If you are considering a career in information technology you are probably aware of the Linux operating system and its prevalence across all information technology platforms including cloud, network, mobile, social and Big Data.
Look at any of the popular job sites like Indeed, Dice, Glassdoor, or LinkedIn and search for Linux and you will see technology job descriptions that ask for Linux as a job skill — and not just System Administrators. O*Net, the nation’s primary source of occupational information lists Linux as a “Hot Technology,” a requirement frequently included in employer job postings.1 Employers are looking for Linux competency, even for entry-level IT roles like IT Support Specialists, Help Desk Technicians, IT Support Analysts, Desktop Support Technicians and Computer Technicians. There are tens of thousands of job postings that list Linux as a core skill.
You have likely considered the CompTIA A+ certification sought by many employers for entry-level IT roles. Guess what? CompTIA includes installing and configuring Linux software in its A+ 220-902 exam objectives. Or, you may be looking for basic knowledge and skills to start on a path to eventually become certified as a Junior Linux System Administrator through the Linux Professional Institute (distribution neutral), Red Hat (distribution specific), or both!
Potentially two questions could come to mind. First, how do you acquire the Linux knowledge to nail the A+ exam? Second, how do you acquire the knowledge you need to break through the HR firewall and “wow” prospective employers who desperately need IT professionals with Linux knowledge? You’re probably thinking that learning Linux is difficult, takes a long time, and is expensive. Reading a book or listening to someone drone on in a video might work, but how do you grasp the concepts, much less stay awake?
What if you could learn by doing with a self-paced, online course that lets you use commands as you learn them and see real-life results? That’s what the Network Development Group (NDG) Linux courses offer. And you can start for free by signing up for Linux Unhatched. This is where you start to crack the Linux shell (you’ll get that joke once you learn Linux). NDG’s Linux Unhatched module prepares you for the CompTIA A+ 220-902 Linux exam objectives and helps set you on the pathway to becoming a Linux Pro!
With Linux Unhatched, you learn by doing using an online Linux machine that runs real Linux, right in your browser, alongside the course materials! It’s right there in your browser window. You don’t have to find and install Linux on your computer and worry about computer security. NDG Linux Unhatched includes everything you need online for fast, efficient learning: content, exercises and quizzes, and a live Linux environment. Nothing to download and secure.
Once you have completed the NDG Linux Unhatched module and been bitten by the penguin, you’ll want to upgrade your knowledge. NDG and the Cisco Networking Academy have partnered to provide the NDG Linux Essentials course for free! This 70-hour course aligns to the Linux Professional Institute’s Linux Essentials Professional Development certificate. NDG Linux Essentials provides a more in-depth understanding of Open Source and the Linux command line — foundational knowledge for a career path as a Linux System Administrator or to augment knowledge for other IT disciplines where familiarity with the Linux command line is a necessity. Register for the free NDG Linux Essentials course here as a new Cisco Networking Academy self-paced student.
What could be better than acquiring Linux knowledge at no cost, that you learn on your own time, nail the CompTIA A+ exam Linux objectives, and with no risk? Start with NDG Linux Unhatched today and set a course for IT career success with Linux competency!
Chuck Bixby
Network Development Group