CompTIA Security+ SME workshop

BillHoo

Has anyone participated in the SME workshop for Security+?

I've never written or review test questions before, but I applied just to get the experience.

They pay a stipend, but I'm guessing that is just to cover travel costs. Meals are included though.

I know they make you sign an NDA, but O'm just wondering if it is a worthwhile experience? Is there time in the evenings to explore Chicago? Or do they organize group fun and socials for the teams?

cyberguypr

I did the CSA+ and it was a superb experience. Highly recommend it. Great team of professionals at CompTIA. See my review here: http://www.techexams.net/forums/other-comptia-certifications/118048-did-comptia-cybersecurity-analyst-jta-3.html

Note that CompTIA is in the burbs, like 25-30 min away from the city so you would need to rent a car or do Uber to move around.

BillHoo

Safe enough neighborhood to walk around without getting stabbed or shot?

@cyberguypr - I see that you took the CASP exam voucher. How long is that good for?

I'd be interested in CASP, but I do not want to take any more certs in the upcoming year. I'm trying to plan my cert schedules so they cascade around renewal of other certs at minimal cost and effort for the next ... oh... 7 to 10 years before I decide to retire.

NetworkNewb

BillHoo wrote: »

Safe enough neighborhood to walk around without getting stabbed or shot?

Comptia definitely runs it's business out of the slums. 3rd floor of an abandoned apartment building if I can recall correctly. Better be packing heat.

cyberguypr

CompTIA is stuck in a business park in the suburb of Downers Grove (pretty nice) so not much you can immediately walk to. There's a Fry's and several restaurants/bars like 20-25 min walk. Contrary to the story the media tells, Chicago in general is a pretty safe place except some very rough areas in the south and west sides of the city. Stay out of there and most likely you'll be fine.

All vouchers are valid for 1 year.

BillHoo

NetworkNewb wrote: »

Comptia definitely runs it's business out of the slums. 3rd floor of an abandoned apartment building if I can recall correctly. Better be packing heat.

I could almost take you seriously.

Back in 1998, I was taking a Cold Fusion class with New Horizons.

Middle of summer, it was hosted in what looked like an apartment building in the lower East Side of Manhattan. Old, pre-war building with shaky stair railings and no elevator. No Air Conditioning either and very hot despite having the one window in the room open all the way.

The instructor couldn't get the classroom computers to boot up. He called an IT guy from downtown, but I had helped them get up and running by the time he arrived. (The PCs had no hard drives, but we found pullout drives in a desk and the keys to lock them into the slot in another desk! I had to show him how the setup worked as he admitted to not being a techie.) Then, there was no courseware on the PCs. I asked if he could download from their website. He noted that none of the PCs had internet.

As he explained the courseware was the demo and FREE training from the software vendor's site, I said you mean these? as I pulled out a DVD that I had downloaded and brought with me. He examined the files I had and said, this is it! Wow! You should be teaching this class! He then went on to cover the course word for word from the downloaded instruction READ-ME files.

I recall I paid $2500 for that class. I wrote a really bad feedback review for that class covering everything from the real estate to the room setup and the training materials (or lack thereof). Don't recall whether I got my cash back.

NetworkNewb

Lol, damn man, that is pretty nuts!

scaredoftests

Wow, I hope you did get your money back!