CCNA training: need recommendations

[oj88]

Ccna and i dare say, ccnp, doesnt carry weight anymore.
Heck, even fresh grads flaunt their certificates.

CCNA, I would agree. They don't hold as much weight as they used to. When I interview candidates for a networking job, I ask them at least a couple of hardball questions to figure out if they really earned their certs or they just hit the dumps to clear the exam.

CCNP, well... not many fresh grads would have the resources to go through CCNA (1 or 2 exams, as CCNA is a prerequisite) and THEN go further to get the CCNP (3 more exams). The required resources to achieve CCNP would usually come from an employer, with each exam costing roughly $300 (except ICND 1 & 2), it's not hard to guess why this is so. That said, by the transitive property of being experienced, CCNP guys tend to show more mastery of their craft than CCNAs in more ways than one.

Getting CCIE certified is a different animal. In fact, I failed my first lab attempt in Singapore. I retook it 8 months later in Sidney and passed. When I found out the next day that I passed, I remember being overly cautious crossing the street in Sidney (right-hand drive) and I keep whispering to myself; "Stay well clear of me, mates.... Precious cargo crossing the street". lol

Anyway, in Feb 2020, Cisco is retiring the CCNP certs and will be transitioned to something else that I imagine will be more relevant to today's tech.