Integrity, Dignity, or the 360?
Darby's Woodshed : Darby Weaver
Narbik,
Integrity, Dignity, or the 360?
I'm afraid I cannot attend the training I requested a quote for earlier this year for the 2 week training course offering scheduled for the end of April. I do not wish to be assumed to need or require any assistance to pass the CCIE Lab that is not afforded to any other CCIE Candidates. I sincerely hope all other potential CCIE Candidates do likewise and cancel training with any vendors who let money and prejudice supercede quality training.
I would rather lose two of my three weeks of paid training this year that I have received my quote from Narbik, than accept any form of favortism with regard to the CCIE Lab. I've taken the lab and failed on 6 attempts all on my own.... if I have 6 more times, it will be all on my own and not because someone showed any form of favortism to me to pass this lab exam. I am sure many if not everyone in the entire global CCIE Community will feel this way but I'd like to hope so.
I will compile the entire list of complaints from various forums, mailing lists, blogs, twitter, etc. to demonstrate the ovewhelming negativity that this initiative has produced on a global basis. Even eligible students of the Cisco 360 are in awe it seems and I'm hard pressed to find a single (non-vendor) show of support for this initiative which is appears to be univerally viewed as a lowering of the standards for the CCIE Certification.
I'm sure this is probably an April Fool's Joke of some sort... It still can be (hint).
I understand Cisco is a big company and could probably care less what one training one CCIE Candidate attends - that's why I've copied Eman Conde so that this sincere letter can be published publicly in hopes of gaining more grass roots support from the entire CCIE Community on a more global basis.
Sorry but I prefer to not be a part of anything so unthinkably unfair to anyone else.
For those on the list who may be unaware: I've previously attended NMC-1/NMC-2 (think CCIERS-1 and CCIERS-2) and I've attended training with Narbik as well. I've also been a client of everyone on this list in the past for one or more products in some capacity.
If OEQ's are too hard and are a burden for the Cisco 360 Trainers to properly and consistently train their own students for, then why should any CCIE Candidate have to sit the questions.
Either remove the OEQ for all CCIE Candidates or Remove it for None!
"Paying for Points" should never have ever been an option in my opinion.
Sincerely,
Darby Weaver
Network Engineer
Anyone who likes may reproduce this open letter publicly. I'm going to see if I can spend my training dollars elsewhere I'd advise others to do the same.
Copy:
Narbik Kocharians, Micronicstraining, Cisco 360 Training Partner Ricks Smith, Cisco 360 Program Manager Brad Ellis, CCBootcamp, Cisco 360 Training Partner Brian McGahan, InternetworkExpert, Independent CCIE Training Provider (with CCIE v4.0 passing students) Wayne Lawson, IPexpert, Independent CCIE Training Provider (with CCIE v4.0 passing students) Bruce Caslow, NetMasterClass, Cisco 360 Training Partner
Overview
Learning@Cisco and the CCIE lab exam team has adopted a policy to allow learners who complete an instructor-led training in the Cisco 360 Learning Program to receive a waiver on the Core Knowledge (Open Ended Questions) section of their CCIE lab exam. The waiver, essentially provides the equivalent of a passing score on the Core Knowledge section, without requiring the candidate to actually answer the questions. Candidates who qualify for a waiver can move directly on to the next section of the CCIE lab exam and skip the Core Knowledge section. Candidates who wish to receive a waiver must attend at least one Cisco 360 Learning Program Boot Camp, complete the associated class labs, and request and receive instructor approval for the waiver.
Qualifying Training Courses
- The following courses qualify for the CCIE Core Knowledge Waiver:
- CCIE Routing and Switching: CIERS1 and CIERS2
- CCIE Voice: CIEV1 and CIEV2
Candidate Responsibilities
At least 45 days before the exam date, a candidate who has completed one of the qualifying training courses and has scheduled their lab exam, should contact their Cisco Learning Solutions partner and request an approval for the waiver. The Cisco Learning Solutions Partner will contact Cisco and request that the waiver be executed for the candidate. Candidates have one year from the date of the training course to request their waiver. Candidates are able to use the original waiver for multiple CCIE Lab Exam attempts if needed during the allotted time period, which is one year from the last day of the training course. The candidate will not be required to answer the Core Knowledge section questions and will be able to move immediately to the next section of the exam. No extra time is given to the candidate, rather s/he is allowed to use the total exam time on the other sections as s/he desires.
Darby Weaver
Network Engineer