In many cases, IT workers who want to bolster their industry skills don't have the time to invest in courses that can stretch over weeks and months, and instead these individuals opt out of renewed education due to factors such as professional and familial responsibilities. However, Cisco offers individuals who are looking for a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification an expedited pathway to this career goal.
For example, select online providers offer Cisco Certified Network Associate Boot Camp classes that consolidate this learning process into the shortest period of time possible, giving interested learners access to CCNA materials and a proven step-by-step method that can help them pursue top-level employment in the field as soon as possible.
In these online courses, aspiring or current IT professionals can learn how networks function, how to configure, troubleshoot and verify ACLs, frame relay operations, implement VLSM and link state routing, among other necessary industry skills.
However, before taking these classes, online courses that provide basic training may be essential. According to Cisco, IT professionals should first have a familiarity with TCP/IP, peer-to-peer networking, building a routing table, IP configuration and other network standards, architecture and protocols.
Those who don't possess these skills can first build up to these intensive courses by taking ICND1 and INCD2 courses that can allow them to gain the fundamental knowledge they need to enroll in these classes and advance their career.
But, while the investment may seem like an extensive one, employees with CCNA certifications typically earn a comfortable salary in a number of positions. For instance, according to PayScale.com, network engineers with a CCNA certification can earn anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000, while systems engineers with this qualification can earn as much as $95,000 through their annual salary.