Looking for a new course

Discussion in 'Training & Development' started by compunerd, Mar 23, 2011.

  1. compunerd

    compunerd New Member

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    Hi all, allow me to appologise for my noobishness, I have been looking at the firebrand site, they seem expensive.

    I was wondering if there are any cheaper computer training & certification companies out there?

    I'm thinking of doing CompTIA Security+ Certification

    Cheers
     
  2. alexdc12

    alexdc12 Kilobyte Poster

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    self studying!
     
    Certifications: GNVQ Advanced IT, CompTIA A+, CompTIA N+, 70-680
    WIP: 70-685, ITIL v3 Foundation
  3. reddevil12

    reddevil12 Megabyte Poster

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    Agree totally :D
     
    Certifications: a+
    WIP: 70-270 / 70-680
  4. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Self-study is definitely cheaper! :)

    Welcome!
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  5. alexdc12

    alexdc12 Kilobyte Poster

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    Certifications: GNVQ Advanced IT, CompTIA A+, CompTIA N+, 70-680
    WIP: 70-685, ITIL v3 Foundation
  6. cisco lab rat

    cisco lab rat Megabyte Poster

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    You need to take into account all the countless hours, days and weekends spent stooped over your books and kit trying to make heads or tails of what on earth is going on. Time that you will never get back.

    Money you can always earn, over the course of your life you can earn money, but you'll never be able to buy back time.

    I speak from personnel experience past and present. I am doing an OU degree at the moment, I went on a tutorial the other day and the two hours I spent in that class saved me a week of pouring over my manuals.

    It's not always about the money.



    For those that don't know I run Commsupport and we are a training company
     
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2011
    Certifications: Yes I pretty much am!!
    WIP: Fizzicks Degree
  7. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    ...and balance that with countless hours, days, and weekends spent in a classroom while you're waiting on everyone else to catch up so the instructor can move forward with the class.

    Not saying classroom training isn't worthwhile. But it is more expensive, and for many people, it goes far too slowly. To each his own.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  8. cisco lab rat

    cisco lab rat Megabyte Poster

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    That maybe the case with the classes that you may or know others have attended, and like you say each his own.

    But this automatic knee jerk reaction to self study being the best way is not always true in all cases, there is more to self study than the initial capital out lay of a couple of books and a few bits of kit.

    Classes are not as expensive as they used to be, I have seen to that as much as I have by doing what I do.
     
    Certifications: Yes I pretty much am!!
    WIP: Fizzicks Degree
  9. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Nobody said self-study was "the best way". But it IS the preferred study method for at least the first three posters in this thread.

    And no, there's not really more to self-study than "the initial captial outlay of a couple of books, a few bits of kit", other than a similar amount of time one would devote to study anyway.

    Classes may not be "as expensive as they used to be", but they're still more expensive than self-study.

    Seems like the only "knee jerk reaction" came from your side.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  10. cisco lab rat

    cisco lab rat Megabyte Poster

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    Question I suppose I ought to have asked was this: Would one generally spend more time self studying a subject or less time had they attended a course?

    If you were to put a value on your time what would you price it at?
     
    Certifications: Yes I pretty much am!!
    WIP: Fizzicks Degree
  11. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Everyone is different. Some would spend more time self-studying, while others (like me) would spend more time taking a course. Thus, if I were to put a value on my time, a training center would have to pay me money for me just to break even! ;)
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  12. dmarsh
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    dmarsh Petabyte Poster

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    You're unlikely to get a good deal on a Security+ training course and to be honest its not that hard, so I'd definitely go with selfstudy.

    I agree tuition does have value too, I took tuition for my degree and HND, and it was totally worth it despite the 25% of bad lectures or other junk thrown in.

    I have also had some good private courses from time to time provided by employers, one on C++ COM programming by QA (taught by an published author in the space), another on SQL server administration (taught by very experienced DBA) were very good.

    I also recently paid to do a short course at Cranfield University on CUDA and also did a paid webcast on Windows Internals with David Solomon.

    So there are certainly times when paying for tuition is worth it, I also attended night class to get my MCSA, however it went too slowly as mentioned.

    Its ultimately down to you, but really you should be able to pass the entry level certs self study if you have and avid interest in IT, have been a hobbyist for some time and can read and interpret information. If a person can't do these things and needs constant supervision, then they should have a thought that maybe IT is not for them.

    I think on the whole you will get better value from :-

    1. Books
    2. Webcasts, CBT's
    3. Home lab / workbook / tutorials / worked examples
    4. Internet / blogs / wiki / portals
    5. Longer College or University courses

    I only go with expensive short courses as a last option personally...

    Also there are many other avenues for learning, networking at work, offering to help others or mentor others, personal projects, open source, local user groups, seminars, etc.

    I once attended an ACCU conference with was exceptional value and had many top speakers.

    If you do want to spend thousands on security training then I'd probably think outside the box after doing some initial study on my own.

    1. Take an Infosec related MSc
    2. Go and live with a hacker in an eastern block country, tell people where you're going beforehand :wink:
    3. Go and pay for an Infosec course off a recognised person in the US.
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2011
  13. compunerd

    compunerd New Member

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    Thanks for all the info guys, I think I will take the self studying route :) cheers!
     
  14. glasgowgolfer

    glasgowgolfer Bit Poster

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    Guy's for wot it's worth i'd have to agree with labrat, as an ex CCNA (3 years ago) i decided to get back into networking but rather than go for my CCNA i decided to take the easier route of CCENT self study....well 1 month down the line and i keep having to reschedule my icnd1 as im just not taking it in.......so if you can afford it take a bootcamp, ....but thats just my opinion...
    cheers
     
    Certifications: CCNA Comp tia A+ , Juniper , Extreme.
    WIP: CEH , CHFI
  15. cisco lab rat

    cisco lab rat Megabyte Poster

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    I am attending an ILT course at the moment which has cost me a great deal of money, I know about 85% of what is being taught on the course, but for me it's that other 15% where I need someone to go "Look!!!, here this is what you need to focus on and this is what is important, forget what the books says because this here is what is important". For me it's this 15% that makes forking out many $$$$$ well worth it, because it's this 15% that will make the difference between pass or fail, getting the job or not getting the job, staying hired or getting fired.

    No Books and no amount of labbing will get me that 15%, but that's just me.
     
    Certifications: Yes I pretty much am!!
    WIP: Fizzicks Degree
  16. glasgowgolfer

    glasgowgolfer Bit Poster

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    Amen to that, Brother
     
    Certifications: CCNA Comp tia A+ , Juniper , Extreme.
    WIP: CEH , CHFI
  17. soundian

    soundian Gigabyte Poster

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    I see certs as having a varying degree of width and depth. "Wide" certs can certainly be self-studied, like the Sec+ originally mentioned. The deeper the cert, the more likely it is that you'll need the help of an expert to get you through it to a high standard.
    While I advocate people trying self-study first for entry-level certs I think by the time they come to more advanced, in-depth certs they can make their own minds up as to which route to take.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+,MCDST,MCTS(680), MCP(270, 271, 272), ITILv3F, CCENT
    WIP: Knuckling down at my new job

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