We have noticed and we are sure you have too that there are individuals and companies that offer short CCNA courses for a few hundred pounds for a couple of days training.

These individuals and companies claim to be able to get you up to a standard that will enable you to pass the CCNA exam with only couple of days instruction and also imply that "no prior experience" is required. We believe that this is a dangerous claim to make to new comers and to people with little experience or knowledge when they are looking into into networking as a career option.

No one, and we mean no one, irrespective of whether they are CCNA, CCNP or blessed by God CCIE qualified can teach the contents of the CCNA in a couple of days to new comers or people with little experience or knowledge that are looking to get into networking.

There is quite a bit to get through, the practical's themselves along with the break/fix sessions after every lab (Pioneered by us) take 30 hours alone never mind the theory which takes us at a relaxed pace another 30 hours.

Take this one fact into account, when we explain Spanning tree or EIGRP or OSPF in the classroom, just the theory part can take up to 4 to 5 hours per topic, so alone the 3 topics, of 4 hours each take 12 hours and there are far more topics to get through than those 3, many more.

But as always at Commsupport we want to give you a balanced opinion, So who does take these courses? These short courses should only be attempted if you have a vast amount of experience and are using it to brush up and consolidate your knowledge prior to the CCNA exam.

2 day short courses are not suitable for new comers or people with little experience or knowledge, these courses expect you to learn all of the thoery prior to attending the course. On the course you just follow a lab manual and be expected to type in commands like a chimp and if you have not put in the time to study prior to the course you will not understand the commands that you are entering or the operation of the protocols on the kit.

Our advice is to avoid the short courses, if you have to spend a few hundred quid and don't fancy classroom based training then for the same money of these 2 day courses we would suggest spend your money on a few good books, some cisco lab kit,and 6 months of self study. Hey, at least you'll have something to show for your cash more than you can say for spending a couple of days of mindlessly pressing buttons So don't be too surprised when you come off of a 2 day course wondering what just happened and a few hundred quid lighter!!

 

 

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