CCNA worth it?

kalvindeane

kalvindeane

kalvindeane

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Hello OcUK. I am currently enrolled on a Pathway to Apprentiship in I.T (not
great, I know). I'll achieve the CompTia A+ cert at the end of the year, and
get offered an apprentiship in IT (seems to be low-end techie jobs really).
One of my tutors said that I can also do the CCNA alongside this course. He
told me that I'm definitely be capable of passing it, and I think it's something
that I'll really enjoy.

How would a potential employer view these certificates? .Would I find
difficulty in finding a decent job with these two qualifications? A job in which I
can further my knowledge and keep progressing.
 
CCNA is worth more than a+ for sure. A+ is patranising to most people.

Ccna is more of a professional cert.
A+ is low level techy.

Depends do you want to do networking?
 
I figured as much for the A+. I've seen very mixed opinions on the CCNA though. Some
people who I have spoken to hold it in fairly high regard, and others don't seem to think
anything of it at all. Yes, I do want to try my hand at networking. :) It seems like
something which I'd love to do! Only time will tell I guess. :)
 
I'm doing the CCNA now on my Computer Network Management degree. The tutor was saying that a guy last actually failed the degree but still managed to get the CCNA, now he's got a decent job as a network administrator.

I'd say it was worth it, especially if free.
 
A+ and CCNA arent in the same field so the job you are applying for will determine the value, if any, a prospective employer applies to each.
 
malfunkshun said:
A+ and CCNA arent in the same field so the job you are applying for will determine the value, if any, a prospective employer applies to each.
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Should clarify this: I know that the A+ and CCNA are very different, I originally applied for a BTEC ND in IT, and got put on the PTA. Only mentioned the A+ since that's what the PTA entails. :)
 
Well worth it. The material can be quite dry in parts, but you will come out of it with a solid understanding of networking that will come in handy many times :)
 
kalvindeane said:
Should clarify this: I know that the A+ and CCNA are very different, I originally applied for a BTEC ND in IT, and got put on the PTA. Only mentioned the A+ since that's what the PTA entails. :)
Click to expand...

I know, and the CCNA is a good qualification. However a lot of it is Cisco specific, in the same way that OCA is Oracle specific. It does teach you a lot of things that apply to networks in general, since, arguably, they are not wildly different.
It might be, but in my opinion is NOT, worth bearing in mind that doing A+ and Network+ will be acceptable as MCS* electives.
 
I guess if you can use it, then yeah always good to have. But the amount of people I meet who have passed the CCNA and done nothing with it, or have it but can't get into a role with it seems to be very high. I don't see the point unless you are a position to get the experience at the same time, which is a bit of a catch 22 sometimes.
 
Kind of odd this thread has popped up actually because I've recently been given the opportunity to do the CCNA. I'm currently doing an a Computing HND, but my tutor said that he wants to start a CCNA academy or something in January. He was asking us (along with the guys doing networking in the National Diploma) whether we were interested and I said I'd think about it.

Will be interesting to see what people here say about it.
 
I finished uni this July and should've looked at the CCNA cert sooner. I could get it for free since I'm on JSA and the local college does a 2 year part time course for it.
I was wondering how easy it would be to get a job from it since my degree (Forensic Computing) doesn't seem to mean much/anything :p
I missed the enrolment date for the course, though, so I don't think I'll be able to start until next September, and if I'm still unemployed by then I'm going to be facing some serious problems anyway...
 
KiTBoH said:
I finished uni this July and should've looked at the CCNA cert sooner. I could get it for free since I'm on JSA and the local college does a 2 year part time course for it.
I was wondering how easy it would be to get a job from it since my degree (Forensic Computing) doesn't seem to mean much/anything :p
I missed the enrolment date for the course, though, so I don't think I'll be able to start until next September, and if I'm still unemployed by then I'm going to be facing some serious problems anyway...
Click to expand...
I also started the CCNA late, it's a 2 year part time course here as well. My first session was last Wednesday. Get in touch with the college if you want to do it, the first couple of weeks seem to be very easy anyway. I dare say you would probably still get into it. :)
 
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