Benefits of the Cisco Network Training and Why You Should Have It

Cisco Systems is the recognized worldwide authority in computer networking, and as well as designing and manufacturing a wide range of networking equipment the company also sponsor a number of professional IT certifications for Cisco products. The various Cisco training courses that are available worldwide allow IT professionals to gain certification in a certain networking fields and with the Cisco stamp of approval there is a whole host of career benefits to be had.

There are several different specializations and levels of certification available for IT professionals that are interested in networking and Cisco training is the broad umbrella term to incorporate all the training. Trainees have five different levels of training available, each with added career advantages, as well as eight different specializations to advance in.

Training Levels:

· Entry (CCENT)

· Associate (CCNA/CCDA)

· Professional (CCNP/CCDP)

· Expert (CCIE/CCDE)

· Architect

Specializations:

· Routing and Switching

· Design

· Network Security

· Service Provider

· Service Provider Operations

· Storage Networking

· Voice

· Wireless

Many individuals choose to study for the Cisco exams from home in their spare time so preparation times for the exams will vary. Depending on a person’s prior networking knowledge, certification can be achieved from between four to twelve months.

Apart from the obvious professional prestige that can be gained from holding cisco certification there are other key benefits associated here. Qualified Cisco networking specialists are highly recognized and sought after in the industry. This means that most individuals who complete the Cisco training successfully and get the certification will be able to command a higher salary. Of course the higher the level of certification achieved the more opportunities will open up in the industry and the more the earning potential will increase. Research conducted by Cisco has revealed that those individuals that become certified earn as much as 10% more than those without and this is certainly one of main incentives for getting that certificate.

Here is a rough breakdown of the average yearly salaries that a Cisco qualified engineer can expect at the different levels:

· CCENT - $65,000 ($6,000 more than those without)

· CCNA - $79,000

· CCNP - $90,000

· CCIE - $120,000

This obviously varies from company to company and with experience you can generally experience these figures to increase.

The salary and career prospects are certainly very enticing for any potential Cisco certified IT professional, but as well as that there is the knowledge that a trained individual will gain. The Cisco training is designed to be very difficult and thorough and in order to pass each exam and progress through the different levels each person has to develop a deep understanding of the various aspects of networking.

The Cisco training has a worldwide reputation for its high standards and the demand for individuals who have this certification often outweighs the availability. From the first level of certification to the last new opportunities open up and IT professionals gain huge prestige, knowledge, and salaries from being Cisco trained.