I WILL get the ccna certification in 2 weeks. i started studying for the ccna 3 days ago, i’ve completed day 10 of jeremy it labs course. i have some previous knowledge from networking courses at my university. for now i am using jeremy’s it lab and hope to complete it all before my deadline. i am making handwritten notes for each day and my notebook is already 11 pages long. i will study 10 hours a day, drill the information into my head using my hand pen and notebook. the question i came here for is, even after learning and being confident with all the information on his course, can i do the ccna without the boson exams, im quite comfortable with exam formats since im still in university and midterms are coming up, and i am confident with the way i am studying, that all the information will stick, so will i need the boson exams or is there another free alternative i can use. i have no choice but to complete the ccna in 2 weeks and i will do it no matter what.

I started studying the ccna in May by watching Jeremy IT Lab. I finished his class in mid July. I brought his books as well as boson exsim and netsim, I also did all of Jeremy’s labs in packet tracer. I got sick twice in August (covid and a cold like 2 weeks after that) and in September I basically didn’t study because I had multiple job interviews (keep in mind I’ve been unemployed since July of last year due to layoffs, this job market sucks). I have two years of IT infrastructure experience, before my job I would say my IT experience was just building computers. Now I forgot to mention that in July I felt like I was ready to take the test at the end of August. So I bought the CCNA safeguard (you know, $375 option with a cheap retake if you fail). The problem with that is that is you have 90 days to take the test instead of a year. Also if you fail the test it’s a 5 day waiting period before you can take it again. I have the test now scheduled for oct 22nd, but I still feel like I’m not ready. I scored 43% on 2 boson practice test. My biggest struggle with the CCNA is retaining and applying what I’ve learned. I can usually understand a concept when it’s being explained, but when I have to recall it independently or apply it to a different scenario, I tend to mix up similar concepts, commands, and rules. It’s not necessarily that I don’t understand the material, but I struggle to distinguish when to use certain principles and commands, especially when the questions are worded differently from how I originally learned them. I’m considering switching to the JNCIA because the CCNA feels too broad, and I’m struggling to retain and apply everything, especially Cisco commands. I’ve passed CompTIA Security+, but the CCNA requires a different level of hands-on configuration and troubleshooting. Junos feels more intuitive to me, so I might focus on JNCIA first and revisit the CCNA before it changes in February. Anyone else has a problem like this? Anyway to fix my issues? Did anyone do the JNCIA first then CCNA? I know usually it’s the opposite.

Hey everyone,

I'm a 2025 BCA graduate, and I've recently received an offer for an Assistant Technical Support Engineer role at ChargePoint. The role involves night shifts from 8:30 PM to 5:30 AM, and I've decided to accept it to gain corporate exposure, build practical skills, and get some industry experience.

I'm still figuring out whether this is the right career move, but my current plan is to work on my technical skills alongside my job, particularly in computer networking, cloud infrastructure, and AWS certifications. In the long term, I’m also considering pursuing an MS in a field that aligns with my career goals.

I'd like to know whether this is a realistic plan if I'm consistent and willing to put in the work.

I'm particularly interested in computer networking and would appreciate some guidance on the following:

- Is computer networking a good career path in terms of job opportunities, career growth, and salary?

- How should a beginner start learning networking, and what skills or certifications should I focus on first?

- Would learning networking alongside AWS and cloud infrastructure be a good combination?

- What are the chances of transitioning into a networking or cloud-related role at a good company after gaining some experience?

- For those who have pursued a similar path, what would you recommend doing differently?

I'd really appreciate advice from experienced professionals, especially networking engineers and people working in cloud infrastructure.

I'm willing to put in the effort and build my skills, but I want to make informed decisions about my career rather than blindly pursuing certifications.

Thanks in advance for your guidance!

If anyone has any issue with there labs, and can't troubleshoot it, I am there to help you. Drop a message and i will be there to help you.