Job Search :: I Got a Job

Many things can spur someone to switch from one profession to a career in ICT, not all of them pleasant.

For individuals who are forced by events to radically re-think their lives, their Cisco Networking Academy® courses and examinations are just the latest in a series of challenges to be overcome.

One such case is Gordon McCallum, from the UK. After a serious car crash, Gordon’s injuries were too severe to allow him to return to his original profession – so he started looking to the IT industry as a new career direction.

During a three-year recovery he studied at his local Cisco networking academy at Speedwell in Bristol, UK. He completed Cisco CCNA® semesters 1-4 in one year and passed the course in August 2005

To his credit, he also passed his WLANFE exam in December 2005 – almost exactly two years after his car smash –  and more recently, the Comptia A+  N+ exams as well.

As a 45-year old, did he face any additional hurdles, as compared with his younger classmates? Gordon makes it clear that he did not:

“I am aware that the CNAP is not designed for mature students – but the knowledge that it gave me in the beginning is a credit to the way the programme is designed and administered,” he confirms.

After gaining his qualifications, Gordon was quickly hired by Comstor, one of the most successful Cisco distributors in the UK. Two years later he is still happily employed there in the position of Technical Network Consultant.

According to him: “The CNAP played a major part in my successful career
change from being an oil rig engineer to working at what I spent over three
years retraining for, that is working as close to Cisco as possible.”

“I will always be grateful for the opportunity that the CNAP has given me,”  he continues enthusiastically. “And long may the program continue to educate and inspire people to work in the IT industry!”

And Gordon is continuing to pursue those opportunities with enthusiasm – he will be sitting his 5th and final exam for my CCVP in early January 2009.