I guess I´m not the only one who feels that 2008 was an exciting year! In all terms!
Starting with training for CCIE certifications, have you checked all the activity during this year!? Impressive! It was a great year to take the decision (like I did) to start the CCIE preparation!
Narbik Kocharians Bootcamp/Workbook was (and still is) considered by many as the “standart” for the CCIE R&S preparation this year.
IPExpert Blended Learning Solutions arrived in July/08, and it changed forever the concept of Video-on-Demand, with hours of “entertainment”. Also they start a new Online Bootcamp training for those (like me) who are unnable to travel to attend a live one!
Internetwork Expert released the CCIE 2.0 with a new concept were instructors and students interacts as we never saw before!
Not forgetting that Cisco saw a big opportunity in this market and released their 360 Program, which, in fact is the old NetMasterClass stuff with a new label.
CCDE and CCIE Wireless certification were released! New paths for “hungry” minds who wish to achieve those certifications!
Now, in the industry, the CCIE certification is recognized as one of the TOP certifications in all world! It´s respected! The CCIE Certified Engineer has already proven during his certification process that he/she can handle stressful situations, deal with complexity issues (technically speaking), and of course, offer solutions to the most strange requirements possible!
Now, let me ask you something, even with the economy the way it is nowadays, how many “unnemployed” CCIEs do you know?!
Think for a while… Probably none, at most just a few who are between jobs (or starting their own)!
That means, industry is not only worried with money, they´re worried with someone with high qualifications that can handle their network, their services, sometimes their core business! Industry (as always) looks for the best available resources, that fits their needs, and CCIE Engineers are those guys! The positions with most “responsabilities” will belong to high-qualified personel like CCIEs!
Now, if you´re thinking: GREAT! That´s what I need! I´ll get CCIE certified ASAP! I totally encourage you to do that (I´m doing myself), but keep in mind that to achieve a CCIE certification you´ll need to invest (yes, “invest” not “spend”) a considerable amount of money, and thousands of study hours, you´ll need to give up little things like your social life, dinner with family, and things like that to dedicate yourself all over it! But in the end… you´ll see how much it worths!
For 2009 I expect an even better scenario for CCIE Certified Engineers and candidates, with hundreds of job opportunities and new training offerings! If everything stays as it is now, we´ll be really close to CCIE# 30.000 by the end of this year that´s coming!