Information Technology Blog:- Cisco, one of the most sought after names in the IT networking industry, offers certifications in their products that can be availed by most IT professionals as a value add to their existing qualifications and a much needed boost to their career prospects. Cisco Certified professionals are highly demanded across the globe but the supply to this demand is still falling way too short. Hence, the significance of such certifications.
As compared to the various fields of study, IT has a lot of career opportunities to offer. While qualifying the general courses, like B.Tech, M.Tech, etc helps candidates yield good job offers, opting for specialist certifications like Oracle or Cisco certifications may leverage careers enabling bagging jobs at top IT companies worldwide. It is often observed that IT professionals are apprehensive about such certifications wondering if it will work for them. In the context of Cisco certifications, discussed hereunder are the most important facts that an aspirant requires to know.
Cisco Certifications are qualifiers or metrics for IT professionals who are looking forward to specializing in the networking field. These certifications have been developed by Cisco, the internet solutions giant, catering to their own product lines. They have multiple levels to the certifications, namely:
- Entry Level Certifications
- Associate Level Certifications
- Professional Level Certifications
- Expert Level Certifications
- Architect Level Certifications
These levels pertain to multiple subject lines like:
- Routing & Switching
- Security
- Design
- Service Provider
- Service Provider Operations
- Voice
- Data Center
- Wireless and
- Video
Besides the above mentioned certification categories, additional certifications for Technicians and Specialists are also available. Note that while other certifications can be opted for by most IT professionals, the Expert and Architect Level Certifications have a catch to them. They require qualifying hands-on examinations at special laboratories across the globe.
Based on the above segments, the table below (courtesy: www.learningnetwork.cisco.com) depicts the various certifications that can be availed across various subject lines and at various levels.
Investment Required
The costs involved vary depending on the levels and complexities of the exams. Barring the Expert and Architect Level examinations, costs of the certifications are available on sites like Pearson VUE and Koenig Solutions who are among the select few institutions conducting these exams. The total cost of the certification including the test fees, the resources cost and the training cost can be obtained by visiting these sites and filling up their online query forms.
Guidance and Training
Cisco has a dedicated learning centre referred to as the Cisco Networking Academy which guides you through the program requirements and also trains you on the skills required thereof. While undergoing the academy trainings are not a mandate, but experts recommend taking it up as an enrichment and a value add to complement the certification. Besides it is helpful as it offers committed classes for different certifications. Selected institutes also offer Cisco courses and training through the Cisco Learning Network. Tangible resources such as books and manuals, referred to as Certification Guides are also available.
IT industry values Cisco Certifications to a great extent and also help IT professionals from all levels namely elementary and managerial, adding weight to their qualifications and aiding them in availing better remunerations and future career prospects. Are you looking forward to getting Cisco Certified? What queries do you have with respect to these certifications? Share your thoughts and queries with us.
Michael Warne, is an IT education consultant and is helping students for years to choose their interested field of study. If you want to go for any offshore training courses in MIcrosoft, Oracle, CCNA, Cisco, Citrix, Android, Sharepoint, VMware etc then he can help you in finding your best course. In this article, he has discussed about Cisco Certification careers. For more information, you can visit Koenig-solutions.com.
