers are searching for; the entire concept is to study — construct expertise and experience — and continue learning. Certification is the checkmark that signifies that you have that information. It tells employers you perceive a sure know-how. On the finish of the day, employers acknowledge Cisco Certifications because the mile marker of what it means to be expert at knowledgeable degree.
I’ve named a number of the greatest causes for acquiring a Cisco certification; lifelong studying, maintaining with present know-how, and entry to the neighborhood and assets. However as for me, I belief that my Cisco certifications will proceed to be the only option as a result of they’ve pushed me to change into the perfect model of myself.
Listed below are some assets that will help you get began:
- Be a part of a Cisco Studying & Certifications Dialogue Matter and join with the bigger neighborhood.
- Be taught extra about the backgrounds of these searching for Cisco Certifications right here.
- Getting Began with Cisco Certifications Podcast
Observe Cisco Studying & Certifications
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