Its not really a revelation then that Cisco has many accreditation tracks, covering all of it's various technologies and patents. To help simplify things, candidates are generally encouraged to begin their Cisco training programs at the same common stage, prior to acquiring more advanced & specialist skill-sets. The 'Cisco' CCNA ('Cisco Certified Network Associate') program consists of two examinations, which will equip an appropriate starting candidate with the required expertise in installation, configuration, operation, & trouble shooting of middle-sized enterprise-level router & switched networks.

There is a range of accreditation routes to go onto after finishing the CCNA. Specialised sectors like Security, or Wi-Fi Technology may be selected, or perhaps the 'CCNP' ('Cisco Certified Networking Professional' ) which is more advanced. The step from the CCNA to 'CCNP' is rather significant, so its a good idea to focus on finishing your CCNA first. You should anticipate to be employed in a 'Cisco' environment for about one or two years (together with your 'CCNA' accreditation) prior to getting started to train for the 'CCNP'. However if you've already been in IT for a while, and perhaps acquired a accreditation that compares to the CCNA (for instance whilst in the armed forces) you might be able to move straight to CCNP. In reality no recruiter will think about you for a high level post without a fair degree of CCNA level practical hands-on experience and knowledge of networks.

Be alert that all certifications you're considering doing will be commercially viable and are bang up to date. 'In-house' exams and the certificates they come with are often meaningless. Unless your qualification is issued by a conglomerate such as Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA or Adobe, then it's likely it could have been a waste of time and effort - as no-one will have heard of it.

It's essential to have an authorised exam preparation system as part of your course package. Often students can be thrown off course by trying to prepare themselves with questions that aren't recognised by official boards. Quite often, the question formats and phraseology is startlingly different and you should be prepared for this. A way to build self-confidence is if you check how much you know by doing quizzes and practice exams to prepare you for taking the real deal.

Working on the leading edge of new technology is about as exciting as it can get. You personally play your part in defining the world to come. Computer technology and interaction through the web is going to dramatically affect our lifestyles in the near future; incredibly so.

Incomes in IT are not a problem either - the average salary in the United Kingdom for an average man or woman in IT is significantly greater than average salaries nationally. Odds are that you'll earn a much greater package than you would in most other jobs. With the IT marketplace developing year on year, it's predictable that the need for qualified professionals will remain buoyant for a good while yet.

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