As an aspiring network professional, I have been looking for a good next step to working towards a career in networking. Since high school, I have been taking coursework in networking, but I have not had a concrete and standard way to show what I have learned.
Certifications seem to be the right fit to show my skills in a professional way. There stands one more roadblock in my way to showing my skills through certification: which one is the right one for me?
Research
I did some research into a couple of my options and find a helpful Coursera article on network certifications. Here are two that I think would be a good fit for me.
Cisco CCNA
In my high school years, I spent three working on CIsco Networking Academy courses, so I am no stranger to Cisco and what they have to offer. The Cisco line of network certifications is often considered some of the most widely regarded certifications in the networking world
The courses I took in high school were made to lead into the CCNA exam, but my school did not offer the last class of material in the line needed to be ready for the CCNA. That said, I would already have a pretty jumpstart when it comes to getting a leading certification.
One downside is that the exam is $300, which is a bit pricy. That said, the certification lasts for three years, which gives me time to work towards the subsequent CCNP and CCIE certifications.
CompTIA Network+
CompTIA is well known for their variety of certifications in the technology realm. One of the key benefits to their certifications, which includes Network+, is that they are largely vendor-neutral.
This means that the skills learned in preparing for the exam are able to be applied across vendors, which is particularly helpful when you are unsure of what vendor a future employer is going to use for their network.
Network+ is a on the pricier end as well, sitting at $390. The certification lasts for three years, which is on part with Network+. However, Network+ has the option to renew the certification through CertMaster CE at a reduced price from the original certification.
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