Outstanding Cisco Networking Academy Grad Joins Getronics To Make A Winning Team
It is a match made in heaven. A top-notch Cisco Networking Academy graduate joins Getronics, a long-established Canadian company and gold certified Cisco partner. The company is pleased and the graduate loves his job.
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| "We basically monitor the networks of our clients and we have some of the biggest clients in Ontario such as the provincial government, insurance companies and hospitals." - Haresh Khemani, Cisco Certified Network Associate, Network Analyst, Getronics |
Haresh Khemani took his Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) course at Centennial College, in Toronto, Ontario, after he graduated with a degree in computer engineering. Khemani says when he was in the fourth year of his degree program, he had the option of going into software, hardware, the general program or the communication networks program. "Basically, I opted for the communication networks. I thought that would give me the best of software and hardware, which is the best of both worlds," he says.
After he graduated from the University of Toronto, Khemani was thinking about what would be the best way to get into the networking field and Cisco came to mind. He found out that Centennial College was offering the Cisco Networking Academy Program and took the CCNA course full time for four months. "It was pretty intense, covering a lot of stuff in that time," he says, "But I loved the program."
Khemani got lots of practical experience because the college had full-fledged labs. "Just working with the routers and switches was amazing. We formed a small network and, with a lot of teamwork, solved problems together. It gave us a picture of the real world," he says.
He saw a posting for the job at Getronics on the Cisco Career Connection website and contacted the Cisco Alumni Connection Program Manager.
Doing his research on the company to prepare for the interview, he saw they were a large international firm. After two interviews he was offered the job. He was required to have his CCNA, so he took the exams the same week he finished the program at Centennial.
Khemani is now a network analyst with Getronics in Toronto. "We basically monitor the networks of our clients. We have some of the biggest clients in Ontario such as the provincial government, insurance companies and hospitals," he says proudly. He also acts as a liaison between his clients and the outside vendors such as telcos, and orders equipment for them. "We are the single point of contact for our clients," Khemani explains.
He loves going to work. There is a lot of teamwork. "All the network analysts are a team. Whenever there is an issue we need to resolve, we participate together," he says. Khemani also likes the fact that he learns a lot. "Each situation is different and there is no one single solution to a problem, so it's challenging."
And Khemani loves a challenge. He has just completed his Cisco Certified Design Associate, through self studies. His ultimate goal is to become a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert, of which there are only about 420 in Canada.
Brij Sahni is Khemani's manager at Getronics and says "Haresh has proven to be a valuable addition to our Canadian Network Management Centre. He has brought new perspectives and boundless energy that has been welcomed by all. He always comes to work full of enthusiasm, ready to take on new challenges and eager to share his insights."
Getronics also employs a second CCNA graduate, Olga Carpova, who works at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto on their help desk.
Cisco Networking Academy grads are proving their value to employers as they showcase their abilities and at the same time strive to meet their own goals and objectives.
October 2004
