Training in Cisco is intended for individuals who need to know all about routers and network switches. Routers are what connect computer networks via the internet or dedicated lines. It's likely that you should first attempt your CCNA. It's not advisable to launch directly into the CCNP for it's full of complexities - and you need to work up to it to have a go at this.

You must have a good understanding of how computer networks operate and function, because networks are linked to routers. If not, the chances are you'll fall behind. You might find training that also includes the basics in networking (CompTIA Network+ as an example - maybe with the A+ as well) prior to starting your CCNA. Some companies will design a bespoke package for you.

Qualifying up to the CCNA level is the right level to aim for; don't be pushed into attempting your CCNP. Once you've worked for a few years, you will have a feel for whether CCNP is something you want to do. Should that be the case, you'll have the experience you need to tackle the CCNP - as it's a very complex course - and shouldn't be looked upon as otherwise.

There are colossal changes about to hit technology over the next few decades - and this means greater innovations all the time. We're in the very early stages of beginning to scrape the surface of how technology will affect our lives in the future. Technology and the web will profoundly transform how we regard and interrelate with the world as a whole over the next few years.

A typical IT man or woman throughout Britain has been shown to get significantly more money than employees on a par outside of IT. Mean average wages are amongst the highest in the country. The search for certified IT specialists is a fact of life for quite some time to come, because of the constant development in IT dependency in commerce and the huge shortage that remains.

Be careful that the exams you're considering doing will be commercially viable and are current. 'In-house' exams and the certificates they come with are often meaningless. All the major commercial players like Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA have nationally renowned proficiency programs. These big-hitters can make sure you stand out at interview.

The old fashioned style of teaching, with books and manuals, can be pretty hard going sometimes. If all this is ringing some familiar bells, look for learning programmes which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. Many studies have proved that memory is aided when we receive multi-sensorial input, and we get practically involved in what we're studying.

Search for a course where you'll get a host of CD and DVD ROM's - you'll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, with the facility to fine-tune your skills in fully interactive practice sessions. Any company that you're considering must be pushed to demo a few examples of the materials provided for study. You're looking for evidence of tutorial videos and demonstrations and a wide selection of interactive elements.

It's usually bad advice to opt for on-line only training. Connection quality and reliability varies hugely across most broadband providers, you should always obtain disc based courseware (On CD or DVD).

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