Microsoft AND Cisco?

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Ok, so I got a call from NITLC yesterday evening. The guy seems really... enthusiastic. You can tell he's a salesman, but at the same time he sounded more genuine than most. Anyway, when I mentioned to him that I wanted to go for the Cisco certification as I want to pursue a career in Internet and Network security, he said that while those certs would be good he said if I had JUST the Cisco certs I would be limiting my options somewhat.

He said I should also go for the MCSE:Security cert, which is (apparently) really new. Is this sound advice or is he just looking to push as many certs on me as possible? Phoenix, as you have both MS and Cisco certs I am interested to hear your views on this.

While the guy mentioned some very nice salaries, he also said to not expect to walk into a job with those kinds of salaries straight way. He's coming Tuesday next week, and I have a guy from Computeach coming this evening. I'm shopping around for what I believe to be the best deal

If I do decide to do the MCSE, then maybe I could do that via Computeach or NITLC or Wavetech or whoever, but also do the CCNA at my local college as it’s really cheap there. Guys 'n gals, what do you reckon?

 

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MCSE:Security cert is not a new certification at all - see link here: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcse/security/windowsserver2003.asp

Does your local college also offer MCSE 2003? Personally I would reccomend looking at the Cisco and Microsoft track.

 

Thanks for the advice Sarah. I'm gonna see what these guys have to say and then make up my mind. My only issue then will be how I fund the course(s).

 

This maybe a possibility for you:

http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/cms.asp?Page=/Home/Customers/HelpWithTraining/CareerDevelopmentLoans

http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/cdl/

 

Definatly go for both, as I suggested in the other forum, hes right in that you really are limiting your options with just the cisco certs
the majority of roles will be very diverse, and will require you to have both skillsets, and lets be fair, even with both the chances are most your time will be spent on the MS side not the cisco side (ones your cisco gears live, configured, and working, you really wont need to play with it all that often)

The MCSE:Sec is fairly new compared to the rest, but its not brand new, it came out late 2003/early 2004 somewhat after the 2k3 MCSE went live, and its a very useful cert track, being its just an MCSE with add ons, however this is a very time intensive course, way more so than the CCNA

for instance, an MCSE full training course (onsite at a training providor, day in day out) would likely run you a good few weeks at the least! (my NT4 one, which was rather easy by todays standards took 4 weeks+ of classroom time) whereas the CCNA is likely a 5 day course (4 days for mine)
the NP and DP are a whole different story, they are up there with the MCSE time commitment wise, so overall your looking at a rather long road, the MCSE will be more useful to gain immediate employment, and hence immediate experiance gain, however even thats not guaranteed without experiance (i knwo, catch 22 huh)

 

Sarah, thanks for those links. Phoenix, thanks for your reply, you were just the guy I was looking for to reply in this thread. The guy from Computeach left about half an hour ago, I have to say, not what I was expecting. The guy wasn't pushy, he showed me realistic salaries and told me to expect to earn in my first job pretty much what I am earning now (which is below £15k). He may have bent the truth a little with regards to course 'availability' and 'limited number of placements', but other than that he seemed pretty genuine.

The first thing he asked me was if I knew what area of IT I wanted to go into, I mentioned Internet and Network security and he came up with the A+, Security+ and MSCE: Security package. I mentioned the Cisco certification and he said that towards the end of the MSCE course, if I still want to do the Cisco certs then I can add them in at a discounted price.

I haven't agreed to anything or signed anything, he left me a pack, told me to think about it and for me to call him. I'm not easily impressed and I do not suffer fools, in my eyes this guy was ok. He was straight up with what to expect and also what NOT to expect, and most important of all, he did NOT guarantee me a job at the end of it, just that they would point me in the right direction at the end of the course.

I'm gonna see what the guy from NITLC has to say next week, I've heard they're cheaper, but that they don't have as much to offer as Computeach. I want to do this the RIGHT way, Computeach are a Microsoft Gold certified partner, so they must be doing something right. I'm a firm believer that you 'get what you pay for', so I don't mind paying a little extra if it means doing it right. I'm going to look over the information the guy has left me and see how I feel in a few days time.

 

Dont buy into that certified partner crap
it doesnt mean a whole lot, I've worked for Cisco partners, MS Partners et all, and as far as i can see its more you scratch our back we scratch yours, and give u a flashy title to market with rather than a 'wow these guys had the best feedback from hundreds of customers, lets give them a flashy title'

 

Thanks for the heads up. I'm not gonna jump in straight away, I'm gonna have a serious think as £5200 is a lot of money.

 

That is vry true!

 

If you do the NITLC TSE course you do a CompTIA A+, N+, MCSE and CCNA. It is £4000 though...