Vendor-Neutral vs Vendor-Specific: What is Best for IT Training?
The IT field is constantly changing and there are always new concepts that IT professionals need to keep up with. IT vendors often offer certifications to encourage professionals to use their products and to allow IT professionals to prove their skills to employers. Vendor-specific training is useful for those who are only expected to be skilled in products from those vendors, but what about IT professionals who work with a variety of different vendors?
We are going to take a look at vendor-neutral training and vendor-specific training to help you decide what path is best for your IT career.
Vendor-Specific Training
As we have already mentioned, vendor-specific training is built to make you adept at using a vendor’s product. Amazon and Microsoft both provide vendor-specific training and certifications for their cloud computing services, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure. There is some overlap in functionality between the two services, but the training you receive from Amazon is not designed to help you use Microsoft Azure and vice versa.
Through vendor-specific training, you will become familiar with how to perform simple and advanced tasks using that vendor’s product. Getting vendor-specific training is an excellent way to deepen your knowledge of a product you use often. This type of training can also be useful if you notice that job listings for your desired positions emphasize proficiency in a specific product rather than a general proficiency. For example, if job listings for cloud computing professionals are asking for proficiency in Microsoft Azure rather than proficiency in cloud computing, then having that vendor-specific training can give you an edge.
The problem with vendor-specific training is that your skills do not necessarily translate to other, similar products from different vendors. If the product you are trained in loses popularity or stops being used entirely, then your training is no longer useful and reskilling with other vendor-specific training can be costly and time-consuming.
Vendor-Neutral Training
As the name suggests, vendor-neutral training and certifications are designed to provide you with practical skills that you can use on the job regardless of what software and hardware your employer uses. By investing in vendor-neutral training, you not only gain a strong foundational understanding of key IT concepts, but you enable yourself to have greater learning agility, which allows you quickly learn and adapt to different scenarios, such as working with software from a variety of different vendors.
Vendor-neutral certifications will never lose value, as an understanding of fundamental IT concepts such as networks and cybersecurity will always be valuable, regardless of what vendor products are currently in use.
CompTIA Certifications
CompTIA is the world’s leading tech association. Their certifications are widely recognized, and they emphasize practical skills and vendor-neutral training. The CompTIA Network+ certification is one of their most highly-valued entry-level IT certifications. The Network+ certification is an excellent starting point for IT professionals looking to work in IT infrastructure or cybersecurity. By attaining your Network+ certification, you will learn how to troubleshoot, configure, and manage both wired and wireless networks.
Getting Certified
To earn your Network+ certification, you must pass the CompTIA administered certification exam. TechnoEdge Learning can help you pass the test. TechnoEdge is an accredited partner of CompTIA and their CompTIA Network+ training course uses the most up-to-date exam objectives and info. TechnoEdge instructors are CompTIA certified and experts in their field. Through the 5-day, boot-camp-style course, you will learn everything you need to successfully challenge the exam and earn your CompTIA Network+ certification.
Register now for TechnoEdge’s upcoming CompTIA Network+ Exam Prep course and get the vendor-neutral training you need to take your career to the next level.