How Michelle Went from Product Proprietor to Community Engineer

What does it take to pivot from a product administration function right into a full-time community engineering place?

For Michelle Szklarska, the reply was clear: earn the CCNA. Her journey proves the worth of Cisco’s certification ecosystem and exhibits why the CCNA stays a premier networking credential. Michelle sat down with Study with Cisco’s Patrick Gargano to inform her CCNA success story.

Pivoting from product proprietor to community engineer

Earlier than incomes her CCNA, Michelle labored as a community and safety product proprietor. She needed a extra hands-on function. After passing her examination, she transitioned right into a full-time community engineer place. How?

“Due to the CCNA,” Michelle stated merely, when requested what made the distinction.

The CCNA did greater than validate her technical data—it opened the door to a brand new profession path.

Why the CCNA nonetheless issues for community engineers

In a world of cloud platforms and automation instruments, you may wonder if a foundational certification just like the CCNA remains to be value pursuing. Michelle’s story proves that it completely is.

The CCNA supplies a complete, structured understanding of networking fundamentals, from IP addressing and routing protocols like OSPF to community safety ideas like AAA and entry lists, to important companies like DHCP and NAT. These aren’t simply examination matters; they’re the constructing blocks of real-world community engineering.

For professionals pivoting their careers like Michelle, the CCNA serves as a reputable, industry-recognized sign to employers that you’ve got the foundational data wanted to function successfully. It bridges the hole between understanding what a community does and understanding how to configure, handle, and troubleshoot one.

The problem: The place to start

Anybody who has downloaded the official CCNA examination matters is aware of the sensation Michelle described: “You obtain the listing of necessities, the matters, and also you’re like—oh my gosh, the place to start out?”

The CCNA curriculum is broad. Selecting the best research sources is crucial. Michelle didn’t depend on a single supply; she constructed a various research toolkit to remain engaged, challenged, and ready.

Examine useful resource 1: CCNA Prep

One among Michelle’s main sources was CCNA Prep, a free video sequence out there on the Cisco Studying Community, created by  Patrick Gargano and Hank Preston at Study with Cisco.

CCNA Prep stands out for its sensible, lab-focused method. As a substitute of simply explaining concept, every episode dives into actual configuration duties, strolling viewers by way of hands-on labs masking:

• OSPF
• NAT
• Entry lists
• AAA
• DHCP troubleshooting

The educational continues after the video. Each CCNA Prep episode consists of:

• A Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) lab file for these utilizing CML.
• A Cisco Packet Tracer model for wider accessibility.
• Overview questions to strengthen the fabric.
• A downloadable PDF lab information to maintain as a reference.

Michelle highlighted the downloadable reference sheets as considered one of her favourite options. “On the finish, you may obtain a sheet of the data, and that was actually helpful.”

She additionally known as out the DHCP troubleshooting episode, noting an necessary networking lesson: you be taught extra when one thing breaks.

“You truly be taught extra when one thing’s damaged. It makes you determine the way it’s alleged to be working.”

This philosophy drives CCNA Prep’s method: transcend definitions and dive into the issues you’ll truly encounter on the job.

Examine useful resource 2: Cisco U.

Michelle additionally used Cisco U., Cisco’s digital studying expertise, which presents an entire, structured CCNA Studying Path.

The Cisco U. CCNA Studying Path, Implementing and Administering Cisco Options, supplies:

• Subject-by-topic protection of the total CCNA curriculum
• Built-in labs to strengthen hands-on expertise
• Preparatory observe exams to check your data earlier than examination day

For learners who desire a guided setting, Cisco U. presents organized, progressive studying. It builds confidence for examination day with built-in observe checks that simulate the actual expertise.

Combining the structured curriculum of Cisco U. with the hands-on, scenario-driven content material from CCNA Prep is a profitable technique. The 2 sources complement one another—one supplies breadth of data, the opposite supplies depth by way of utility.

Enter in your likelihood to win the CCNA Studying Path at no cost (ends: August 31, 2026) Enter giveaway

The CCNA as a basis for CCNP and past

Incomes the CCNA is a launchpad, not an endpoint. Michelle’s dialog with Patrick Gargano made this clear.

After incomes her CCNA, Michelle set her subsequent profession aim: the CCNP certification. The CCNP Enterprise monitor builds instantly on CCNA data, diving deeper into superior matters lined in exams like ENCOR and ENARSI.

This pure development is why the CCNA is structured the way in which it’s. The foundational ideas you be taught—routing protocols, switching, safety, automation—are the pillars that CCNP-level certifications broaden upon. If you deal with the CCNP, you construct on a strong base.

Cisco’s studying neighborhood actively invests within the CCNA-to-CCNP journey. Patrick famous that future content material from the CCNA Prep workforce will doubtless give attention to bridging the hole from CCNA to CCNP, serving to learners transition with the identical sensible, lab-driven method.

“Getting somebody from CCNA to CCNP—beginning to have a look at extra superior matters which might be lined in ENCOR and ENARSI—that’s most likely going to be the main target.”

For Michelle and 1000’s of networking professionals, this roadmap supplies a transparent path towards profession progress.

Key takeaways from Michelle’s CCNA success story

Whether or not you might be model new to networking or trying to formalize expertise you constructed on the job, Michelle’s story presents sensible classes:

• Use a number of sources: Mix structured studying (Cisco U.) with sensible, scenario-based content material (CCNA Prep).
• Embrace troubleshooting: Study what occurs when issues break to construct actual understanding.
• The CCNA opens doorways: For Michelle, it catalyzed a profession transition into community engineering.
• Assume past the CCNA: The data you acquire prepares you for the CCNP and past.

Prepared to start out your personal CCNA journey?

If Michelle’s story impressed you, discover how the sources under may also help you put together for the 200-301 CCNA v1.1 examination:

1. CCNA Certification Information: Jumpstart your studying journey with our free information.
2. Keep on monitor for CCNA success: Discover expert-curated sources, suggestions, and extra that can assist you attain your CCNA cert aim.
3. Enter to win the CCNA Studying Path at no cost. (Enter the giveaway by August 31, 2026.)

Your CCNA success story is ready. Take the following step right this moment:

1. Free CCNA Cert Information | 2. Keep on monitor for examination success | 3. Enter giveaway

We’d love to listen to about your CCNA certification journey. Go away a remark under to tell us once you plan to earn your CCNA certification. And in the event you’re already a CCNA certification holder, inform us once you first bought licensed! 

CCNA: The inspiration that constructed my IT profession (could be yours, too)