CCNA is where it all starts for Cisco training. This teaches you how to deal with maintaining and installing switches and routers. Basically, the internet comprises of vast numbers of routers, and big organisations who have several locations utilise them to connect their computer networks.

You may find yourself employed by an internet service provider or maybe a large company that is spread out over several locations but still needs contact. This specialised skill set is highly paid.

If you haven't yet had any experience of routers, then qualifying up to the CCNA level is definitely sufficient - you're not yet ready for your CCNP. Once you've worked for a few years, you can decide if CCNP is something you want to do.

Make sure that all your qualifications are current and also valid commercially - you're wasting your time with programs which lead to some in-house certificate (which is as useless as if you'd printed it yourself). Unless your qualification is issued by a company like Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA, then chances are it will have been a waste of time - as no-one will have heard of it.

A typical blunder that potential students often succumb to is to look for the actual course to take, rather than starting with where they want to get to. Schools have thousands of unaware students who chose a course based on what sounded good - instead of what would yield an enjoyable career or job. Don't let yourself become part of that group who select a program that on the surface appears interesting - and end up with a plaque on the wall for a career they'll never really get any satisfaction from.

Spend some time thinking about how much you want to earn and how ambitious you are. Usually, this will point the way to what precise certifications will be required and what industry will expect from you in return. Talk to a skilled advisor who understands the work you're contemplating, and could provide a detailed run-down of what you're going to be doing in that job. Getting all these things right long before commencement of any retraining path will prevent a lot of wasted time and effort.

Charging for exam fees with the course fee then giving it 'Exam Guarantee' status is popular with many companies. However, let's consider what's really going on:

Certainly it's not free - you're still paying for it - the cost has just been rolled into the whole training package. Qualifying on the first 'go' is what everyone wants to do. Taking your exams progressively in order and paying as you go makes it far more likely you'll pass first time - you take it seriously and are aware of the costs involved.

Don't pay up-front, but seek out the best deal for you when you're ready, and hang on to your cash. You'll then be able to select where you sit the exam - which means you can stay local. A great deal of money is secured by many companies that take the exam money up-front. Many students don't take them for one reason or another and so the company is quids-in. Astoundingly enough, providers exist that rely on that fact - as that's very profitable for them. The majority of companies will require you to do mock exams and prohibit you from re-taking an exam until you've proven conclusively that you can pass - which actually leaves you with no guarantee at all.

On average, exams cost 112 pounds or thereabouts twelve months or so ago via UK VUE or Prometric centres. Therefore, why splash out often many hundreds of pounds extra to have 'Exam Guarantees', when any student knows that the best guarantee is a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools.