Guest

Partner Central

Return On Investment

Investing in Your Future Success

The following is a comparison of time and out-of-pocket expenses* required to achieve an Advanced Wireless LAN Specialization using either Partner Education Connection (PEC) or Instructor-Led Training (ILT), where available. Using PEC training generally saves significant travel expenses, training fees, and out-of-office time.

Note: When you renew your specialization you may incur only exam costs. See below for details.

Cisco specializations and certifications represent a significant investment of time and resources. We highly recommend you consult with your Cisco channel manager prior to committing to a particular specialization or certification to help ensure there is adequate opportunity in your geography and market.

* Times and costs are estimates for the purpose of comparison. Your organization's investment may vary depending on the career certifications individuals may have.

Total Estimated Learning Hours and Investment
  Estimated Hours Investment
Instructor-led Training (ILT)
151
$8,000
Out-of-pocket exam costs
8
$640
Total Investment
159
$8,640

Break-Even Point

Based on the investment estimate above, the following are the revenue levels at which you would start to gain a return on your investment. The chart below illustrates gross revenue from the resale of hardware at an average 5% margin or services revenue at an average 20% margin.

  Hardware Only @ 5% Services @ 20%
Break-even revenue level
$172,800
$43,200

Training & Exam Investment by Role

When you renew your specialization you may incur only exam costs.

Account Manager
Classes are ONLY available on PEC
PEC
Estimated hours of courses and exams

13

Out-of-pocket training cost
$0
Out-of-pocket exam cost
$130

System Engineer
Classes are available via PEC and ILT
ILT
Estimated hours of courses and exams
73
Out-of-pocket training cost
$4,000
Out-of-pocket exam cost
$255

Field Engineer
Classes are available via only ILT
ILT
Estimated hours of courses and exams
73
Out-of-pocket training cost
$4,000
Out-of-pocket exam cost
$255

NOTE: Although training courses are recommended to improve the probability that you pass your exams, you are required only to pass exams to achieve specialization. Therefore, your cost and time investment may be less than stated above, leading to a faster return on investment.