5 Sites Providing Free IT Certification Training

There are so many IT certifications out there; where do you start? What if the expensive study guide you buy ends up being the wrong track for you?

ProProfs free resources include a great deal of subject matter as well as thorough study guides, practice questions, and basic information like how much the tests cost and where to take them. They’re available for a number of certifications, including CompTIA (A+, Network+, Security+, Server+, and Linux+); Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA) and Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS); Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA); and ProSoft Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW).

Professor Messer

The good professor offers a bunch of online video courses in entry level IT careers. In fact, though they sell portable versions of their courses, pretty much all of them are online for free. They include courses in three CompTIA areas (A+, Network+ and Security+) as well as Microsoft’s Exam 70-680: Configuring Microsoft Windows 7.

W3Schools

You can use W3Schools as a quick reference to find that HTML tag you can’t quite remember, but you can also use it as a guide to earn Web development certifications. Since it’s run by the World Wide Web Consortium, the training is geared toward standards that work across all browsers. Their certifications include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, XML, ASP, and PHP – and their tests can be taken online.

SeachSecurity

Got a hankering to become a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)? This designation was created by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, or (ISC); for professionals who keep business data secure. SearchSecurity offers free lessons in each of ten domains covered by the CISSP exam, from access control to telecommunications. You do need a free account to view the lessons.

INE.com

INE has a section of their Web site devoted to free prep for the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert exam. It includes a CCIE blog, discussion forums to connect with other trainees, tutorials, outlines, and whitepapers, but perhaps the most valuable thing they offer is a collection of vSeminars. These videos focus on specific portions of the CCIE test and last about an hour to an hour and a half. Their YouTube channel also has two complete courses: one for Cisco Certified Network Associate Routing & Switching, covering tests 640-822 ICND1 (CCENT), 640-816 ICND2, and 640-802 CCNA exams; and one for CCNA Voice, covering the 640-461 ICOMM v8 exam.

Certifications are valuable learning tools as well as ways to show employers that you know your stuff. With the right training, you can move up in your current job or explore a new area.

Guest Post by:

Paul Cook writes for INE, an industry-leading provider of CCIE training to help IT professionals to pass the CCIE exam.