Industry practitioners' perceptions of embedded CCNA: A comparative study

Abstract or Summary

This paper studies workplace perceptions of the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) courses by people who studied CCNA. It also presents different views on whether industry certifications, academic qualifications and work experience are complementary. The paper analyses data from the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) and the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) as a case study of how well the courses meet the needs of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry in Hamilton and Invercargill. Conclusions are drawn about the effectiveness of embedding CCNA in these regions and course topics found to be most useful in the workplace are compared and highlighted. It is found that CCNA course topics are being used to varying extents in the ICT industry in both regions and these results are examined along with the perceived value of the courses for participants, new employees and employers. The research also reveals possible reasons for people who complete the four CCNA modules but do not sit the external exam to obtain the CCNA qualification.