What do i need to become a Qualified CISCO network operator?
Just a thought as to if i come out of Uni with an Accountants degree and want to switch to the IT field what qualification would i need to get a job in CISCO networking and where would i get it and how much would it cost?. Also would i get employed for the job and what is the starting salary?
Computer Networking - 4 Answers
People Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
Answer 1 :
Google "CCNA Objectives" and study those.
Answer 2 :
to become a CISCO network admin is more complex than just learning Cisco, you need to know and certify in other network groups to understand the interaction of what travels in a network. It is a very crowded field as it was over populated a few years back with promises of CCIEE all making 100k plus. Never happens of course as the few paying that need years of experience. As you can see by any Job listing in IT the joke is 10 year + experience for the current OS that has been out for only a few years. Either the HR people do not know what they need or are filtering all the options out, including a need to know non related job requirements than networking. (look at programming needs and social skills) Still there are jobs out there for networking people at all different levels and pay. Go to Monster.com and input Cisco to see what is paying and the needs for your area. Go to Cisco.com and see what classes are listed and the going prices. Go luck and I hope it works out.
Answer 3 :
At the very least you will need a CCNA which to do properly is 200-500 hours work depending on your current level of experience and will probably cost you a couple of grand. That without experience will equip you for entry level positions - to go further you'll need experience and probably a higher certification under your belt. Gaining a higher certification at the outset is fairly pointless since anyone asking for those will also want experience. I suspect your earning potential for the next ten years at least will be higher leveraging your degree rather than making the switch into computer networking - only the very highest earners will rival what a chartered accountant makes. I left Uni just ten years ago this summer with a degree in Computer Science and a Masters in Electronics Engineering. I have various industry certs and a security clearance. I'm in a fairly desirable job (doing "cool" stuff) that pays reasonably well - more than most of the people know from Uni. I still earn less than most chartered accountants but have a lot more fun at work along the way.
Answer 4 :
Well it will be hard for you coz your degree is not IT nor ECE. But still you can study Cisco coz they teach starting from the basics. Now what you want to do is study Cisco courses. Find a Cisco Networking Academy near your place then enroll. It depends on the institution on how long each course would take. The course you want to go for is CCNA Exploration. This has 4 courses in the curriculum. It would normally take 1 year and 4 months to 2 years just for you to finish CCNA Exploration, but it really depends on the institution. After that, you are not ready to take a job yet. You want to review first then take your certification exam, pass that and get certified. The exam is 640-802 and the certification you'll get when you pass exam that is CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate). The exam is held on a Pearson Vue testing center. The cost for the training will also depend on the institution. You might also want to buy your own equipment and that will cost you more. Buying review and training materials will also add up to the costs. You can just check the price in pearson vue on how much the exam will be. With the cert, yes you can get employed. Average annual salary for a network admin/network engineer is 40-60k usd. After that, you may want to study more and get higher level of certification. That is if you want to go deeper.
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