Not every 13-year-old would have the confidence to sign up for professional network training, or the commitment to pass the course with flying colours. But Bulgarian schoolboy Jordan Katzarov is not just any 13-year-old. When he enrolled in the Cisco Networking Academy Program, he was already an accomplished computer technician, looking to widen his horizons to include in-depth network skills. Now 14, he's already completed the first four courses of the program, passed his Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), enrolled in CCNP classes and won an award as one of his country's top students.
Jordan was bitten by the IT bug at the age of 11. There was not much opportunity to pursue this interest at school: like many other countries, Bulgaria has relatively little IT instruction or equipment available in schools as yet. But fortunately, the family was in touch with some neighbours who had a web design business with its office right next door to the Katzarov home. These neighbours knew a fast learner when they saw one, and decided to give young Jordan an opportunity to spend some of his spare time pursuing his interest while helping them out.
When the company diversified into providing Internet services, Jordan had the chance to get involved in network installation. "I became very interested in the networking aspects and wanted to improve my knowledge," says Jordan. He was surfing the web one day looking for information on networks and came across a description of th e Cisco Networking Academy Program being offered at the Bulgarian Industrial Association. With his parents' encouragement, he decided to investigate.
Teodora Borissova,
Internet Training Manager at the Bulgarian Industrial Association admits
"I was surprised to get an application from a 13-year-old, but when
I got in touch with Jordan I found that he was very grown-up for his
age. We felt that he would be able to cope." When Jordan began studying,
Teodora had concerns. "For the first few days I could see that it was
difficult for him because the material is so different from what you
get in school. But once he adjusted his way of thinking - and he soon
did - things went very well indeed."
Jordan passed his CCNA with high marks and won an award as one of the top ten Cisco students in Bulgaria in 2002. From Jordan's point of view, the Academy Program has proved to be just what he was looking for. The program's e-learning elements are ideal for a young man with a busy schedule. "I can sign on anywhere, anytime, so I can work from home or office as well as when I'm at the Academy." He was impressed by the laboratory equipment available for the student practice. And the pace suited him nicely. "There's always something to do. The Program makes sure students never run out of steam." The instructors, too, had the right approach: "They're professionals with lots of experience in networking. I take things seriously, and they do too."
Although he was already an accomplished web designer with a considerable knowledge of IT, Jordan freely admits that he didn't know much about networks before he embarked on the Cisco Networking Academy Program. "Now I've learned about how to help people build networks and how to introduce a network into a business."
He stresses that his interest is not just in theory but also in practical applications of technology. "There's a lot of talk about computing and the Internet, but I want to be a doer, not a talker. That's why I need the knowledge that I'm getting from the Cisco Networking Academy Program," says Jordan. He's putting his newfound knowledge to immediate use in his local community; having taken charge of a small Internet Service Provider (ISP) serving about ten homes in a pleasant suburb of Sofia called Simeonovo. He acts as network administrator, looking after the network's five routers, and also taking an interest in the business side of things - an aspect which Jordan says interests him even more than the technical details.
It's clear that a lot of Jordan's spare time is spent in the world of IT, but he does find time for another important hobby, mountain biking. If he ever gets bored with routers, he can jump on his bike and head off on the route up Vitosha, a mountain near his home.
Would Jordan advise other people of his age to consider the Cisco Networking Academy Program? "Age isn't important," he insists. "What matters is the desire to take on a challenge, to keep learning more and more, and to become a good professional. If you like those things, then you'll like this program."
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