Using Cisco CE credits to recertify your CCNP or CCNA

Following the recent announcement of Cisco creating its own Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme, the Cisco Continuing Education Program, it is now possible to recertify your CCNP or CCNA certification using an exam-free approach. With some studying and time applied, this can even be done free of charge! So, what are the credits you can earn for recertification and how do you go about earning them? 

What is a CE credit? 

Cisco Continuing Education Credits (CE Credits) is a programme that offers Cisco certification holders flexible options to recertify by completing a variety of eligible Continuing Education (CE) items. The programme is designed to help professionals stay up to date with the latest technologies and trends in the industry, including Python, network automation, NetDevOps and beyond. CE credits are similar in form to CPD points seen in other fields, and can be earned through the following means: 

• Attending online training courses in Cisco Learning Network 
• Taking online training courses in Cisco Digital Learning 
• Attendance of in-person events at Cisco Live conferences 
• Watching online webinars on Cisco Product Launches 

How can you earn CE credits? 

The amount of CE credits earned will depend on the type of activity and its duration. For example, you can earn 12 CE credits for a 14-hour Cisco course delivered via the Cisco Digital Learning platform or earn a generous 40-65 credits for attending a five-day Cisco instructor-led training course offered by authorised Cisco Learning Training Partners. You can also earn small amounts of “top up” credit here and there through ad-hoc, time-bound initiatives. 

How points contribute towards certificate renewals 

The CE Credit process has some legwork to it, as CE Credit issuance isn’t automatic. The process roughly looks as follows: 

1. Attend the training session, course or webinar for its full duration.
2.  Note down the official course name, date when you began and date when you finished. 
3. For online courses, you should expect to receive a completion certificate at the end, which is a PDF document with a certificate number in it. You’ll need this certificate validation code later on.  
4. Log in to the Cisco CE Credit User Portal with your Cisco.com CCO account and click “Submit Items” in the top right side to enter the details of the training course, webinar or online learning you have completed. 
5. Ensure you have the course name, start date, end date and certificate validation code and PDF version of the Completion Certificate to hand to submit.
6. Wait a few days for the credit status to change from “Pending” to “Earned” on the Cisco CE User Dashboard. 

Within 24-48 hours, your CE Credits will then also show against your Cisco CertMetrics under Certifications -> Cert Status -> Pick your CCNP/CCNA Certificate -> View More. This shows the progress these points make towards the recertification, where the following table is handy to know: 

How CACI can support your recertification process

If you need qualified Cisco professionals to help your business thrive, why not get in touch to see how we can help you fully utilise our talented CCNA, CCNP, CCIE and other vendor expertise for your business network.