Ever heard of "ICTP" 1

[seaport]

Has anyone heard of "ICTP (international consortium of technology professionals)"? Basiclly, this company provides training to IT pros,and they will pay back to the company after getting a job, with the help from the company.

For my six month's training, the cost is $17,000. I feel it very expensive. However, it seems worthwhile if the company can really help me get a job.

Any comments?

Seaport

 

[Kjonnnn]

So what do they teach you for 17K?

 

[BeckahC]

Ouch!! I thought 4 classes for $4k was expensive!

What kind of training do they have specifically? BeckahC

 

[seaport]

$17,000 is for completing CCIE written test.

I got a master in IS, but only a littel experience in school computer lab. So is the training worthwhile?

I am in Southern California. Has anyone heard of that company ICTP?

Seaport

 

[dwmatteson]

Hi Seaport --

This is just my 2 cents, but I don't think I'd do it. There are a few reasons for this:

1) The training might be garbage. With people scrambling to get into IT, there are a lot of not-so-scrupulous folks who are happy to take lots of money for a sub-par product. If it's an all-or-nothing deal, I'd certainly say no to that!

2) Even if you have experience with IT generally, you might find that you don't really enjoy working with Cisco products or that your heart doesn't really lie with the whole switching/routing/WAN/etc. path. You might decide that you'd much rather focus on databases or web design. You'd be surprised at how much things change once you're in the field.

<Personal Anecdote> I was going to be an academic sociologist, teaching and doing research for publication) until I decided that I liked computers and networking better. I'm almost finished with a Ph.D. in sociology, but fat lot of good that's going to do me!
</Personal Anecdote>

3) Let's say you get started on your break-neck CCIE studies. What if you get sick and have to miss a bunch of classes? Do they have any policy that guarantees you a spot in a future class as soon as you're better?

<Anecdote>I know a fellow who was taking a bunch of IT classes with a well-known company (i.e., pretty good national reputation, wide variety of courses, promises a lot in not much time) and he got a bad case of the flu in the middle of his Novell CNE training track. He'd already finished the A+ and NT4 MCSE tracks and had demonstrated that he learns quickly and could catch up without too much trouble. They told him that he couldn't come back and finish that session (he'd missed about a week), and they'd call him when there was an open spot in a future class. That was over 2 years ago and he's still waiting (he's contacted them several times, but they keep giving him the run-around). In the meantime, he's working for a hardwood floor installation company and he's about $10,000 lighter (worse: he's paying interest on a loan).</Anecdote>

4) Does the cost include exam fees? Exams average around $125 -- probably more for some of the practical lab exams (I don't know the exact numbers for Cisco exams)-- and there are a lot of exams on your way to the CCIE. That's potentially a lot of additional expense that you'll have to incur above and beyond training.

In short, for what amounts to $34,000/year, I'm skeptical. The training might be excellent and all, but when it comes down to it, you'll really still have a certification and little/no in-the-field experience. Just my thoughts.

Don

 

[seaport]

Don,

Thank you so much for your insights. This contact seems too risky to me.

I might still follow the CCIE track to get the certificate, but I will do it on my own. Although I need to invest some money on books and equipments, it is surely less then $17,000.

Thanks again.

Seaport

 

[Guest_imported]

I dont mean to discourage you guys, but getting your CCIE cert without min 3-5 of experience working with cisco routers will do you no good. the hands on CCIE exam is like $1000 US, and plus you need at least 3 years of experience to past it. no company is going to let you touch your routers without 2-3 of expereince working with them, take it from me. After getting CCNA I thought at least they would even let me have a look at it but no I didn't even let me go near the routers.

my $0.2

cheers