Jumping the line

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Brandon G

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Aug 10, 2019
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Union County College
#1
A student reach out to me asking about getting the Sec+ certification. They attempted the Net+ exam and failed (scoring a 518). They asked if they can 'skip' over the Net+ and go straight for the Security +. My response was a resounding no. The student did explain that they've completed their associates degree in IT and they're not working in the profession yet.

I encouraged the student to seek their A+ first. Is it just me, or are students 'jumping the line' for higher certifications. Particularly, without the requisite knowledge, training, or real world experience that aid in learning and progressing.

To the fellow CINers, what's your take on this.
 
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#2
Brandon G said:
A student reach out to me asking about getting the Sec+ certification. They attempted the Net+ exam and failed (scoring a 518). They asked if they can 'skip' over the Net+ and go straight for the Security +. My response was a resounding no. The student did explain that they've completed their associates degree in IT and they're not working in the profession yet.

I encouraged the student to seek their A+ first. Is it just me, or are students 'jumping the line' for higher certifications. Particularly, without the requisite knowledge, training, or real world experience that aid in learning and progressing.

To the fellow CINers, what's your take on this.
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After looking at the objectives for a CompTIA exam, if the learner feels that he/she has enough of a knowledge foundation to pursue studies for that exam, I say let him/her have at it!!!

If we're talking about individuals at least of voting age, I have to assume that they have learned to be honest with themselves, and that they have a genuine interest in pursuing and achieving goals.

If you had sort of an informal/casual interview with the person, and your assessment is that the individual would be best served to take a certain path, then by all means I feel you should encourage the individual to follow your prescription. If the individual chooses to ignore your recommendation, you've performed your commitment as an Educator/SME, and you can sleep well at night - at least I could :)

Okay, I'll stop here!!!
 
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#3
Brandon G said:
A student reach out to me asking about getting the Sec+ certification. They attempted the Net+ exam and failed (scoring a 518). They asked if they can 'skip' over the Net+ and go straight for the Security +. My response was a resounding no. The student did explain that they've completed their associates degree in IT and they're not working in the profession yet.

I encouraged the student to seek their A+ first. Is it just me, or are students 'jumping the line' for higher certifications. Particularly, without the requisite knowledge, training, or real world experience that aid in learning and progressing.

To the fellow CINers, what's your take on this.
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Oh, bless their ambitious hearts! Skipping Net+ to go straight for Sec+ without a solid foundation is like trying to build a penthouse on a shaky first floor—it’s a bold move, but gravity always wins.

I would explain to the learner: A+ is your initial kit, Net+ is your strong ladder, and Sec+ is the ceiling with a fantastic perspective of cybersecurity principles. You're attempting to climb the ladder without it. Last I looked, IT professionals don't employ superpowers; they use reasoning.
 
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#4
Trevor Chandler said:
After looking at the objectives for a CompTIA exam, if the learner feels that he/she has enough of a knowledge foundation to pursue studies for that exam, I say let him/her have at it!!!

If we're talking about individuals at least of voting age, I have to assume that they have learned to be honest with themselves, and that they have a genuine interest in pursuing and achieving goals.

If you had sort of an informal/casual interview with the person, and your assessment is that the individual would be best served to take a certain path, then by all means I feel you should encourage the individual to follow your prescription. If the individual chooses to ignore your recommendation, you've performed your commitment as an Educator/SME, and you can sleep well at night - at least I could :)

Okay, I'll stop here!!!
Click to expand...
Sure, they might finish, but they’ll probably wish they had the right gear and preparation by mile 5.
 
#5
I see it all the time on Reddit, and in training classes. I've seen students take Security+ and then CISSP with less than two years of IT experience and zero cybersecurity experience. They feel entitled to a high-paying mid-career job without putting in the work to build foundational knowledge and experience. They want to cut corners, and move to the penthouse with minimal effort.

It doesn't work like that. It never has, and it never will. You've got to build your experience and skills one step at a time, one day at a time, one year at a time. There are no shortcuts.
 
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#6
precious said:
Oh, bless their ambitious hearts! Skipping Net+ to go straight for Sec+ without a solid foundation is like trying to build a penthouse on a shaky first floor—it’s a bold move, but gravity always wins.

I would explain to the learner: A+ is your initial kit, Net+ is your strong ladder, and Sec+ is the ceiling with a fantastic perspective of cybersecurity principles. You're attempting to climb the ladder without it. Last I looked, IT professionals don't employ superpowers; they use reasoning.
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IT professionals don't employ superpowers? Speak for yourself :)
 
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#7
Trevor Chandler said:
IT professionals don't employ superpowers? Speak for yourself :)
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Haha, well, if I had superpowers, I would be able to troubleshoot network problems while am sleeping! 😄 But when I say 'IT professionals don't employ superpowers; they use reasoning,' I mean that the real strength in IT comes from, reasoning, problem-solving and critical thinking. It's not about magic—it's about understanding systems, making informed decisions, and applying knowledge in a logical way to fix things. No cape required!😅......

Is Luck Enough? 😅​

If I were lucky, I would be receiving the 'IT Genius of the Year' award each time I encounter a segmentation error that simply disappears or a NullPointerException that miraculously resolves itself! 😄..........
 
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