A Cisco training course is the way to go for those who want to learn about routers. Routers are what connect networks of computers over the internet or lines dedicated for that purpose. It's a good idea that initially you should go for your CCNA. It's not advisable to launch directly into the CCNP because it is very complex - and you'll need the CCNA and experience first before you take this on.

As routers are connected to networks, it is essential to have an understanding of the operation of networks, or you will be out of your depth with the course and not be able to do the work. Find a training programme that includes basic networking skills (for example CompTIA) prior to starting your CCNA.

If routers are a new thing for you, then working up to and including the CCNA is all you'll be able to cope with - at this stage avoid being tempted to do the CCNP. Once you've worked for a few years, you can decide if CCNP is something you want to do.

Traditional teaching in classrooms, with books and manuals, is an up-hill struggle for the majority of us. If all this is ringing some familiar bells, dig around for more practical courses that are multimedia based. Memory is vastly improved with an involvement of all our senses - educational experts have expounded on this for as long as we can remember.

Fully interactive motion videos with demonstrations and practice sessions will turn you off book-based study for ever more. And they're a lot more fun to do. You'll definitely want a training material demonstration from any training college. The materials should incorporate expert-led demonstrations, slideshows and fully interactive skills-lab's.

Pick actual CD or DVD ROM's wherever available. You can then avoid all the difficulties of broadband 'downtime' or slow-speeds.

Students often end up having issues because of a single training area which is often not even considered: The method used to 'segment' the courseware before being physically delivered to you. The majority of training companies will set up a program spread over 1-3 years, and deliver each piece one-by-one as you finish each section. This sounds reasonable until you consider the following: Maybe the order of study insisted on by the company won't suit you. What if you find it hard to complete all the modules inside of their particular timetable?

In all honesty, the best solution is to have a copy of their prescribed order of study, but get everything up-front. Meaning you've got it all in case you don't finish at their required pace.

Adding in the cost of exams up-front then including an exam guarantee is popular with a good many training companies. However, let's consider what's really going on:

In this day and age, we're a little bit more aware of sales ploys - and the majority of us ought to realise that of course we're actually paying for it (it isn't free or out of the goodness of their hearts!) Students who take each progressive exam, paying as they go are much more likely to pass. They are thoughtful of their spending and take the necessary steps to ensure they are ready.

Why should you pay a college at the start of the course for exams? Find the best exam deal or offer at the time, don't pay mark-ups - and sit exams more locally - rather than possibly hours away from your area. A great deal of money is netted by many companies that get money for exam fees in advance. Many students don't take them for one reason or another and so they pocket the rest. Astoundingly enough, there are training companies that actually bank on it - and that's how they increase their profits. It's also worth noting that exam guarantees often have very little value. Many training companies won't pay again for an exam until you're able to demonstrate an excellent mock pass rate.

On average, exams cost 112 pounds or thereabouts last year through UK VUE or Prometric centres. Therefore, why splash out often many hundreds of pounds extra to have 'Exam Guarantees', when it's no secret that the responsible approach is a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools.

A capable and professional consultant (in contrast with a salesperson) will want to thoroughly discuss your current level of ability and experience. This is vital for working out the starting point for your education. If you have a strong background, or maybe some real-world experience (some industry qualifications maybe?) then it's more than likely your starting level will be quite dissimilar from someone with no background whatsoever. If you're a student starting IT studies and exams from scratch, it can be useful to ease in gradually, kicking off with some basic user skills first. Usually this is packaged with most accreditation programs.

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