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Specialized Partner

Return On Investment

Investing in Your Future Success

The following is a comparison of the time and out-of-pocket expenses* required to achieve an Advanced Security Specialization using either the Partner Education Connection (PEC) or Instructor-Led Training (ILT), where available.

Note: When you submit for this new 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 that you consult with your Cisco channel manager prior to committing to a particular specialization and/or certification to help ensure that 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 that individuals may have.

Total Estimated Learning Hours and Investment
  Estimated Hours Investment
Instructor-led Training (ILT)
333
$21,475
Out-of-pocket exam costs
12
$1,500
Total Investment
345
$22,975

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 of 5 percent margin or services revenue at an average of 20 percent margin.

  Hardware Only @ 5% Services @ 20%
ILT + exams
$459,500
$114,875

Training & Exam Investment by Role

When you submit for this new specialization you may incur only exam costs.

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

11

Out-of-pocket training cost
$0
Out-of-pocket exam cost
$250

System Engineer
Classes are available via ILT ONLY
ILT
Estimated hours of courses and exams
48
Out-of-pocket training cost
$2,500
Out-of-pocket exam cost
$250

Field Engineer
Classes are available via ILT ONLY
ILT
Estimated hours of courses and exams
286
Out-of-pocket training cost
$18,100
Out-of-pocket exam cost
$1000

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, it's possible that your cost and time investment will be less than stated above, leading to a faster return on investment.