Wendell Odom - Is CCVP Worth 500 Hours to You

Stumbled upon this thread in Wendells blog. Thought you could be interested too.

http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/23227

Today, I'm going to pull some thoughts together regarding my main topic for the past 2 weeks - the time and effort involved in getting your CCVP cert - and then ask you to tell me if it's worth it to you. The benefit side of the equation has so many aspects that differ from person to person, making the benefit tough to quantify. But today's post wraps up my effort to put a number on the time involved - which begs the question about if the CCVP is worth that time, and if so, what are the reasons.

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Comments

dynamik

Isn't 500 hours a lower-end estimate for taking an NP to an IE?

Has anyone been keeping track of the hours they're working/have worked on their NP?

mysql1988

CCVP is definetly worth the time.

CCVP with some years of experience can get you 6 figures in a short amount of time than any other regular college grad. The key word her is some experience

I have heard about CCVP's who have no idea what an FXO port is. scary huh?

and please don't let me get into CCM administration

Luckycharms

Honestly is any of this worth the effort???( I think so but I love/live what I do) I guess if you just work your job and go home and don't think about any of it then no... but that Isn't me and I would guess if you are on these forums then it isn't you either...

Side note... Voice I just fun... I mean to watch all the dynamics that go into making a phone call is just cool... Makes you have a real respect for the people that came before us...

networker050184

Luckycharms wrote:

Side note... Voice I just fun... I mean to watch all the dynamics that go into making a phone call is just cool... Makes you have a real respect for the people that came before us...

I feel the same way. The process of converting speech is just amazing to me, not to mention all the other processes that go along with a phone call...

GT-Rob

Interesting to put it in hours like that. I mean, thats a 1/4 of a year at a full time job. Thats 2 hours a day, everyday, for an entire year!

Professional level certs are a big commitment. VP is 5 exams to go through, and at 500hrs, its like picking up a part time job.

Slowhand

dynamik wrote:

Isn't 500 hours a lower-end estimate for taking an NP to an IE?

Yup, just about. You figure, when Cisco talks about obtaining CCIE, they estimate the hours in terms of going from "zero to expert". You figure, maybe something in the area of 150 - 200 hours to become CCNA (from knowing nothing or next to nothing), another 500 hours, or so, to get your professional-level cert, then another 500 - 700 hours to become a CCIE. (That, of course, is a very conservative estimate.)

GT-Rob wrote:

Interesting to put it in hours like that. I mean, thats a 1/4 of a year at a full time job. Thats 2 hours a day, everyday, for an entire year!

When you put it that way, it doesn't really seem so bad, does it? Two hours a day, six or seven days a week, (depending on if you need those extra two hours a week and you skill-level,) that's not a whole lot, considering the amount of work involved and the knowledge you gain. Not to mention that you can "****" by buying days off by doing 3 or 4-hour sessions on some days. When you think about it, it's a little like being back in school. Not as many hours as a full-time job, but as demanding because you're learning about things that are new and foreign to you, not to mention that the "finals" are more stressful than college ever was.

GT-Rob wrote:

Professional level certs are a big commitment. VP is 5 exams to go through, and at 500hrs, its like picking up a part time job.

It's all about the commitment. Just like school, studying for certs requires time, effort, and dedication. That's why there are lots and lots of helpdesk people and so very few CCIEs. The same is true for why there are lots of people who didn't go to college, versus the pyramid of people who have Associate's, Bachelor's, Masters, and the ever-tiny mix of people holding PhDs. It's all about how much you want it, and if you're willing to do what it takes to get all the way to the top of the food-chain.

"It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" - Bon Scott

Luckycharms

Just in case any of you guys care... ( I am studying to take my CCIE written on July 19) and I am putting a in about 3 to 4 hours on a weekday and sat and Sundays are lab days.... ( that was until I got my new bike on last Thursday ... 1900 CC's it a bad bike!!!! ) but I am back too it and studying hard.... I will probably fail but at least I will have a base line...

Now to stop hijacking this thread...

shednik

Slowhand wrote:

GT-Rob wrote:

Professional level certs are a big commitment. VP is 5 exams to go through, and at 500hrs, its like picking up a part time job.

It's all about the commitment. Just like school, studying for certs requires time, effort, and dedication. That's why there are lots and lots of helpdesk people and so very few CCIEs. The same is true for why there are lots of people who didn't go to college, versus the pyramid of people who have Associate's, Bachelor's, Masters, and the ever-tiny mix of people holding PhDs. It's all about how much you want it, and if you're willing to do what it takes to get all the way to the top of the food-chain.

"It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" - Bon Scott

Very well said slowhand your long winded posts never disappoint.

dtlokee

Is CCVP worth it, yes.

But, there is far more to voice than what is covered in the CCVP and it is really just a beginning to a career in voice. There really is no mention of CME, Unity Express, Unity Connection, IPCC, Presence, CER.... These are things I am using daily anymore in voice deployments, the product portfolio is huge. I'm not even including the bugs and code issues, and god forbid you need to integrate it with a 3rd party voicemail system with PIMG, MWI lights are the bane of my existance. Literally I had somone complain "Bob's MWI lamp is brighter than mine"

/sigh

networker050184

3rd party integrations are the name of the game in voice!

I don't think I have ever seen a complete voice solution with out at least two vendors equipment....