I’ve been working on the I.T industry for years now and I’ve never regretted my decision in studying Computer Science back in 1996 and taking my Master degree in Applied Science (Information Technology) back in 2001.

The I.T industry is vast. It covers a range of skills and areas such as technical support, software/business analysis, consultancy, software development, Q & A (Quality and Assurance), Networking, and many more. Not to mention that each of them has a different specialization.

Networking (no, not social networking :)) is one of the most important aspect in the I.T industry. Every company nowadays needs computers to store their data, information, reports, and invoices. These computers need to be connected to one another (and usually to one or more data servers). If you are studying/working in an I.T industry and want to specialize in this area, then you should look no further than Cisco.

Cisco is a well known name and if you really want to focus or specialize in Networking, Cicso is “the man”.

You may not need to get a Cisco certification to do networking. I have no certification whatsoever but I can network my home and office computers. However, those are simply networking computers together. I haven’t mentioned the security, the robustness, and the effectiveness of networking from one router to another. Networking is not as narrow as you think. If you consider working in Banks as a network consultant, are you confident enough to handle the security and the other factors on the network?

Cisco certification gives you an assurance that you have the knowledge and the skill to apply what you have learnt during the courses. I have friends who had taken some Cisco certifications (CCNA & CCNP) before. One of them works in NAB, one of the largest banks in Australia and the other worked at AT&T in Singapore.

I’m not promising that having Cisco certifications will get you the perfect job, but Cisco certification is well known worldwide. I’m the Development Manager of the company that I’m working with at the moment and if I’m looking for a Network specialist to work with, I’ll certainly value those applicants with Cisco certifications.

Some Network Certification Programs that are offered by Cisco:

• IP Networking (CCENT)
• Routing and Switching (CCNA)
• Voice (CCVP)
• Security (CCSP)
• and many more

Once you work on the I.T industry, you will need to stay up-to-date, no matter what your profession is. That’s actually the beauty of it. You’ll always grow and you’ll always learn something new. There are so much to learn in Networking too.

The question is, are you going to let yourself be outdated and left behind? Check out Cisco certification programs on their web site if you’re considering to specialize in networking and never be left behind!

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