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Boot camp or traditional training?

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I am looking into going to a boot camp that, after two weeks of training, you will walk out with your certification, if you pass or a more ‘traditional’ method of going to New Horizons and it taking about 1-4 months depending. My question is which is better? why?

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Boot camp or traditional training?

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Hi, much depends on your experience. If you work with the operating systems all the time and know them fairly well, boot camps will quickly pace you through all the classes and drill you with lab work. Traditional classes, on the other hand, are obviously paced more slowly, give you time to think about the material and organize your questions. If you have a lot of experience a boot camp may be the answer; it is not the answer if you have little experience. Traditional classes then would give you greater absorption time for the material.

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The above answer is absolutely right. Boot camps are typically 14 or 15 straight days of 12 and 14 hour sessions. You must be ready to absolutely focus on the material because you go through it at lightning speed. Therefore, it is best for those with exposure to the technologies involved.

Interestly, the “traditional” method of individual courses of 3 to 5 day lengths are also considered very concentrated when compared to the community college route.

Choose that which is best for you. And look at more than one boot camp or “traditional” vendor. Get quotes, compare facilities, compare the “extras” included in the training, talk to peers in your area that have gone before you. This makes for an informed decision.

And good luck.

Al Hedstrom

Boot camp or traditional training?

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Boot camp or traditional training?

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The choice of boot camp or more drawn out training is very dependant on your knowledge and character. Boot camp is like cramming your revision before exams, if you are reasonably well versed in your subject and can take the intense sessions, it will work in your favour. But, to someone coming in fresh or with little practice, it can be too much, too fast, leaving you just confused and confounded. Think carefully before taking on the intensive approach, and whether you are ready for it.

Boot camp or traditional training?

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As an IT instructor that teaches both very short term (6-12 hour) and long term (3-6 week)courses on software, your decision must be based on your ability to grasp and retain multiple ideas at the same time for the boot camp method. I agree with the other posted responses that you must decide what your best learning and retention method is. Can you be shown and try something once and retain the material or do you need to practice a few times. Another method is to look at some self paced programs. They can be available on-line or through local schools and companies that let you work as fast or as slow as necessary to retain the material. You can even turn the self paced material into your own boot camp if you desire.

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Boot camp or traditional training?

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Neither.
Instead of spending your money on these money hungry schools, buy several PC’s and books and set up a network in your home. The only way to learn is hands on. Set goals to be accomplished each week. The only real way to learn networking isto work through the constant problems you will encounter. If you have a friend who is interested, setup your own lesson plans. This method is slow but at least you will really understand how it all works.

Boot camp or traditional training?

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Boot Camps are definitely for those with more field experience, they don’t center on teaching you the subject so much as what you need to know to pass the tests. The next route are the CTEC’s, I call them Churn and Burns. You start on Monday and are finished by Friday. The information is crammed into you at a fast pace and if you don’t already have experience or start to use it at work immediately, in a few months you’ll forget most of what you were taught. The next route, and the one I chose, was an AATP. Instead of a five day class at a CTEC, it would last five weeks. This gives you more time to thoroughly go through the subject and if you have a question you can ask it at the next class. The entire NT4 MCSE is six months. The last option of buying a few computers and books then networking them at home, unless you once again have prior experience, this way would take considerably more time although it is the least expensive. The answer to your question is really up to yo

Boot camp or traditional training?

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Caution on the “traditional method”.
1. Be prepared to spend a lot of your own time studying, this will require computer access to practice.

2. More important than which method is the experience of the instructors. If the person teaching just got out of boot camp, you may not be getting your money’s worth. This applies to both methods.

Boot camp or traditional training?

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Boot camp or traditional training?

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Do you want to learn the product or just pass the exam? Boot camps are good for getting you through exams. To understand the product you need to spend more time with it.

Boot camp or traditional training?

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Boot camp or traditional training?

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It depends on what your motivation is. Do you have the time to commit to going to the boot camp classes, then studying every night plus doing lab work? How much experience are you taking into the classroom? I have taught IT for several years and the students with little experience who expect to just sit though a class and get a good job are normally disappointed and surprised. Reading and studying after class ARE KEY. If you don’t have the time to dedicate to that for several weeks then I recommend te 1-4 month method. This will allow more time for both you and the instructor when you have questions.Trust me, the jobs will be there for a while. Hope this helps.

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Good question. I had the same dillemia myself. One of the things you have to consider is style… do you like the marathon training sessions? Could you handle it? If a class is engaging enough, I have no problem sitting in it (or teaching it) for 4 or 5 hours at a time, so it could be worth it. And I’ve actually done 6 month courses in two weeks, and aced them. However the one thought that came to mind was how bootcamps provide you with a lack of experience. I think, when it comes to this stuff, for me anyway, the hands-on approach really pays off. Going to a place like New Horizons or MicroAge will give you a chance to explore further and digest the information, and do further research and extrapolate. I think the major flaw with a boot camp is that it exsists soley to see you pass, so your force fed only that which you will need to pass, not totally a bad thing if the certification is merely just a formality.

So I think the decsion you have to make is:
Do you have the experience and knowledge alrea

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