Nebwie looking for support and guidance...

bluewarlord8

Greetings all,

I am in my early 20's and I have very little knowledge on computing/IT. I am currently at a educational institute and preparing for my Comptia A+ (which I should take within the month or so). Prior to this, I've had a taster of Cisco Intro to routing and switching, a play around with Kali Linux - pen testing and Linux OS's. I want to become a Network Engineer some day.

I have a rough idea of what I would like to do (I would like to know the view of fellow members to guide me onto what would be best for me, taking into consideration of my age and time)..

I wish to complete,

Comptia: A+, Network + (Possible Sec+ if time permits).

Microsoft: MCP.

Cisco: CCNA Routing and Switching.

Once I have the A+ I would look for an IT helpdesk or tech job so that I can get extra brownie points with employers to show that I have work experience.

That is my rough plan of what I'd like to achieve within the next 9 months.

Please provide honest input on what you think of my plan and how I could possibly improve it or if you could provide me with any recommendations.

On a side note; I know many people say that there is no point to an A+ certificate, but as I am young, I believe I need a flashy resume and every little bit helps for me to get that dream job.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to all of your replies.

Regards.

yoba222

That sounds very similar to what my plan looked like and it has worked out well for me so far. I skipped the Microsoft stuff and I definitely didn't need it. I also don't regret starting with the A+.

gespenstern

Honestly, 9 months can work only with a very high level of dedication seriously exceeding what an average person can deliver.

GeekyChick

Welcome to the forum. That's great you are starting out in your 20's in this field. It's certainly wide-open with possibilities.

That's a pretty good plan. I think 9 months isn't quite enough time to accomplish all of that. I personally think starting out with A+ makes perfect sense. However, I would finish the trifecta (A+, Net+, Sec+) with Sec+ before moving on to your next cert. I think Sec+ is foundational and will help you with your other certs in the future. I would plan on taking 12 months to get those 3 certs done. You could possibly get them done in 9 if you work really hard at it.

And yes get a helpdesk job when you can, that will pull this all together for you. Best of luck!

Nik 99

I would have thought getting a degree would work out best in the long run.

bluewarlord8

Thank you for all of your input, it helps as sometimes all of the studying can be daunting but i’m certain that I’ll achieve those certificates and it’s good to get reassurance from like minded individuals.

jcole4lsu

Not sure why people waste money on the CompTIA N+ when they intend on going the Cisco route.
If I were you, I'd stick with the A+, S+, and then go straight to the CCNA (broken down into the 2 exam path). Honestly you could/should probably skip the A+ too. Doing JUST this list in 9 months would be impressive. Completing everything you have listed in 9 months is more or less a pipe dream.

McxRisley

I wouldn't say that your goal is impossible. I completed Sec+, MTA, CASP, CSA+, CEH and OSCP in about 15 months. I know thats longer than 9 months but I did it with a full time job and a family with breaks in between certs, so I don't think 9 months is an out of this world goal if you buckle down and study.

bluewarlord8

McxRisley wrote: »

I wouldn't say that your goal is impossible. I completed Sec+, MTA, CASP, CSA+, CEH and OSCP in about 15 months. I know thats longer than 9 months but I did it with a full time job and a family with breaks in between certs, so I don't think 9 months is an out of this world goal if you buckle down and study.

Wow that is amazing that you completed all of those certification in that time period also taking into consideration that you had a fukl time job and family dedications.

Whats is an MTA? And the other Certifications you mentioned?