The Value of Career and Professional Certifications

After your degree: What's the Value of a Cisco Certification? DeVry V University CISCO '"|'"|" WHAT IS A CERTIFICATION? Professional certifications provide training to develop skills for specific jobs or companies. They help demonstrate enhanced knowledge and a proven ability to perform while increasing potential career opportunities. "There can be tremendous rewards for professionals who have the motivation and dedication to complete their certification," Ahmed Naumaan, PhD, national dean for DeVry University's College of Engineering & Information Sciences and David Bruno, faculty manager at DeVry University. “Job offers, promotions, and academic, professional and personal success are all potential outcomes of certifications." We asked Joni Blakeslee, a project engineer and network consulting engineer with Cisco Systems, Inc., to help shed some light on why they are so valuable. WHAT SETS CISCO CAREER CERTIFICATIONS APART? 2$ Network managers claim Cisco Certified employees helped reduce network support costs by an average of 31% because they are able to solve issues efficiently." WHO BENEFITS FROM A CISCO CAREER CERTIFICATION? Employees and businesses benefit. Research demonstrates employers place high value on the certification, with almost 3/4 agreeing Cisco Certified employees are more knowledgeable than their non-certified colleagues.? HOW DOES A CISCO CERTIFICATION DELIVER ADDED VALUE TO MY CAREER? Candidates with Cisco Career Certifications have taken a proactive step to demonstrate their commitment and show they have the knowledge to succeed in IT. Cisco Certifications are widely recognized by employers and industry professionals. HOW DO YOU EARN A CERTIFICATION? The process depends on the certification track you are pursuing. Generally, it may take a candidate a year, although many candidates attain it in fewer months. Achieving CCNP status requires approximately 2 years while CCIE R&S certification can take up to 3 years. Students can continue their education with in-classroom work, lab training and other hands-on experiences needed to achieve certification. AT WHAT STAGE SHOULD A STUDENT OR PROFESSIONAL CONSIDER PURSUING A CISCO CAREER CERTIFICATION? In today's tech savvy world, most businesses require technological design, implementation, troubleshooting and support. Students considering a career in any IT field should consider earning a certification to demonstrate their industry knowledge. The Cisco Networking Academy offers students and professionals classroom and hands-on training to support timely certifications. Networking and telecommunications is one of the hottest fields today, and it's projected to see growth in the future.? “Many job opportunities are available, but they are competitive, especially for entry-level networking technologists. A Cisco Certification helps minimize hiring risks for employers and provides a level of confidence that a candidate has the knowledge, skills and ability to become a productive member of their organization," says Bruno. Visit Cisco.com to learn more about the five levels of network certification, or visit devry.edu to learn more about the degree programs that include Cisco Networking Academy courses. “Networking and telecommunications are no longer luxuries; they have become mission-critical and simply must work," says Bruno. “The knowledge and skills gained with a Cisco Certification provide the tools to keep companies' networks running." Learn more at devry.edu http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/empkoyer_resources/pdfs/wp13CS4110_Employervalue.pdf * http://www.bls.gow/ooh/computer-and-infomation-technology/networkand-computer-systems-ad Is-administrators.htm DeVry University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLQ, www.ncahlc.org. In New York, DeVry University operates as DeVry College of New York. DeVry is certified to operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. DeVry University is authorized for operation by the THEC. www.state.tn.us/thec/. Nashville Campus - 3343 Perimeter Hill Dr., Nashville, TN 3721. Program availability varies by location. 02014 DeVry Educational Development Corp. All rights reserved. 4/14