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I did it!

Ibrahim Mohamed
Mitch Garvis said:
While I spend most of my time teaching cybersecurity, most people know me as a Microsoft guy. I was a Microsoft MVP, a Technology Evangelist with Microsoft Canada, and a Fast Track Engineer with Microsoft (both as a contractor). I have probably delivered a thousand lectures on Microsoft technologies... to over ten thousand students and event attendees.

A month ago I received an email from a company I train for asking if I would deliver Linux+. I was surprised, but if I am going to follow my own advice (you only grow when you are outside of your comfort zone) then I have to try new things. I spent a couple of weeks studying and preparing for the exam, and the Saturday before the class was scheduled I passed.

I was surprised by the class. Firstly I was surprised by how comfortable I was in Linux. But also, I was surprised by how much fun I had teaching it! I had a small class (4 students) who were all mostly new to Linux, and I realized early that by showing them 'This is what we do in Linux... compare it to X in Windows' they were able to better understand a lot of concepts that they thought were foreign.

This morning I received my Evals, and while there were a few things the students didn't love (they were unimpressed with a lot of lab glitches), the Instructor scores were through the roof. I was thrilled!

There are some topics I will likely never teach. I was told when I first got my MCT that I could probably 'fake my way' through a lot of courses, but if I was not really a SQL Server expert that I should never try to teach SQL Server because they will know. I'll never forget that. I was worried a month ago that if I was going to make it through a week of Linux+ I would likely be faking it. It turns out that I know it a lot better than I thought I did, and I was not at all faking it. I had fun because I could go off the slides and just talk through demos... a lot more interesting than Death By PowerPoint.

I am not walking away from the Microsoft ecosystem. I have worked hard to learn it as well as I do, and frankly I think I teach it better than most of my peers. However I will definitely be spending more time in the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) that is a convenient feature of Windows 11, and will also be building a few more Linux servers in my lab environment (still built on Hyper-V). It will help not only for my Linux+, but also for my cybersecurity deliveries.
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Congratulations.

Totally agree about the point that you have to be out of your comfort zone sometimes to grow, to explore other possibilities.
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Pacing Course Excel Doc for Net+, Sec+?

D
Thanks. I know what the clients have for time, and based on what CompTIA recommends for the amount of time available, then that's what we'll go with. The pacing is just an excel document where you plug in how much time you want to take, and then the excel document will give you an idea of what the materials will be, etc. They are concerned about the timing and want to make sure they have the correct timing with what they want to allot for time.

It's perfectly reasonable to say a company cannot fail. This is a company with a positive track record of working with providing training for many companies. They are also a vendor that has a lot of competition. For them, and for me, it is imperative that we do not fail. We want to put our best foot foward, provide the best training, ensure we have the best outcomes, and ensure that people are employable. They understand all about measuring and metrics. This is a pretty simple ask and doesn't need to have a lot of extra complications in. We need that excel document to eusure we aren't asking for too much or too little, considering the amount of material provided by CertMaster. Or- maybe we will just build out our own materials. I've worked under both situations. Personally, I'd prefer to use CertMaster. I'll do whatever they want.

The other stuff you're asking are already taken under advisement and is included in their contract.

Thanks!
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Pacing Course Excel Doc for Net+, Sec+?

BrianFord
dlross said:
That is odd.

I am being hired by a bootcamp company that I convinced to purchase CertMaster.... except that they want to know realistically, what should be the timeline for teaching A+/Net+/Sec+. Without having that pacing plan, I can't convince them that the timeline they want to use would be realistic with CertMaster.
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The pacing plans is (are or were) just a recommendation from the course developers at CompTIA. I don't recall that they published a bootcamp version of the course when last I saw a pacing guide.
dlross said:
They also are thinking about just building out the materials to match their pacing.
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Problem solved? What's the client companies pacing?
dlross said:
I'd love to give them some realistic timelines, but it's just impossible to do for CertMaster Perform when there's no realistic schedules that I can show to match what they want. But I can certainly take their timeline and just build out the materials myself from scratch to match what they have.
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I lead bootcamps all the time. Some data points to consider are:
  • Do the students have all the prerequisites?
  • Are these students just starting their certification studies? How much time is being allocated for students learning? Are these folks attending a week long 9AM-5PM course or are they meeting less than 5 days a week for two to three hours per meeting? Lots of variability there.
  • Have the students had access to the course materials for self study for several weeks already? This is a pre-exam bootcamp were the students take the exam the following week.
dlross said:
I'll kind of guessimate it out and I guess they'll decide if they want to go with CertMaster, or if they just want me to build it out.
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You mentioned CertMaster Perform. You know that there are 30-odd hands on lab exercises in the Perform package. That's adding in the ballpark of 20 hours or more if lab completion is part of the bootcamp.
dlross said:
It's a win-win either way for me, since I'll be teaching it, no matter what they choose. I have the Instructor materials for all these certs. What I don't have is an idea of how to counsel them on if using CertMaster Perform, they'll meet their timelines.
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Yeah. I'd suggest that it takes the average instructor 35-38 hours to deliver the CertMaster Learn for Security+ in a bootcamp format with demos but without the labs. That makes the labs self study for the students.
dlross said:
They have state contracts. They can't afford to fail.
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As an instructor you need to be careful about that 'They can't afford to fail.' statement. Certifications are an individual skill assessment. As an instructor you can suggest things like:
  • Making sure that students have the prerequisites. Or require e a pre-course skills assessment. If they don't meet requirements you can add additional training upfront.
  • Even if they do have the prerequisite it's often helpful to offer short 'refreshers' for Network+ and Security+.
  • Including your own assessments into the class. Daily quizzes and / or weekly tests. I've seen some orgs tie passing assessments to receiving an exam voucher.
If this is a state funded program one idea is to have required assessments; like before lunch and at afternoon break and use timely completion (no make ups) as assessment and attendance data.

Good luck with that.
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Pacing Course Excel Doc for Net+, Sec+?

Mitch Garvis
dlross said:
I shot my CompTIA rep an email this morning asking for ONLY the excel documents. Hopefully, they provide it. I'd rather not have to build out the entire Net+/Sec+ learning material. I think that would kill me. Lol.
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Here is hoping and praying to whoever you pray to that you don't die over Net+/Sec+ :) Please let us know if your rep does provide :)
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Pacing Course Excel Doc for Net+, Sec+?

D
Mitch Garvis said:
I really do empathize; I understand your frustrations, and while I know the documents are available (I just checked Security+), I also know that we as instructors are not allowed to share CompTIA's intellectual property with others. With that said, if you were to look for a CompTIA support email I am sure they would be willing to share it... THEY can do it without getting into legal binds, but we cannot. Good luck! :)
Click to expand...
Thanks- I shot my CompTIA rep an email this morning asking for ONLY the excel documents. Hopefully, they provide it. I'd rather not have to build out the entire Net+/Sec+ learning material. I think that would kill me. Lol.
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Pacing Course Excel Doc for Net+, Sec+?

Mitch Garvis
dlross said:
Why do I have to buy the materials for a simple excel document that gives guidance on how their pacing would match what they have in mind for their timelines?
Click to expand...
I really do empathize; I understand your frustrations, and while I know the documents are available (I just checked Security+), I also know that we as instructors are not allowed to share CompTIA's intellectual property with others. With that said, if you were to look for a CompTIA support email I am sure they would be willing to share it... THEY can do it without getting into legal binds, but we cannot. Good luck! :)
Click to expand...
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Pacing Course Excel Doc for Net+, Sec+?

D
Mitch Garvis said:
Those documents are available when you purchase (or the learning org purchases for you) the Instructor material. Without that it would be a violation for anyone to share it with you.

As an aside, I used to be afraid to ask the training orgs that hired me for the Instructor Material. Coming from a Microsoft background, as a MCT I always had access. I learned that when you ask for it, they are usually very quick to assign it to you... but they won't assign it automatically because there is a cost to it, and that is wasted if you as an instructor already have it. ASK :)
Click to expand...
That is odd.

I am being hired by a bootcamp company that I convinced to purchase CertMaster.... except that they want to know realistically, what should be the timeline for teaching A+/Net+/Sec+. Without having that pacing plan, I can't convince them that the timeline they want to use would be realistic with CertMaster. They also are thinking about just building out the materials to match their pacing. I'd love to give them some realistic timelines, but it's just impossible to do for CertMaster Perform when there's no realistic schedules that I can show to match what they want. But I can certainly take their timeline and just build out the materials myself from scratch to match what they have.

Why do I have to buy the materials for a simple excel document that gives guidance on how their pacing would match what they have in mind for their timelines? They aren't asking for the materials- just the excel. So it kind of doesn't make sense. But ok. I'll kind of guessimate it out and I guess they'll decide if they want to go with CertMaster, or if they just want me to build it out. It's a win-win either way for me, since I'll be teaching it, no matter what they choose. I have the Instructor materials for all these certs. What I don't have is an idea of how to counsel them on if using CertMaster Perform, they'll meet their timelines. They have state contracts. They can't afford to fail.
Click to expand...

Pacing Course Excel Doc for Net+, Sec+?

Mitch Garvis
dlross said:
I don't have access to the Net+ and Sec+. Is there a means to get the Excel doc for those other two certifications?
Click to expand...
Those documents are available when you purchase (or the learning org purchases for you) the Instructor material. Without that it would be a violation for anyone to share it with you.

As an aside, I used to be afraid to ask the training orgs that hired me for the Instructor Material. Coming from a Microsoft background, as a MCT I always had access. I learned that when you ask for it, they are usually very quick to assign it to you... but they won't assign it automatically because there is a cost to it, and that is wasted if you as an instructor already have it. ASK :)
Click to expand...

I did it!

Mitch Garvis
While I spend most of my time teaching cybersecurity, most people know me as a Microsoft guy. I was a Microsoft MVP, a Technology Evangelist with Microsoft Canada, and a Fast Track Engineer with Microsoft (both as a contractor). I have probably delivered a thousand lectures on Microsoft technologies... to over ten thousand students and event attendees.

A month ago I received an email from a company I train for asking if I would deliver Linux+. I was surprised, but if I am going to follow my own advice (you only grow when you are outside of your comfort zone) then I have to try new things. I spent a couple of weeks studying and preparing for the exam, and the Saturday before the class was scheduled I passed.

I was surprised by the class. Firstly I was surprised by how comfortable I was in Linux. But also, I was surprised by how much fun I had teaching it! I had a small class (4 students) who were all mostly new to Linux, and I realized early that by showing them 'This is what we do in Linux... compare it to X in Windows' they were able to better understand a lot of concepts that they thought were foreign.

This morning I received my Evals, and while there were a few things the students didn't love (they were unimpressed with a lot of lab glitches), the Instructor scores were through the roof. I was thrilled!

There are some topics I will likely never teach. I was told when I first got my MCT that I could probably 'fake my way' through a lot of courses, but if I was not really a SQL Server expert that I should never try to teach SQL Server because they will know. I'll never forget that. I was worried a month ago that if I was going to make it through a week of Linux+ I would likely be faking it. It turns out that I know it a lot better than I thought I did, and I was not at all faking it. I had fun because I could go off the slides and just talk through demos... a lot more interesting than Death By PowerPoint.

I am not walking away from the Microsoft ecosystem. I have worked hard to learn it as well as I do, and frankly I think I teach it better than most of my peers. However I will definitely be spending more time in the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) that is a convenient feature of Windows 11, and will also be building a few more Linux servers in my lab environment (still built on Hyper-V). It will help not only for my Linux+, but also for my cybersecurity deliveries.
Click to expand...
  • Like
Reactions: VICTOR CHIDI OKPURUKA, MBA, jasoneckert and 3 others

Pacing Course Excel Doc for Net+, Sec+?

D
Hi everyone,

I'm teaching A+ right now, so I have access to the Excel doc through the Resources to see the different ways I can set up how we teach the class and the time frame we'd like to work with. Another bootcamp hired me and wants me to suggest some schedules for them. I don't have access to the Net+ and SEc+. Is there a means to get the Excel doc for those other two certifications?

Thanks!
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