Choosing between an IT and/or Technical certification and a Bachelor's degree?

2015-10-12T18:27:24-04:00

I know that the “Old School of Thought” was that we had to get a Bachelor’s Degree to get a good paying job.
That was our dream, right? …that was our parent’s dream for us and that was our dream for our kids.
But in today’s society where technology has taken over the world; a Bachelor’s Degree doesn’t quite cut it anymore and certifications, like the CCNA, have creeped up and are on the rise.
I mean, if you think about it; Bill Gates, Sir Richard Branson and Paul Mitchell are just a few examples of how one can make it to the top without any degree, and in some cases not even a High School Diploma.
I guess the most recognizable figure we know of today, who dropped out of college and who was quoted to say the following:
“I'm an educational technologist and e-learning person who believes that the disruption caused by modern communication technologies will lead to better systems of higher education and a re-invention of what universities should be about.”
This of course was non-other than the great visionary of our times, Steve Jobs when he addressed the Stanford University graduating class of 2005.
Imagine that!...a person with NO degree, giving the commencement speech at Stanford.
However, most of us do need something to replace a Bachelor’s degree and that’s where the CCNA certification comes into play.
Degrees, while nice to have, are totally overrated! Not to mention, extremely expensive (you can literally come out of college with 100’s of thousands of dollars in debt mean while a CCNA test is just a few hundred bucks. Not to mention that for about a dollar a day you can get prepared for the CCNA certification exam by joining an e-learning platform like Lynda.com).
I mean, is it really feasible to spend 2 to 4 years studying, to then find a job, to then start paying off your student loans and at the same time make ends meet? …what about your bills, your family and putting food on the table?
With a CCNA certification you can hit the ground running. You don’t have to be eating Ramen Noodles for 4 years to then start looking for a job.

Subsequently, you would now have to rethink the whole educational approach.
Let’s analyze this.
What does a Computer Science Degree from 1975 have to do with a Network Engineer in 2015?
Absolutely nothing! …these two are worlds apart.
The internet wasn’t even available to the public until 1991, so that in itself makes the 1975 BS degree irrelevant.
Not convinced?...let me illustrate this further.
If you have a Law Degree from Harvard, can you practice in the U.K? …I highly doubt it. You are basically stuck. You might not even be able to practice from State to State.
That’s the beauty of certifications…no limits, no boundaries, no bureaucracy!
We are living is such a fast paced environment that we need things yesterday. Fortunately, that void has also been filled by certifications.
Our society is obsessed with the “NOW” factor…we need a job NOW, because we need money NOW, to buy the new iPhone NOW!
Thankfully, a CCNA certification will provide you with that indispensable factor - NOW!
Anyone can achieve the CCNA certification within a few short months and can actually start working in a related field shortly after that. Heck, you can even maintain your current job, while you prepare for the CCNA. This means that there is really no downtime to getting an industry specific certification.
I do want to clarify something though and want to make it perfectly clear; just because you want a CCNA doesn’t mean that you’ll always get what you want.
It really depends on four (4) things to ultimately be the determining factor.
Actually these are the key ingredients for anyone wanting to succeed:
(1) The desire to be successful! You want this so bad that you can taste it. You know that your future and/or your family’s future depends on it.
(2) The dedication to sacrifice and plough through the obstacles…and yes, there will be many obstacles. It’s called “LIFE”.
(3) The determination that no matter what, you will achieve success, because “failure is simply not an option”.
(4) The discipline to be focused and do what must be done to reach your goal. Keeping your eye on the price should be first priority. Sleep might be out of the question, but this only means that you will “adapt and overcome”.
For anyone that possesses these attributes…the sky’s the limit!
As previously mentioned, certifications have come to disrupt the educational system for the better. And e-learning platforms, like Lynda.com, have taken over and have often, either enhanced, or in some instances, replaced institutions like colleges and universities.
E-learning platforms have made it easier for anyone and everyone that wants an education to easily attain one.
There are no longer excuses not to get a good paying job. No longer does where you were born, your pedigree, your educational nor economic status play a role in your future…but rather you, yourself, are the only determining factor.
Ever since education became limitless and highly affordable (thanks in part to the Internet); we all have, for the first time in the history of the world, the ability to acquire an education if we chose to do so.
The CCNA certification has certainly made it to the top of this list! It is one of the most sought out certifications in the world and it has provided many with financial stability that they would not have had otherwise.
All you really need to do is look at the top recruiting companies like Indeed, Simply Hired, or Career Builder and you will see that most of the jobs advertised in the IT fields, and of course I’m talking specifically for a Networking position, is the need to have a CCNA certification.
This of course plays into “Job Security”, which I believe to be a myth.
Did you know that a CCNA certification can be the determining factor between remaining employed and getting laid off? It doesn’t even matter if you’ve been with the company for the past 5, 10, 15 or 20 years?
Job security, like I said earlier, is a myth…you and I are replaceable!
How do I know this?... because I speak from experience.
“I was on an assignment to train 30 well trained and experienced employees of a large Telecom company back in 2012 to get them prepared to take and pass the CCNA certification exam.
They had to either get their CCNA or be terminated.
It didn’t matter that they were doing their jobs correctly for the past decade or so…no, no, no…they had to be certified or else!
As it turned out, it was a life changing experience for me as well. For you see, not only did they pass their CCNA, but I was hired by the same company once I finished my training assignment and ultimately that paved the way for where I am today”.
Going for a certification means you can study on your own terms and at your own pace.
There are no more time constraints and you have the freedom to learn from your home, from the back of a bus or a flight going across the globe.
Remember, employers are willing to hire you much faster if you have certification & experience, than if you just have a Bachelor’s Degree.
This, of course, doesn’t mean that you should not get a Bachelor’s degree if you can. After all, the more paper you have to show, the more likelihood you have of getting the position you desire. However, you now have options.
In other words, a “Bachelor’s Degree” is no longer the status quo.
Now let’s take a look at what today’s employers are looking for when they are interviewing:
1. Employers want a person that has skills.
Cisco’s CCNA certification gages your knowledge in Networking and passing it certifies that you are skillful in the basics of networking.
The only way employers can gage your knowledge is through testing, and that’s precisely what a certification does…it lets employers know that you have been tested in a particular area. It certifies that you have passed the minimum requirement for a particular field in IT.
After all, they already know everything else about you from your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page.
2. Employers want global employees.
Remember that we live in a global environment and physical boundaries or borders are no longer a constraint.
That’s the beauty of certifications. They have only one standard, and no matter where you are physically located, your certification is globally recognized.
This is why I currently have over 35K+ students (and counting), in over 179 countries all learning and preparing for the CCNA!
This means that a student from Kenya can get the same CCNA certification as a student from Finland and they both have the same exact credentials and basic knowledge because the test is the same worldwide.
And I can certainly attest to that, because students from those countries have indeed been able to get their CCNA certification with my online courses through various e-learning platforms.
For you it means that if you received your Cisco certification in the U.S., you can relocate to Germany or Spain or Japan and your certification goes with you.
You have now become a worldwide candidate in a Global market!
3. Employers want people that are up to date in their field. Technology is constantly evolving and you must evolve with it.
This is really a no-brainer!
Certifications, unlike degrees, have a shelf life and you need to re-certify every couple of years to make sure you continue to be skillful and knowledgeable in the newest technologies.
And employers are catching on!
Companies are no longer making a determination to hire solely based on a Bachelor’s Degree. They will actually give you a scenario and tell you to fix the problem at hand; or put you in front of a computer and will give you a hands-on test.
The only way you’ll be able pass the 1st interview phase is by actually doing the job. This is where certifications come into play.
Of course, you must first learn to crawl before you can walk and that’s what the CCNA certification is all about.
It is the foundation of Networking and will pave the road for the higher certifications within Cisco.

~ Lazaro Diaz
Cisco Instructor

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Oct 12 at 2015 6:32 PM

2015-10-12T18:32:45-04:00

SPC Lazaro (Laz) Diaz I am going back to school and trying to get into the IT/Field, everybody got laid off except IT. This is a growing field I will seek with a certification first.

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Oct 12 at 2015 7:07 PM

2015-10-12T19:07:12-04:00

I think at this point one needs a bachelors degree and some certs, the days of one or the other are over... though in saying this I mean for higher end work or management.

Response by PVT Robert Gresham made Oct 12 at 2015 8:52 PM

2015-10-12T20:52:12-04:00

SPC Lazaro (Laz) Diaz Why would you ask the question, just to basically go on a long rhetoric stating that CCNA is the ONLY way to go? CCNA may be the answer in certain LIMITED fields. But, it's not going to replace a good Bachelor's-level degree in any field other than IT. And is it not true that the CCNA certification is an ASSOCIATE'S-LEVEL Cisco Career certification, only?

I find it interesting that you wrote , "If you have a Law Degree from Harvard, can you practice in the U.K? …I highly doubt it." So you don't know, and you are just guessing? Actually, it is possible to use a US degree (even a Law degree, especially if you specialize in International Law) to open doors in European companies, as many deal with the US, and US Law on a daily basis. (I lived in Europe for over 20 years.)

Does it require some extra work to get that Bachelor's degree as a opposed to a CCNA? Doesn't that come back, once again to your four '(4) things to ultimately be a determining factor' in getting an education? The same key ingredients for anyone wanting to succeed?
'(1) The desire to be successful!' (2) 'The dedication to sacrifice that's called “LIFE”.' (3) 'The determination that no matter what, you will achieve success, because “failure is simply not an option”.' (4) 'Discipline to do what must be done to reach your goal. To “adapt and overcome”.'

I have no problem with CCNA, or those who wish to pursue it with a goal of a Cisco-Certified Network Associate certification, "with "CCNA Routing and Switching" being closest to the original CCNA focus; other types of CCNA focus on security, collaboration, data centers, service providers, video, voice, and wireless." However, to make the blanket statement that, "... in today’s society where technology has taken over the world; a Bachelor’s Degree doesn’t quite cut it anymore." is extremely misleading.

As you are an instructor for Cisco, I can see how you might be trying to recruit from the excellent RP field of potential candidates, but staying within the lines of reality are equally as important to recruiting as giving a strong "sales pitch".

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2015 11:20 PM

2015-10-12T23:20:45-04:00

Obtaining a certification or certifications is good, but you will not regret obtaining a Bachelor's degree.

Response by SSG John Erny made Oct 13 at 2015 10:42 AM

2015-10-13T10:42:51-04:00

A lot of people who are skilled in the IT field have certifications and no degree; they may have attended a tech school vs. a traditional 4 year school. The thing with IT is that changes happen faster than a 4 year cycle, so you are always learning new software and hardware. You have to be a computer geek at heart and live and breath it.
With a degree in the Mix you may have a competitive edge over the rest of the field if you have the skills to back it up. These folks tend to rise to managerial jobs or senior tech roles. With certifications you do have paper tigers who bought "study guides" from questionable websites and memorized questions that nearly match the test. Check for the study material being approved by Microsoft or what ever the vendor is, there is nothing wrong with these vendors. In fact many colleges use them with their course work. UMUC the school I attend uses testout.com.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 13 at 2015 11:55 AM

2015-10-13T11:55:05-04:00

I have both a short and long answer to this, for the time being will go with the shorter. All in all, I would say also is how you sell yourself in a sense - off course it's better to have more on paper, but if I was a hiring official or recruiter, I would want someone that is knowledgeable and can figure out how to troubleshoot/find out if he doesn't know quick. Reality is, whatever IT job you hold, in this example networking, you might not know all of most of the IOS commands right away. In conclusion, my opinion is that a certificate holds more weight than a 4 year education, and the reason I say this is my perspective of work experience (ideally) vs. sitting in a classroom for 4 years (keep in mind, not all of the classes and that time is dedicated solely for networking knowledge for example). Going back to what I said earlier, and adding a bit to it, I would hire an IT-vet (USMC preferably), and would ask him specific questions on what he's done to gauge him. Relating to what you, the OP, was referring to, CCNA is a great certificate, and it should be a great way to let the employers know where you stand. One thing though, I've met people with various certifications, and no practical knowledge, which means they are excellent test takers..... kind of a risk....
Ultimately, I support pursuing a degree regardless, won't hurt and would enable you to fill a higher position within an organization. Just my 3 cents.

I myself am pursuing a CCNA, but keep getting it delayed due to work and family schedules (I currently work in a place that technically requires a CCNP, but focus more on the server/VM/SQL side).

Response by MSG Roger Mannon made Oct 13 at 2015 12:02 PM

2015-10-13T12:02:13-04:00

I got my Bachelor's degree in Computer Science after I retired. The degree got me hired but technical certifications (CCNA, CCNE, Etc.) are the things that got me pay raises and promotions in the civilian world.

Response by Cpl Tou Lee Yang made Oct 14 at 2015 4:36 AM

2015-10-14T04:36:20-04:00

I got my BAS in Informaiton Technology, so far no luck in finding a job.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 5:51 PM

2015-10-14T17:51:48-04:00

If you get the certification, you will likely also have earned some serious college credits toward your degree. Get the certification first, use that cert to get a job and then nickle and dime college courses at night till you have your degree. Between military experience and a few serious certifications, you are likely farther along than you think.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 6:33 PM

2015-10-14T18:33:01-04:00

If you are planning on going into the IT field, plan on continuous learning and re-certification. Also, be flexible and stay up to date on the latest trends and tech, otherwise be left behind or worse replaced.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 15 at 2015 11:23 AM

2015-10-15T11:23:12-04:00

I know what I'm about to say has been covered to some extent but I feel the need to deposit my two cents, let me check my pockets...
As a Network Engineer and Security Analyst who has quite a few certs as it is, I will say that CCNA, while it is a worth while cert, is an entry level certification. Your write-up seems to be misleading in the fact that employers would give a job to someone with this certification alone and that's definitely not the case. The number 1 boost to a resume is experience; hands down. If you have 5 years experience as a Network Engineer with hands on time configuring network devices, troubleshooting, designing architecture, and streamlining services with security in mind, and have a hand full of certs like CCNA, CCNP, CISSP, etc, then you have a solid shot at gaining one of those lucrative positions that everyone talks about. But if you forego college, get your CCNA, and then apply for any networking job, you'll likely get laughed out of the office.

CCNA is a start, but without more training you'll be ill-equipped to perform any job seriously. What combination of certs, experience, and college really depends on what job you're applying for or what field you're looking to branch into. In the end, yes, certifications will carry more weight than a degree in Computer Science. But, you better have more than CCNA. And, if you're thinking about staying in the field and really climbing the ladder to those 100k plus jobs, most employers are going to require some form of formal education like a degree. Why? Because it's not just about hands on the keyboard and hand jamming commands all day. You have manage, direct, make policy, implement best practices, and train. CCNA won't teach you that stuff and most other certs won't either.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 15 at 2015 11:31 AM

2015-10-15T11:31:28-04:00

Also, if you're really a veteran and got out as a Specialist, awesome. But, the whole retired 18X thing is obviously false since you can't retire as an 18X. As a matter of fact In pretty sure the X-ray program wasn't even around in the '80s. I'm not a moderator but if you're gonna fill in an MOS, at least put the real one.

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Oct 15 at 2015 11:46 AM

2015-10-15T11:46:06-04:00

Look into IT in Cyber Security, that can give you all three, there are universities that offer a combination of all three and yes there are Tech School that will give you either It or Tech certification but look into the future and see where you are going.

Response by CW3 Jim Norris made Oct 15 at 2015 3:31 PM

2015-10-15T15:31:58-04:00

I think you'll find that both are required. You may get entry level technical jobs without that BS, but you will stagnant at that level. If you're the entrepreneur type - all bets are off, you invent a better mouse trap and the world will beat a path to your door as they say. The average Joe, like me, is often required to produce both kinds of paper to prove my ability to do the job....or at least be 'certified' to do the job....the college is just to make sure I can write a cogent sentence or two if needed....

Response by MSgt April Monthie made Oct 26 at 2015 6:43 PM

2015-10-26T18:43:48-04:00

Degree are normally worth more then a degree when getting your foot in the door.
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Response by LCpl Steven Fiore made Oct 29 at 2015 1:36 AM

2015-10-29T01:36:46-04:00

When I left the service, I went into Cisco networking. There really is no better foundation of infrastructure skills in my opinion. That being said, the CCNA isn't going to get you very far. It should get your foot in the door, but without a CCNP, a networking career is going to be very rough.

I was a Cisco brainwashed child, Hell, I would have tattooed their name on my ass at one point. I thought "if it isn't Cisco, it's worthless." After near 15 years in IT now, I still believe the CCNA is a good entry into IT, but the path is harder than it needs to be. If you go for Cisco or Microsoft certs (think CCNA, MCSE) just realize everyone else is going to have it.

Become vendor agnostic quickly. Look at niches in the industry. Juniper has a great line of products, that many don't know. I personally think the SRX / IVE (SA) systems are great niches. Look into load balancing, F5 or Netscaler people are always in demand and come with a very high paycheck. If you really want to move up quickly and get a great job, look into proxies like Bluecoat. No one wants to deal with proxies. Chosing a less competitive area can be more important than all of the education you can grab.

I personally don't even put my schooling on my resume (I got an associates for fun a few years ago). IT is one of the ONLY fields out there, were degrees are worthless. Experience trumps all. Now, i'll get hate on that one for sure, but seriously all of my peers don't have degrees and we all have extremely high paying jobs.

I got my CISSP last year, just to get a raise. Education is nice, but keeping up on trends and knowing a few things really well is what matters. Having large project wins under your belt helps too.

Honestly, spending time to do some F5, or bluecoat training on your own. Firing up a virtual machine and playing around with them. Learning how to set them up, troubleshoot (biggest), and practicing will serve you better.

Again, CCNA is a great foundation, but it will be a hard progression upward. Easier to lat move into a niche, then lat move back, later.

just throwing it out there, but f5 used to have their entry course for free online with labs. I don't know if they do anymore, but it was from like f5 university or something.

Response by GySgt Carl Rumbolo made Jan 4 at 2016 11:44 PM

2016-01-04T23:44:04-05:00

From my experience, certification with experience, I will hire someone with 2 or 3 years of work experience and a CCNA or CCNP, or similar cert before I hire some one with a BA or BS and no cert. Some one with high level certs like CCIE or CISSP and a proven work background will get noticed in a job search degree or not