Get started now!
Contact:
Mike Fuszner
mfuszner@stchas.edu
636-922-8322
General Information
Programs
The job market is strong for
IT workers, according to the Department of Labor. Employment
opportunities are expected to increase much faster than the
average. See the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm
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 St. Charles Community College has
partnered with Cisco Systems to train IT professionals –
teaching students the skills necessary to program routers and
switches and to design, implement, and troubleshoot enterprise
networks. You'll learn the fundamentals of networking, routing
and switching in our state-of-the-art lab by working on real
equipment. The Academy prepares you for industry certifications
such as CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), CCNP (Cisco
Certified Network Professional), and the CCNA specialties of
Security, Voice and Wireless.
The online curriculum is coupled with extensive hands-on
experience with routers and switches in our lab. Preview a
sample of the online curriculum here.
Cisco divides CCNA training into 8-week sessions. Each
8-week session is another class. You will complete two 8-week
classes within a regular college semester. There are four
8-week classes in the CCNA program consisting of CCNA1 thru
CCNA4.
CCNP training consists of three classes. You must complete
CCNA training or hold a current CCNA certification to take CCNP
classes. CCNP1 (ROUTE) and CCNP2 (SWITCH) may be taken in
either order. You must complete both ROUTE and SWITCH before
taking CCNP3 (TSHOOT).
The CCNA Specialty classes are each one semester in length.
Specialty classes include CCNA Security, CCNA Wireless, and
CCNA Voice Over IP. You must complete CCNA training or hold a
current CCNA certification before taking the CCNA Specialty
classes.
There are no prerequisite classes for starting the program with
CPC 170: CCNA1.
Getting Started is Easy!
If you have never been an SCC student, you must complete an
Application for
Admissions and the Class Add/Drop
form. Current SCC students may register online. There are
no prerequisites to getting started with CPC 170: CCNA1.
You may pick and choose specific class sequences as you work
towards certifications. However, if you plan to earn a degree,
please visit our counseling department early in your
training.
If you have further questions, contact Mike Fuszner via e-mail
at mfuszner@stchas.edu
to set up a time to meet. You'll have a chance to talk about
your background, experience, goals, take a brief tour, and
prepare to sign-up for classes if the program fits your
educational needs.
Some classes fill up quickly. Students register on a
first-come, first-served basis. It is suggested that you
register as soon as registration opens up each semester. Spring
registration usually begins in late October; fall and summer
registration usually begin in early April.
Students may enter the CCNA or CCNP program twice per year
(August and January). Sufficient enrollment is required to run
a class. Classes meet once or twice per week. In addition,
students need to spend additional time in the Cisco lab outside
of class.
Training consists of presentations, online learning, and
hands-on lab exercises where students apply what they learn in
class while working on actual networks. Evening classes usually
meet from 5:30 to 10 p.m. All classes are lab-intensive.
Our Cisco lab is equipped with numerous routers and switches
to allow students real hands-on training. Current routers in
use include the 2600 series and 2800 integrated services
routers. Current switches in use include the 2900 series, the
2950, 2960, and layer three 3550 and 3560 switches.
Students should plan on five to ten hours per week in class,
several additional hours in the Cisco lab outside of class,
several hours outside of class reviewing the online curriculum,
and completing any labs not finished within class outside of
class.
Hybrid CCNA classes allow students to have more control over
their schedule. The hybrid approach is called a blended
distance learning format by Cisco. It has been developed for
non-traditional students with family and job responsibilities,
although any student is eligible. Its purpose is to provide the
student with greater flexibility in their time management. All
four 8-week CCNA classes are offered in both a hybrid format or
as a traditional class.
Hybrid classes require the same amount of work as a
traditional class. Instead of meeting as a regular, traditional
class twice per week, hybrid classes meet only once per week
– usually on a Monday evening. Students will need to
spend additional time on campus in the open Cisco lab to keep
up with their lab assignments.
The open Cisco lab is available one or two evenings during
the week in addition to Saturday mornings. Students may choose
when to come in to use the open lab and how often based on
their needs. Some students may need to spend less time on
campus than others in a hybrid class. In addition, some
students have routers and switches at home or on their job that
may be used to work on labs off campus.
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