# Going To College - Cisco Networking Academy - JOB??



## Codak (Oct 24, 2011)

So im a Senior in highschool, i want to go to Glendale Community College because they have one of the best academys in Arizona (#1 in Maricopa County). 

What should i do to prepare?

What classes should i take? 

The main certifications they offer that I KNOW OF is CCNA, CCNP, and AAS - Anyone else know any others??

Which ones should i aim for ? 

And i hear talk about A+, Network A+... etc. How do i get those?

ANY information helps ALOT! I want to be in the window of networking... Not sure exactly what job i want to fulfill yet because i dont know exactly what jobs are available ( anyone recommend any? ) 

Thank you for your time and effort


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## Codak (Oct 24, 2011)

I just found this too, hopefully it helps? 

Glendale Community College : Courses

And i searched " Glendale Community College Cisco Courses " and that came up... As also a few more


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## epshatto (Dec 23, 2010)

You get the A+ and Network+ certifications by taking an exam (set of exams for A+) at an accredited exam center.

You study the coursework, then register with a testing center near you to sit for the exam(s). You are certified immediately upon passing them, and you know whether you passed or failed as soon as you finish them (they are graded right there).

You have to register with Pearson VUE or Prometric (just google them) before you can schedule and take the exam.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

to add to the above being certified beyond your experience level can go against you when applying for jobs.

The CCNA is designed for people who work with cisco kit not for someone who wants to work with cisco kit.

The A+ and N+ will help you get a helpdesk job or basic IT job then when you get experience you can progress in your certifications which show your experience level.

As a starting cert to add to the A+ and N+ you could do MCTS windows 7 (70-680)

BTW you dont have to take any courses for most certifications, I never have.


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## epshatto (Dec 23, 2010)

greenbrucelee is right, so to clarify by "coursework" I pretty much mean buy a good book on the subject and read it enough to make sure you understand it.

Also there's freely available videos on the internet that are good, and take practice tests (usually included with the books).

I used _A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC _by Jean Andrews for my A+ certification, _CompTIA Network+ All-In-One Exam Guide _by Mike Meyers for my Network+ certification, with a smattering of video lectures by Professor Messer.

Currently studying for Security+ and am using _CompTIA Security+ All-In-One Exam Guide _by White, Conklin, Williams and Davis, after having read through Dulaney, Stewart, Miller and Gregg's _CompTIA Security+ Certification Kit_. Wouldn't recommend Security+ to somebody without A+ and Network+ however, unless you maybe already have a degree in the field.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Unfortunately, I can't give you specific advice on the computer-science job market as my study of computing was ancillary to my main field, which is biology. However, the instructors at the college you are thinking about can. Call or e-mail the coordinators of the program you are interested in -- if they are good teachers, they will be more than willing to answer your questions.

Make sure to ask about placement rates too -- it's one thing to teach something and another to teach something that can make students employable. I taught at one community college where we made a point to keep up with the needs of local industry and by doing so we had high placement rates. 

Also, ask about internships. In the programs in which I taught we coordinated with employers throughout the area and a paid internship was part of the curriculum. More often than not if students were willing to pay attention, work hard, show some initiative and get along with their co-workers in the internship they had jobs lined up at graduation.


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## epshatto (Dec 23, 2010)

As far as recommending jobs, that's really all on you.

You need to know what you like, what you're good at, what's available in your area, if you're willing to relocate for a job, etc.

IT is pretty varied, I see a lot of programming jobs available. Web programming is expected to be booming here in the next year or so, which would involve things like HTML5, Java, ASP.NET-based programming, etc.

Help desk positions are available most places, usually as contract work, but it doesn't pay very well anymore (comparatively speaking). With certifications and just starting out in a help-desk type position you can probably expect to start out around $10-$12/hour.

You almost certainly would have to start out in that type of work before being able to get the better paying jobs with the more prestigious work. You have to start out resetting passwords before you get much interesting. As you prove yourself to an employer, if that employer is worth working for they'll be interested in keeping you around and will probably offer you better work as time goes on. If they expect you to just stay contract or doing help desk work, they aren't really worth your time anyway except to get the resume experience.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

epshatto said:


> As far as recommending jobs, that's really all on you.
> 
> You need to know what you like, what you're good at, what's available in your area, if you're willing to relocate for a job, etc.
> 
> ...


Exactly. If anyone thinks they are gonna start on big bucks in a super duper position then they need a time machine.


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## Codak (Oct 24, 2011)

Okay so i dont actually NEED to go to college?? Id still like to though... So what classes should i try to take while in college for 2 years? 

And so i should take the exams for A+, Network +, 70-680, and CompTIA A+... All on top of lets say an Associates Degree in Computer and Networking Technology

Id rather be over qualified than under qualified... Even if its a HelpDesk... My brother is a Senior Network Engineer, so i might be able to get a job at his work. But its at a hospital. So id like to be as qualified as possible.

Any other classes i should think about? Also how much do each of these cost??


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## Codak (Oct 24, 2011)

So again... Go to school for the CCNA, and then read books and do the exams for which certs?? The most important, to the least important please


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

the A+,N+ and 70-680 and no further untill you have experience. You could also get your AA if you want.

If I could go back in time I would have done it this way:-

get a part time or full time job in a computer repair shop, do some certs like thge A+ and N+ whilst working there, get an entry level help desk job get one or two other MS certs in your case it should be 70-680 then progress into networking and do a degree part time.

Its the experience that counts these days not qualifications. Here is a true example

John has a degree he also has the A+,N+,70-680, CCNA and a degree
Fred has the A+,N+ and wants to do the CCNA he also has 1 years experience fixing computers and doing general troubleshooting.

Hands down Fred would get the job

If your over qualified you may find it hard to get an entry level job because the hiring manager will know that you will leave as soon as you get some experience for better money etc etc. Companies dont want to keep advertising for staff as it is expensive they would rather hire someone who they can train up and both parties will benefit.

then there is the other side

You could have all the certs and qualifications in the world but without experience to a network manager you are dangerous and the network manager cannot afford the down time that someone with no experience will likely cause.


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## epshatto (Dec 23, 2010)

I don't have any degree at all - in anything - and I work in cybersecurity at an entry level.

I have (recently, in the past year) obtained my A+ and Network+ certifications. Since I work in security I am now studying for my Security+ certification which I expect to sit for in the first half of next year.

Getting a degree doesn't hurt you at all; if you want a degree there's no reason you shouldn't go for one. Get your degree and then get both the A+ and Network+ certifications. You'll be in an excellent position to land a help desk/field tech type job.

In my particular case, if I were interested in getting a degree (I'm not, I disliked college when I went which is why I never finished it, then got luck to land a $20/hr job, then got unlucky to be laid off that job which is what led me to IT certs), I would get an AA in Computer Information Systems, as offered by a local community college. An AA with the certs I have would look great. Probably wouldn't need more than the Associate's degree, but there are plenty of IT pros who have Bachelor's or even Master's degrees.

So a fairly typical example would be the following:

1. Enroll in an AA program in Computer Information Systems or something similar
2. Obtain A+ and Network+ either during your college education or immediately thereafter
3. Get a job in help desk or field tech work
4. While working in that job, find certs related to what you do on a daily basis (various lower level MS/Cisco/Apple/CompTIA Linux+ certs, for example)
5. Stay in that job for at least 2 years continuous
6. Go for the higher-level certs like MCITP/SA, CCNA, etc
7. Find an admin job or, preferably, look for admin opportunities in the company you currently work for

In my case it's a little different. I skipped the degree and don't plan on getting one. Going for certs related to what I'm working in, Security+, maybe train myself on some code for awhile after that, look for other more advanced certs down the road, particularly considering CEH, MCITP/SA, and CCNA and possibly CISSP in a few years' time.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

epshatto said:


> In my case it's a little different. I skipped the degree and don't plan on getting one. Going for certs related to what I'm working in, Security+, maybe train myself on some code for awhile after that, look for other more advanced certs down the road, particularly considering CEH, MCITP/SA, and CCNA and possibly CISSP in a few years' time.


This has been my point to previous posters.

Certs are designed to show your experience level i.e what you work with and what you do in a job.

epshatto and myself are proof that you dont need a degree to work in IT and its all about experience and how you market yourself when you have xperience.

Well done epshatto


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## Codak (Oct 24, 2011)

Okay so i talked to my brother, and i CAN indeed get a job in a cabling/ modem wiring and etc. as soon as i turn 18. Also we talked about it and im going to do that and at the same time study for my A+, and N+. After about 8-12 months of work i will enroll for part time schooling and get my CCNA, and eventually get my 70-680 before i graduate with my CCNA. So at the end of about a 2 1/2 year trial... I will have my A+, N+, 70-680, and also have the CCNA - *WITH* job experience. 

Sounds pretty good??

Even after a year of job experience and my A+, and N+... Will be pretty good. But id like to go the extra mile and get the 70-680 and CCNA


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## epshatto (Dec 23, 2010)

> epshatto and myself are proof that you dont need a degree to work in IT and its all about experience and how you market yourself when you have xperience.
> 
> Well done epshatto


Thank you kindly sir. 

Codak, you're lucky that you can have that job opportunity lined up for you, so my instinct would be you should definately take advantage of that chance, many of us have not been able to get right into a tech job and have to start out at the bottom, but that's just how the chips fall.

The only thing I'd suggest offhand about your outline above is that I'd get the 70-680 before the CCNA, often the progression is, in order, A+ -> Network+ -> 70-680.

One year job experience, the basic CompTIA and MS certs, working on a degree, and after that getting CCNA (I'd wait until I've got at least 2 years experience for that), and you should have no trouble. So after one year you'll have that 12 months experience, two (or three) certs, and be in school. I'd take the following year and devote it to work and school. Do CCNA after that point, maybe when you're winding down your degree program.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

yes exactly you should get the A+,N+,70-680 before going anywhere near the CCNA


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## Codak (Oct 24, 2011)

Thats what i was thinking...Taking the job, after like 3 months take The A+, N+... Then right before i start going to college for the CCNA i was going to do the 70-680. 

Thanks alot for all the help guys, really


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