CISCO is the top networking services provider in the world.
Cisco certifications offer several benefits to those building a career that uses Cisco products. This post focuses on CCENT and CCNA, which prepare IT professionals for entry level positions with Cisco networks.
Proven Skills Mastery
Becoming Cisco certified shows potential employers that you have mastered the skills needed to be able to install, operate and troubleshoot a Cisco network. CCENT certification gives proficiency with small networks and CCNA certification corresponds to medium-sized networks.
Stepping Stone to Advanced Certifications
Most IT professionals would like to become team leads or get promoted to more advanced positions as they gain experience. CCENT and CCNA certifications are prerequisites to professional and expert level Cisco certifications that can open doors to future opportunities.
Higher Earning Potential
Salaries are highly individualized and dependent on many complex factors, but IT professionals with certifications earn higher average salaries than those without certification. CIO listed CCNA certification as one that could earn IT professionals 8-13 percent more than they would earn without the certification.
Knowing all about CISCO networks will help you fix problems and keep them running smoothly.
Routers and Switches
Cisco certification prepares network support personnel to handle network switches and routers so that network users can communicate both with others inside the network and with those outside the network. Switches connect computers, printers and servers together on a network, while routers connect networks together. Even smaller networks involve many complex connections and the integration of different software and hardware into a cohesive system that functions well.
CCNA certification has a track specifically for learning the ins and outs of routing and switching so that IT professionals can handle these aspects of computer networks and servers effectively.
Advantages of CISCO Certification
Cisco is a leader of network services, with many companies large and small using their network equipment and software. The advantages of using Cisco products include the fact that they are updated often with constant improvements so that they function better than competing products.
Understanding information specific to Cisco networks is a tremendous advantage when looking for a job, since so many companies will use these products and services. General network knowledge is valuable, of course, but specific knowledge of CISCO products with its wide variety of network tools and options can be a strong selling point for IT job seekers.
Training for CISCO Certification Exams
Cisco certifications require learning and applying a large amount of information, and while some IT professionals can pass the certification exam after a time of self-study, most professionals do better learning the material with a trained instructor and a classroom environment that gives them study partners and interactive experiences.
PC AGE offers courses that train students in the information and skills they need to pass both the CCENT and CCNA certification exams and advance their IT careers. Request information about PC AGE courses and how they can help you start or advance your IT career.
Rameez Khizer, IT Marketing