IT certification exams p1 - Military - Education Strategies and Tips - Military Times EDGE

Army Reserve 1st Lt. Casey King has a job he loves as a senior networking engineer for camping-supplier The Coleman Co. in Wichita, Kan., thanks in part to the networking certification he earned through the Cisco Networking Academy at Kansas’ Fort Hays State University.

The active-duty Army vet had served as a systems administrator in medical logistics and was deployed to Afghanistan when he met a group of airmen who’d earned their credentials as Cisco Certified Networking Associates.

King chose the college route to learn the skills he needed to pass his certification exam, but college isn’t the only way. Some exam-takers study from home, and others choose intense, boot-camp-style courses to prepare.

Good news for those service members and vets who want to earn their certification: Thanks to a deal between Cisco, Pearson VUE testing centers and the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support, you now can take Cisco exams right on base at many DANTES testing centers. (Check with your local education center to find out if yours qualifies under the program.)

If you’re considering a Cisco certification, here’s how the company recommends you prepare:

College

King enrolled at Fort Hays State as soon as he got home from that deployment to Afghanistan, and even with military IT experience under his belt, he found the coursework tough.

“They don’t make it easy, I’ll tell you that,” King said. “One of the instructors we had at the time made sure we put in the time and energy.”

The Cisco Networking Academy program consists of college courses in PC hardware and software, basic knowledge of networking, hands-on labs, routing and switching, and designing and supporting networks. The curriculum becomes more advanced for those seeking higher levels of certification.

King worked toward certification at the same time as he was earning his bachelor’s degree, and he’s added an MBA since then. He said combining IT and business degrees is the best way to advance into IT management.

Boot-camp courses

These courses offered by outside providers may consist of one- to two-week programs attended eight or more hours a day, said Amy Brooks, program manager for Learning at Cisco. Some, such as the Cisco CCNA Boot Camp offered by Global Knowledge, come with 24-hour lab access for hands-on training.

The courses usually require 80 or more hours of classroom time, plus you still have to study for the exam.

The Global Knowledge Boot Camp is offered over five days and provides 34 Cisco Learning Credits for about $3,400.

Certain high-cost, boot-camp-style IT training programs are covered under the Montgomery GI Bill. It’s smart to talk to a military education officer before you decide on a program.

Self-study

“For someone with no skills, self-study alone may not be quite enough,” Brooks said.

But for those with a background in IT, Brooks recommends study materials by the company’s Cisco Press.

The “Certification Self-Study Series” prepares you for the tests, and more materials, such as the book “31 Days Before Your CCNA Exam: A Day-by-Day Review Guide for the CCNA 640-802 Exam,” help students review what they’ve learned.