alt.certification.cisco

Author

Newbie

NokiaKid

2003-10-28, 12:26 pm

Hi all, I am 20years old and from the UK. My local college is running a
program called BTEC National Diploma in ICT Support Systems. It is one year
full time study. It includes MCSA and CCNA. I am at a cross-roads as to go
for this or to go for the BSc degree in Computer Science. I am a little
dubious about the degree as I am not too hot and math and find programming a
bit difficult.

Any input welcome,
-NK

NokiaKid

2003-10-28, 12:26 pm

Sorry all. Should have read 'hot ON math and find programming'

"NokiaKid" <nospam@thanks.com> wrote in message
news:bnm7oc$sn2$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> Hi all, I am 20years old and from the UK. My local college is running a
> program called BTEC National Diploma in ICT Support Systems. It is one
year
> full time study. It includes MCSA and CCNA. I am at a cross-roads as to go
> for this or to go for the BSc degree in Computer Science. I am a little
> dubious about the degree as I am not too hot and math and find programming
a
> bit difficult.
>
> Any input welcome,
> -NK
>
>

John Gill

2003-10-28, 2:26 pm

hehe yea not being hot shouldn't affect your education decisions too
greatly.

I am also 20 and I am in school in the US. It is my opinion that
certifications are not a substitute for a degree, every interview I have had
so far at my school was because I am getting a degree, and certifications
will help me get the job. I worked in networking this summer and just about
everyone I worked with had a degree and certifications. Maybe Computer
Science isn't the degree for you though? A CCNA actually donsn't take that
long to get and after a year you might have been able to get CCNP along with
MCSE. Our school is a part of the Cisco Network Academy and it's pretty
nice because each semester we put out a handful of CCNPs, a ton of CCNAs,
some security people. I like having people to go to and have interaction
with as opposed to independandt studying. Another cool thing, I think next
semester one of my professors is going for CCIE with me.

I go to an engineering school where there is a lot of math and the computer
science degree obviously is full of programming. I found a degree here
called IT and it has actally turned out very well. I take some computer
systems engineering classes, some humanities, some math, science, mis, some
pogramming (not as much as CS though) and quite a few IT projects for real
clients. I like combining all this stuff together as it gives me a broad
perspective and I have chosen to focus in on networking and then I decided
to get certifications.

HTH - John

"NokiaKid" <nospam@thanks.com> wrote in message
news:bnm8do$sni$1@hercules.btinternet.com...
> Sorry all. Should have read 'hot ON math and find programming'
>
> "NokiaKid" <nospam@thanks.com> wrote in message
> news:bnm7oc$sn2$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> > Hi all, I am 20years old and from the UK. My local college is running a
> > program called BTEC National Diploma in ICT Support Systems. It is one
> year
> > full time study. It includes MCSA and CCNA. I am at a cross-roads as to
go
> > for this or to go for the BSc degree in Computer Science. I am a little
> > dubious about the degree as I am not too hot and math and find
programming
> a
> > bit difficult.
> >
> > Any input welcome,
> > -NK
> >
> >
>
>

Robert Rowlands

2003-10-28, 10:24 pm

I'm 26 from Australia, I've just returned from working in London in the UK
as a Cisco Support Engineer. I don't have a degree although have a diploma
in Computer Systems Engineering where I also was part of the Cisco Acedemey.
I believe I got my job in London because of my CCNA rather than any degree,
this is because job was Cisco specific.

My advice would be to see what sort of jobs are out there and what sort of
requirements they are looking for. Basically what ever you choose you need
to make sure there are jobs available to you once you finish and perhaps
speak to the University about graduate placement programs etc at the end of
the course as getting that first job aint easy.

You find once you are out in the workforce is when you will work on the
relevant certifications etc that's the thing about the IT industry you are
always learning as things are always changing and more and more employers
are looking for certifications as a choice of selection for their people.

I got into networking with my CCNA and worked on my CCNP whilst working and
found I learnt a great deal doing it this way and that with the gained
experience and the certification my employment opportunities are greater
and also companies will pay higher etc.

Robbo

"John Gill" <NOosbjmgSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Mzynb.2731$ZC4.1647@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
> hehe yea not being hot shouldn't affect your education decisions too
> greatly.
>
> I am also 20 and I am in school in the US. It is my opinion that
> certifications are not a substitute for a degree, every interview I have
had
> so far at my school was because I am getting a degree, and certifications
> will help me get the job. I worked in networking this summer and just
about
> everyone I worked with had a degree and certifications. Maybe Computer
> Science isn't the degree for you though? A CCNA actually donsn't take
that
> long to get and after a year you might have been able to get CCNP along
with
> MCSE. Our school is a part of the Cisco Network Academy and it's pretty
> nice because each semester we put out a handful of CCNPs, a ton of CCNAs,
> some security people. I like having people to go to and have interaction
> with as opposed to independandt studying. Another cool thing, I think
next
> semester one of my professors is going for CCIE with me.
>
> I go to an engineering school where there is a lot of math and the
computer
> science degree obviously is full of programming. I found a degree here
> called IT and it has actally turned out very well. I take some computer
> systems engineering classes, some humanities, some math, science, mis,
some
> pogramming (not as much as CS though) and quite a few IT projects for real
> clients. I like combining all this stuff together as it gives me a broad
> perspective and I have chosen to focus in on networking and then I decided
> to get certifications.
>
> HTH - John
>
> "NokiaKid" <nospam@thanks.com> wrote in message
> news:bnm8do$sni$1@hercules.btinternet.com...
> > Sorry all. Should have read 'hot ON math and find programming'
> >
> > "NokiaKid" <nospam@thanks.com> wrote in message
> > news:bnm7oc$sn2$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> > > Hi all, I am 20years old and from the UK. My local college is running
a[col
or=darkred]
> > > program called BTEC National Diploma in ICT Support Systems. It is one
> > year
> > > full time study. It includes MCSA and CCNA. I am at a cross-roads as[/color]
to
> go

> > > for this or to go for the BSc degree in Computer Science. I am a
little
> > > dubious about the degree as I am not too hot and math and find
> programming
> > a
> > > bit difficult.
> > >
> > > Any input welcome,
> > > -NK
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

Hansang Bae

2003-10-29, 1:25 am

In article <bnm7oc$sn2$1@titan.btinternet.com>, nospam@thanks.com
says...
> Hi all, I am 20years old and from the UK. My local college is running a
> program called BTEC National Diploma in ICT Support Systems. It is one year
> full time study. It includes MCSA and CCNA. I am at a cross-roads as to go
> for this or to go for the BSc degree in Computer Science. I am a little
> dubious about the degree as I am not too hot and math and find programming a
> bit difficult.

Get the degree. certs come and go. Degrees do not. Also you can knock
out all the certs while going to school for your B.S.

Finally, you don't need a degree in compsci to work in this field. It
helps TREMONDOUSLY, but it's not a requirement.

--

hsb

"Somehow I imagined this experience would be more rewarding" Calvin
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