IT professionals with Cisco certifications earn 8%-13% higher salaries than those without certification and IT professionals with Cisco certifications are more likely to become team leads or get promoted to more advanced positions as they gain experience.
Tandem provides 5 levels of Cisco certification: Entry, Associate, Professional, Expert and Architect, (the highest level of Cisco accreditation). Our Cisco training teaches IT Professionals to set up and manage complex Collaboration, Operations, Communications, and Security systems.
Reasons to get certified:
- Cisco is a trusted name in the industry. Cisco is one of the world’s leading providers of IT and networking solutions. That gives them a lot of credibility in the technology world. As a result, employers place a lot of trust in Cisco to certify knowledgeable workers. After all, who better to test your skill with technology than the people who created that technology? Adding a Cisco certification to your resume lets you benefit from their very reliable name.
- There are a wide variety of Cisco certifications to choose from. Cisco may specialize in computer networking, but there are dozens of specializations to choose from in their catalog of certifications. Whatever your particular IT interest is, there is probably a Cisco certification that is right for you. Interested in network design? Try a CCNA, CCDA, or CCDP. Is network security your thing? Then look into getting a CCSP. You can even specialize in voice, wireless, or storage networking. Research the type of specialization that interests you, and then plan out the certification path that suits your goals.
- Cisco certifications follow a distinct career path. Cisco makes it very easy to turn your certification pursuits into a career track. There are seven main paths for Cisco certification: Routing and Switching, Design, Network Security, Service Provider, Storage Networking, Voice, and Wireless. Each path contains a separate set of certifications that build on one another and prepare you for increasing levels of responsibility in your field of specialization. You can use these certification paths as a guide to building your career. Just find a position that requires the entry certification level, and then continue increasing your certification level and seek out new positions or internal promotions that match your current level of certification.
- Getting a lower-level certification prepares you for certifications higher up the chain. Cisco structures their certification paths in a unique way, where lower level certifications qualify you for more specialized certifications further up in the hierarchy. Most IT pros start out with the basic CCENT certification, which is a prerequisite for most other Cisco certifications. The Associate level CCNA certification usually follows, since it qualifies you for more certifications at the Professional and Expert level. This makes those low-level certifications even more valuable. Not only do they give you a boost in your career, but they also open up certification doors for you should you choose to advance your education and continue to specialize.
Types of Cisco Certifications:
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Cisco Entry Certifications:
Both the CCENT and the CCT certifications serve as starting points for individuals interested in starting a career as a networking professional.
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Cisco Associate Certifications:
The Associate level of Cisco Certifications can begin directly with CCNA for network installation, operations and troubleshooting or CCDA for network design. Think of the Associate Level as the foundation level of networking certification.
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Cisco Prefessional Certifications:
The Professional level is an advanced level of certification that shows more expertise with networking skills. Each certification covers a different technology to meet the needs of varying job roles.
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Cisco Expert Certifications:
The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification is accepted worldwide as the most prestigious networking certification in the industry.
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Cisco Architect Certifications:
Cisco Certified Architect is the highest level of accreditation achievable and recognizes the architectural expertise of network designers who can support the increasingly complex networks of global organizations and effectively translate business strategies into evolutionary technical strategies.