Training companies-are they worth considering

toghermi

I've just completed a BSC networking and computer support course and looking to enhance my chances of landing a good netwoking job.
any advice?

I was looking at CCNA courses with several companies such as "smart certify" "computech" etc
They seem to all charge different prices for the course, my question here would be, can someone buy the study material to sit the CCNA exams and just pay for the exams themselfs rather than paying all the money directly to a company who are making a profit.

thanks

rentaghost

You can take a CCNA exam at a test centre without having been through any training course at all if you like.

They are no preliminary checks to see if you are ready for the exam or to see where you have studied - its up to you to decide if you are ready.


PS Did the BSC in computer networking cover real life situations with plenty of hand on time? There are bound to be areas that your recent studies will overlap the cisco curriculum (I would be surprised for instance if you couldn't breeze the CCNA 1 modules with very little study)

Ricka182

If you don't have any knowledge of Cisco previously, I would recco taking a course. That's just me though.

toghermi

Appreciate your views guys.
At least going with a company of some sort I would push myself to complete the modules having paid all that money.

Since my first post I have learned the University I attended run a CCNA course were its split into 4 semesters they say you have to complete each semester before progressing to the next then sit the final exam at teh end of semester 4.
the cost comes to £1200 is this a reasonable price??

shadown7

I'm paying 88.00 a credit hour and the total 4 semesters of CCNA are 16 credit hours. So, I'll pay:

1408.00 for the classes
173.00 for 2 books and 2 lab manuels



1581.00 TOTAL

but I also bought the Boson sim for 150.00 and a lab kit for 300.00

Revised total = 2031.00

NPA24

Wow, that's a lot of money. Good luck with everything!

/usr

If you choose any sort of instructor-led training, make sure you ask around before commiting. Find out how many of the students passed their exam, how well the material was covered, etc. The last thing you want to do is shell out $1500 for classes where the instructor reads from a book, which you could read yourself. Just my two cents.