COD offers new VoIP specialist certificate

The College of DuPage recently approved the new Voice Over IP Telephony Specialist Certificate that will prepare students to work with this emerging technology.

The 18-credit hour certificate, which is part of the Cisco Certified Voice Professional program, will provide students with the first level of Cisco training. The program has received ICCB approval for three years, during which time the College will acquire the additional equipment necessary to make the VoIP certificate a permanent program.

Joanne Wagner, professor and coordinator of COD's Computer and Internetworking Technologies program, said businesses use VoIP technology to transmit phone calls over the Internet and that the main benefit is cost savings.

“As long as a person or business has an Internet connection, they can make calls over that connection using VoIP technology,” she explained. “More and more companies are taking advantage of VoIP to replace traditional phone lines and are looking for skilled/certified individuals to install and maintain these systems.”

The courses that comprise the new certificate are CIT 1121, Networking Fundamentals; CIT 1122, Routers and Routing Basics; CIT 1123, LAN Switching and Wireless; CIT 1124, Accessing the WAN; CIT 2411, Cisco Voice Over IP; and CIT 2412, Quality of Service. The first four courses currently are offered each term, while CIT 2411 and CIT 2412 will be offered each term beginning spring 2012.

VoIP opportunities apply across all vertical markets, including IT, health, education, finance and securities, Wagner said.

“Certification validates skills in job roles, such as voice support and voice administration, and can be used as a stepping stone for other voice certifications and opportunities,” she said.

For more information, call Wagner at (630) 942-2692 or e-mail: wagnerjo@cod.edu.