Abdel says he enjoys both the teaching and the project management side of his job equally As a trainer, he likes meeting and interacting with new people and says that many have even become friends over the years.
‘A fantastic approach to teaching’
Here is what some of Abdel’s students and colleagues have said about him:
“Abderrahim is an experienced trainer. He effectively helped me to prepare for my Cisco certification, which I passed. He`s a nice person, bright, demonstrative, patient in his teaching, he knows how to transmit his knowledge. I highly recommend his services.”
“He has a fantastic approach to teaching and mentorship, and is highly recommended as an instructor in networking technologies!”
New challenges
Abdel says that he is always inspired by new challenges and pushing himself beyond his comfort zone, whether in teaching a new course or working with new technology or in a new discipline. He enjoys the process of learning and practicing until he acquires a skill, as well as having the pressure of a deadline or challenge to overcome.
Training in English, French and Arabic
Abdel is also passionate about languages and culture. He has traveled extensively in his career and loves meeting new people. When he visits a new country where he doesn’t speak the language, he always asks people to teach him to speak a few words. He is fluent and trains in three languages – French, Arabic, and English – and he can also speak conversational Italian and German.
After growing up in Paris, Abdel also lived in the UK for some time while studying for a Diploma from Westminster University, allowing him to improve his English skills. He has also lived and worked in the Middle East, Germany and Italy, giving him more opportunities to expand his repertoire of languages.
Trekking, Jiu-Jitsu and Family
When he is off duty, Abdel is a family man, enjoying eating out, traveling, and taking his children on trekking expeditions to explore nature. Before COVID-19, he says, the downside of being an instructor was that he was always on the road and away from his family. Since then, he has enjoyed being able to spend more time with his children as they grow up.
Abdel practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which he took up after his youngest son expressed a preference for jIu-Jitsu over the Karate and Taekwondo in which Abdel was already experienced. After watching his son train, he gave it a try and was soon hooked. Now, he trains at the same club as his son and they even compete at some of the same tournaments, adding it to the list of activities that the family can enjoy together.
Abel’s certifications include:
- JNCIP – Security (Juniper)
- JNCIS – Service Provider (Juniper)
- JNCIP – Enterprise (Juniper)
- JNCI – Juniper Networks Certified Instructor
- CCNP Service Provider (Cisco)
- CCNP Routing & Switching (Cisco)
- CCSI Cisco Certified Systems Instructor
- Cisco CCDA
- Cisco CCDP
- Cisco CCNA
- Cisco CCNA Service Provider
- Cisco CCNA Security
- Cisco CCNP Service Provider
- Cisco Certified Specialist – Security Core