I'd Pay for That

But act fast, and you may not need to-- nab CiscoU Programming for Network Engineers. Right now, this Python class is free.

One of the main areas I focus on is leveraging APIs to enhance troubleshooting, reduce errors, gain deeper insights, and ultimately save time and money. Cisco has been a huge help in this journey, particularly with how accessible they’ve made training through resources like the "Cisco Networking Academy" and various books. While full-length classes are fantastic, they’re not always financially feasible for everyone. That’s why I really appreciate the free resources that are out there, like the "Python for Everybody" course on Coursera, which I’ve already completed. All the course materials are available for free, so even if you don’t get a fancy certificate from Coursera or the University of Michigan, you can still dive in, learn, and improve your skills. Right now, at the time of this blog being published, you can nab, “Programming for Network Engineers,” through CiscoU for free.

Cisco’s training offerings have evolved over time, but they continue to offer free resources from time to time. Right now, there’s a course called "Programming for Network Engineers" that I can’t recommend highly enough. It’s fantastic. While many online programming courses or books might have you build games (which is great if that’s your goal), I personally want to focus on solving real-world business problems and providing better service for my customers. That’s where "Programming for Network Engineers" really shines. The course isn’t just about learning to code; it’s about learning to automate and solve the kind of issues we face every day as network engineers. The labs and hands-on exercises make the lessons incredibly practical and directly applicable to our work.

Unfortunately, many people might miss out on this course if they don’t hear about it in time. If I were in that situation, I’d be looking for ways to secure funding for the training or even consider paying out of pocket as an investment in myself. I genuinely believe that network engineers who develop Python skills, especially in combination with Wi-Fi and traditional networking knowledge, will see strong returns on that investment. And yes, while tools like ChatGPT can accelerate your work, the skills and fundamentals you learn in this course will empower you to get even more out of AI tools like ChatGPT. For that reason alone, I’d say it’s worth paying for.

Thanks for checking out my blog and taking this journey with me. If you have some tips on the subject, I’d love to hear them. Find me on X @jamiegprice CWNE #510