Unitek vs. Global Knowledge CCNA Boot Camp in the Bay Area

bbandengr

I know that probably most people say just study hard, but was looking to get a CCNA quick in a week as I have networking experience. Fast, but expensive way to get it out quickly.

Anyone have experience with either? I did notice that Global Knowledge is about $1000 more than Unitek. Was quite surprised! Thanks

docrice

I took the Unitek CCNA bootcamp at the Fremont facility. We ran through the material pretty fast and the labs were quite minimal. I had a few years working with Cisco equipment by then but I still had to study for a month before actually sitting the exam.

I've taken a few Global Knowledge courses before. I think the experience might be a little nicer, but not sure if it's $1000 nicer. Friday is ice cream day if I recall correctly.

bbandengr

LOL. That's funny well ice cream for the big bucks! Sounds like the boot camp was mediocre at best in value then if you had to still study for another month especially since you had experience with Cisco gear. I would have thought more lab time since I heard it's more labs these days than basic Q&A.

docrice

I think the bootcamp had some value as it covered areas that I hadn't touched on before, but then again everything went by really quick and there's was enough drowning in information that I didn't feel that I got a lot of real absorption out of the experience. When I signed up (this was a couple of years ago) I went in with a friend and somehow the rates were real cheap at the time. In hindsight if I had to shell out several thousand for the class, it might be better to just buy some gear and some instruction videos.

bbandengr

Good idea as maybe I'll just go for the instruction videos and just cram for one week.

I followed up with Global Knowledge in the bay area and they said they won't let me take the course unless I have a company willing to sponsor me and pay (as opposed to me paying myself). So they're pretty worthless unless I just use my friend's company.

So I guess Unitek is the only game in town. Though they won't confirm the syllabus so it might be the same as your experience where it's just drinking the firehose with limited lab work.

networkjutsu

I was going to suggest Ohlone College but then you mentioned you want to pass it in a week. I confess, I just want to say hi to my fellow Bay Area peeps.

Daniel333

Unitek has a pass guarentee. The people are nice, I wasted a solid 20 minutes after an exam there just talking to the front desk people about frozen yogart. I sent some of my interns to some Global Knowledge stuff.

Overall it's one of those things you'll only get what you put into it. Generally if the class is 6 days long, you want to prep 6 days, attend the class 6 days, then review 6 days.

Just remember that the CCNA doesn't pay like it did 5 years ago. It's just a small stepping stone and you can't throw down that kind of cash 6-7 times to get the par so you might as well build up the core self-study skills you need now.

Woudln't you be better off taking 7 days x 14hours and locking yourself up at home with equipment, some books, training videos and these forums? Cost a less.

best of luck!