Want to get started in network engineering.

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Hi all,

I'm new to the forum - and new to all of these qualifications!!

Basically I want to become a Microsoft Network Engineer/Architect.

I've had a visit from a "salesman" from the National IT Learning Center - he was good - answered all of my questions etc... they do a course that gets you to the top level of Network engineer - and then courses below if you dont want to go too far etc... check their website to see what I mean. After reading a few of the posts here about choosing your training provider - I'd like to know if the NITLC is a good training provider. They seem really good - courses designed very well - time plans - study guides etc.. all legit.

Do any of you have any words of advice for me? Any good/bad experience with them??

How much did you pay for these courses if you took them - he's quoted me a fixed price, pretty high - I want to do this course in good time and get imtermediate level in 18 months or less with 10 hours a week learning from home "http://nitlc.com/it-courses/technicalcourses.aspx" -

thanks all

 

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Hi there, what courses did you get a quote for?
You will save yourself a lot of money with just buying the books and maybe a lab, if it's CCNA stuff you are interested in have a look at www.howtonetwork.net
Has all the theory, videos, flash cards with the option of renting rack time.

Cheers

 

What is your current level of IT experience?

 

Hi there

I used to work for NITLC around 2 years ago and they are by for the best training provider out there.

If you have any questions, drop me a PM.

FA

 

IT Jobs with the title 'Architect' normally require 10+ years relevant experience.

I'd forget everything the salesman told you and start doing your own research.

 

I realise that to get an "architect job" you need loads of experiience - i wwas just putting what I wanted to achieve long term - so then, you say its possible to buy the books and learn myself? then just book the exam like that?

what about all the software that NITLC would have given me in the cost? he said i would need to run virtual OS' - that would mean i need to buy them?

please expand on how i'd go about doing these certs. myself without a training provider?

thanks

 

Most people who enter IT want to end being a network engineer or at that top end range.

what these sales men don't tell you that those positions require experience and regardless of your qualifications and certification you can't just walk into one of those jobs.

The key word here is experience no IT director or manager in their right mind will hire someone as a network engineer if they have no experience (at least 12-18 months) unless they are mental.

Have you considered self study? that is getting entry level certs and experience by buying the books and taking the exams yourself.

What is you experience level?

entry level certs are A+, N+ and MCDST

 

yeah - im gonna do self study - either get the books myself or go with training provider - probs get the books and do it myself - start out with the N+ and the A+ before going any further.

i realise that i will have to work in network support or first line support, then go onto 2nd line support etc...before i get the quals and exp. to get further up. im not hoping to just get an engineers job with no exp!!!

thanks

 

Everyone has to start somwhere.

An IT Manager isn't born an IT Manager, they probably started off in 1st line support somewhere down the line.

 

That was my point.

Nobody starts as an Network engineer they usually move to that position from a lower one.

 

That's good then.

NITLC's courses start with A+, N+ & MCDST.

FA

 

Why pay a training provider? the amount of money these people charge for something you can do yourself (many on here will attest to that).

Get the books and self study, and come here for advice, plenty on here who will be of help to you. You can also chat with others studying for the same exam and help each other out.

Definately try to avoid any training providers.

 

thanks all for your input - as for my experience......i did IT in college - not really anything to do with A+ or N+ at all!! Im really just into building crazy multi thousand £ Rigs at the moment - water cooled, TEC cooled and overclocking the life out of them!! I wanted to work with PC's but not building them as this would ruin my hobby for me, i want to work on them - troubleshooting etc...then building my way up to network support, then network admin etc...then finnaly to engineering.

im keen to learn too - im only 19 - best to start young!!

 

I would stay away from NITLC. I’m on the Technical and Systems Engineer Professional Level Course and so far, they haven’t delivered anything they pride themselves on.

I been with them for almost 2 months and all NITLC have manage to do so far is deliver 3 books through to my post, AND THAT’S IT! All three books are from Mike Meyers, A+ 601, 602 and N +. You don’t get anything else from them and almost feels like, ‘Here are the books and that’s it’.

The study plan they give you, is absolute whack!! I mean it’s not even a plan really, just a summary of the modules you will come across to study. To be honest I have never come across anyone who has no experience in IT who has achieved for example 70-620 in less than a month on Certforums, it’s just not true!!!
Personally I been a member with Certforum for a long while, I stuck around here to achieve my MCDST and ITIL V3, thanks to the feedback of its members. The kind of support you get here is so valuable in comparison to any training provider and the good thing is, it’s free!!!.

Avoid splashing £££££, Salesman will sell you anything to get their hands on your money. Learn from my mistakes bro, I paid £4500 and I’m wondering now, what did I pay £4500?

I have done self study and it takes a little longer because you have to read everything, there’s no telling what can turn up on the day of the exam. However, I was under the impression from the Salesman in London, Steve, that if I choose to go with NITLC, I would get their books and resources as study material, filtering out any repetitive, jargon information. That turned out to be a lie, instead I got the hard works and merits of Mike Myers turn up through my post.

Words of WISDOM - Buy the books yourselves and stick with Certforum – will guarantee you a REAL Brighter Future.

 

A little bit more for what I paid for

 

---The so called 'Telephone call to check up how you’re getting on' - I haven’t even had 1.

---A real Structured Study Plan, breaking down all the modules in more detail, how much time should be spent, key areas to concentrate on - Not a summary of the modules

--- NITLC Study material - Not the hard work of Mike Meyers. Funny enough the answers are missing to every end of the Chapter questions.

---Summary of content to keep in mind for exam preparation – not cram session pdfs, how unprofessional is that
I mean the list can go on...

 

4.5k - Well most ordinary books you get (i.e Sybex, MSPRess) are like the size of breeze blocks, you get put off to study them. I achieved my MCDST through CF, but it took a little while longer using the MSPress. What you find at the end is that you only needed to know 1/3 of the book.

So under the impression of paying 4.5k, I was hoping to get NITLC books that are 1/3 of a size of a breeze block and support. This was a key point I kept asking the Salesman to elaborate on, because I so wanted to avoid big books.

But once I paid my 4.5k, become a member, I checked up in there group discussions and found out they even deliver MSPress books to your post - I was like DaAAm