As we pause for the close of the year and turn our attentions ahead, we can feel comfort knowing there is at least some certainty: we will continue to face an ever-changing technology environment that moves at lightning speed. A skills gap study by IDC and sponsored by Microsoft [PDF], released today, examines the latest in that trend. The study shows that the cloud is indeed rapidly changing the IT environment by creating prolific career opportunities. It appears we are on the brink of explosive growth and are well positioned to support the technology industry in its need for cloud-ready professionals.
Specifically, the study reveals that across 600 hiring managers, the demand for “cloud-ready” IT workers will grow by 26 percent annually through 2015, which equates to as many as 7 million new cloud-related jobs worldwide. Furthermore, the study reports that IT hiring managers’ primary reason for not filling an existing 1.7 million open cloud-related positions in 2012, was due to lack of job seekers’ experience, training, and certification.
When asked about the study’s findings, IDC Vice President, Cushing Anderson said: “Unlike IT skill shortages in the past, solving this gap is extremely challenging, given that cloud brings a new set of skills which haven’t been needed in the past. There is no one-size-fits-all set of criteria for jobs in cloud computing. Therefore, training and certification is essential for preparing prospective candidates to work in cloud related jobs.”
Over the last several years Microsoft has been preparing for this industry development by creating tools for training and access to certification programs. We created an on-ramp program through Microsoft Virtual Academy. We reinvented our certifications to support cloud-ready professionals, including those entering the IT industry through our Microsoft Technology Associate Certification. Lastly, we understand that IT learning must begin early, so we created the IT Academy to provide critical technology skills to middle school, high school, and college students. We invite you to take a closer look at these new findings and share your feedback.
We wish you and yours health and happiness through this holiday season and into the New Year.
Read more from the study:
Guest post by Chris Gardner, MCT
On December 17th, the World Wide Web Consortium, or W3C, announced the publishing of the complete definitions of the HTML5 and Canvas 2D specifications. While these have yet to be ratified into an official standard, the completed and published specification gives platform holders a stable definition to use in creating engines to consistently render content across an array of applications and operating systems.
As a developer, there has never been a more exciting time to create content that can easily reach a mass audience. The new specifications are incredibly well thought out and feature rich. Much of the past annoyances of HTML development have been addressed, and HTML developers will be able to create experiences that not only shine on the web, but on the tablet and desktop.
For those of you that worry that your favorite feature may still be missing from HTML5 or Canvas 2D, The W3C also announced the first drafts of HTML5.1 and Canvas 2D, level 2. This new draft will include features that will extend accessibility, allow for adaptive streaming of content and much more.
The praise for HTML5 has been far reaching. From hardware manufacturers, such as Intel and Research in Motion, to Platform holders, such as Microsoft and Opera, to service and content providers, such as Ebay, Facebook and Zynga, the praise for HTML5 has come from every avenue. As more industry providers realize the potential of HTML5 and cross platform development, the strength of the technology will continue to grow.
Microsoft embraced HTML5 very early. Microsoft’s Paul Cotton was a co-chair for the HTML Working group, along with members from Apple and IBM. This immediate, intimate, and embedded knowledge of the HTML working group has allowed Microsoft to adopt HTML5 into almost every facet of their newest experiences. As of Visual Studio 2012, HTML5 and JavaScript became first class citizens for development, with support and templates for not only web development, but also Desktop, Mobile, and Store Apps. Never before has there been one technology that will allow you to create the experiences you want, where you want.
Microsoft’s commitment to HTML extends past the development environment. Upon the re-introduction of the Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD), Microsoft Learning has also made HTML5 a first class citizen. It is now possible to receive an MCSD in either Windows Store Applications or Web Applications that uses HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3 as the backbone technology.
As a special welcome to HTML5 into the Microsoft family, Microsoft Learning is offering exam 70-480, Programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3, for free through the end on March (or until the vouchers run out.). If you don’t quite feel you’re up to the challenge, Microsoft Virtual Academy is offering Developing in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3 Jump Start as a free class, and Microsoft Press is also offering Programming Windows 8 Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript by Kraig Brockschmidt as a free download. There has never been a better time to get a jump start on the new technologies as now.
About our MCT guest blogger:
Chris Gardner is the Senior Software Engineer and Architect for T & W Operations, Inc, and a MCT Regional Lead for the Eastern US. Tortured by years of contracts that valued buzzwords over results, Chris has developed a true passion for finding solutions that fit the problem, not the technology of the week. Chris received his B.S. in Mathematics and B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and is currently a Microsoft Certified Professional Developer, Information Technology Professional and Trainer.
Read more from Chris Gardner on his blog, follow him on Twitter as @freestylecoder, and check out his profile on Born to Learn.
Related post: HTML5 free training, exam voucher and more!
Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) has previously been available only to academic students, faculty, and staff. Now, anyone looking to explore a career in IT or to enhance their knowledge of IT can take an MTA exam!
MTA provides essential technology training and an industry-recognized certification to those just starting a career in IT - or for business professionals who want to enhance their career by adding a technology skillset.
Twelve exams in three technology tracks -- IT Infrastructure, Developer, and Database -- cover cutting-edge topics (such as Gaming and HTML5), and foundational topics that provide valuable skills in traditional technology fields and the new world of cloud computing. By passing an MTA exam you become part of the Microsoft Certification Program. While building confidence and skills, you can find MTA to be a stepping stone to other Microsoft certifications such as Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) or Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD).
Microsoft Learning Partners who delivered MTA training and certification exams during the recent pilot received positive feedback from their instructors and their students. The training and certification sessions took place in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. The pilot partners agree that MTA provides a great opportunity for those who are interested in exploring a career in IT but have little experience with technology.
Ready to get MTA certified? Go to here to find out how.
As another boost on your road to MTA, Microsoft is offering a free second shot on certification exams that are taken at commercial test centers.
"How do I connect with other MCPs in person? Where do I go? Do you have tips for getting conversations started if I'm an... introvert?" Our MCP community members have been asking. In this installment of Ask an MCT, Christopher Harrison shares five tried-and-true ways to break the ice and connect with other geeks for professional and personal growth.
Ask an MCT: How do I connect with other Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCP) in person?
I will always remember my first TechEd in 2004. It was in San Diego. I’d been an Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) at that point for about 5 years, but I’d been rather insulated from the outside world. I knew there was a community of MCTs out there, but I’d never met any of them outside of communication on the newsgroups[1]. I didn’t know what to expect. And then, upon showing up at the preconference day, I realized there was this whole new world of people I could connect with. That experience was one of the events in my life that I can point to that changed the direction of my career, and my life.
I settled into the preconference event for MCTs. Before I knew it I was inundated by people walking up to me, introducing themselves, and wanting to finally “put the face to the name”. I was also mesmerized by the interaction between the MCT there. This was not merely a normal gathering of peers. This was a reunion. These were people that truly enjoyed each others’ company and relished the opportunity to reconnect.
I didn’t quite know what was going on, but I knew I wanted in. So while internally I’m a bit of an introvert I pushed that to the side to throw myself right into the mix. Years later I’m still connected with most everyone there. And I’m extremely fortunate to call a fair number of them friends – and that’s not a word I use very lightly.
The MCT community is rather large and rather active. It may be one of my favorite things about being an MCT.
However, community isn’t the sole providence of MCTs. As a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) you’re a member of a community that numbers into the hundreds of thousands. Each year at TechEd, MMS, SharePoint Conference, SQL PASS, ..., hundreds of MCPs descend upon a convention center for a week of learning and fun. Every event features numerous opportunities to visit and connect with other attendees and MCPs.
You never know who it is you’re going to meet at events like that - at mixers, at social functions, etc. - or just in passing. Over the course of many conferences over the last several years I’ve met literally hundreds of people. I’ve met some of the most fascinating, interesting people through conferences. My life is much richer for having made those connections.
While I love meeting people on a personal level, on a professional level it’s critical. I’m an independent contractor. I need to work to find work. I need to market myself. The best way to do that is through in person, face to face contacts. These days all of my business is direct through training centers or other organizations. And it’s all because of people that I’ve met and come in contact with. I’m always armed with a handful of business cards[2], a firm handshake, a warm smile and a quirky laugh. Those little things allow for quick connections, which leads to the next conversation, which leads to a business conversation, which leads to more work. As I type this I’m struggling to remember the last time I had to fill out an application or hand someone a resume.
Introducing yourself to someone you don’t know can certainly be intimidating if you’re a bit introverted. I know – as I mentioned before, despite my extroverted exterior, inside I’m a bit of an introvert myself. On my personal blog[3] I used to do a feature on Friday called my Friday Five. In that vain, here are 5 things that help me connect with people.
1. Take a deep breath and remember they’re probably just as nervous as you. It’s true. Everyone has some level of nervousness when it comes to talking with strangers. They’re no different than you.
2. Get the other person talking about themselves. Everyone loves talking about themselves. Everyone has an inner narcissist. Some of us[4] don’t hide it as well as others. Not only does that allow the person you’re trying to meet to do something they love to do, you’re likely to hear some amazing stories.
3. Take up a hobby. Hobbies give you a common bond with someone even if you know nothing else about them. Personally, I’m a runner. So meeting another runner gives us an instant kinship. It can be almost anything – cooking, knitting, Settlers of Catan. And, if you’re looking to set up a “geek play date” if you will, a hobby gives you something you can do together.
4. Compliment someone’s funny t-shirt. As someone with a pretty good collection of geek shirts, I can tell you the biggest reason I wear them is for the reaction. And it can be a great conversation starter. Other: Hey – great shirt! Where did you get that? Me: Thanks! It’s one of my favorites. I got it at Think Geek. Other: Really? That’s awesome! I love that site. Me: Me too! I always have to resist the urge to just buy one of everything there.
5. Maintain “cultural literacy”. Know what’s going on in the world, both real news wise and pop culture wise. Depth isn’t important here, breadth is. Having a wide variety of subjects you can talk about, even at a very shallow level, can be very helpful in keeping a conversation flowing. For example, if you’ve never watched Breaking Bad[5], knowing the basic premise will allow you to talk with someone about the show.
Being a geek doesn’t have to be about living in a silo. There’s a whole community of geeks to connect with out there. And that community is one of my favorite parts of being an MCT and MCP. So next time you’re at a conference, stop by and introduce yourself. I’d love to meet you.
[1] Bring back, oh, nevermind… (Closed circuit joke)[2] Trading cards, actually. They’re really cool. :-)[3] When I used to maintain a personal blog[4] For example, someone who would put together a blog at blog.geektrainer.com, for example[5] One of the greatest shows on television, BTW
About Christopher Harrison:
Christopher Harrison is a Microsoft Certified Trainer, focusing on SharePoint and SQL Server. He's the owner and Head Geek at GeekTrainer, Inc. He's been training for the last 12+ years, with a couple breaks in the middle to take on full time developer jobs. These days he focuses mostly on training, presenting at conferences and consulting.
Connect with Christopher via his blog or on Twitter at @geektrainer.
“What’s next?” It’s a question we all ask ourselves at points in our career path, whether choosing an area of focus in our studies, looking for a first job, or transitioning to a new field. It’s no different when training in Microsoft technologies: sometimes, you just wish someone would show you a clear path to reach your goals.
So that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll present a series of infographics that give you a step-by-step visual view of Microsoft training and certification, designed to help guide and inspire your journey. Each infographic gives you a clear path through a particular certification and career destination. Along the way, we’ll also post a series of articles and visuals that “zoom in” on sections of the infographics. In early December, for instance, we’ll share a detailed map of training options and resources.
Windows Server 2012: Your Path to Success
Our debut infographic steps through your journey to Windows Server 2012 certification. Get started with free resources to help you learn the basics about Windows Server 2012. Then, select the certification path for your experience. As you move along the path, choose the type of training that fits your learning style and schedule and prepare for your first—or next—exam to reach your certification and career goal.
The image below opens a full size image, which includes clickable content (links, icons) that point you to additional information. Feel free to save, share, print, post, tweet, pin, like, recommend or blog the infographic as you see fit—it’s a resource that we hope you’ll find useful now and down the road.
(click the image to view the full-sized interactive graphic)
Last month I introduced myself and the anti-piracy program we have at Microsoft Learning. Thanks for all the tips I received! For this month’s Blog, I thought I’d expand a little bit on our program. While I can’t give specifics on what I do, I can give a glimpse into what an anti-piracy PM does day-to-day.
First, I can’t do this alone. I work collaboratively with Microsoft’s legal department, with our exam delivery providers, with outside counsel, partners, and outside consultants to help craft our programs. I also work with colleagues across the industry—not only in I.T., but in academic, professional, and licensure fields as well. Piracy is big business, unfortunately, and it takes an army to combat it. The good news is that the army is growing stronger; I’m seeing more collaboration both internally and externally now, because we all have the same goals: fair and secure testing/content programs.
I break my activities into two buckets: prevention and enforcement.
Preventative activities include working with our exam development team to design and deliver exams that are hard to steal; working with our exam delivery providers to secure test centers; constantly monitoring the web and file-sharing sites for our content; writing clear and comprehensive policies that state responsibilities and sanctions when those policies are breached; and educating candidates, proctors, and other key stakeholders on what is good behavior vs. bad.
Enforcement activities may include banning candidates from our certification program for cheating on an exam; removing illegally-posted content from the Internet; taking down brain-dump websites; secretly auditing test delivery practices at test centers around the world; or working with our exam delivery providers to correct security breaches at test centers.
My goal is to get to a point where most, if not all, of my job is focused on the Prevention activities rather than Enforcement activities. Stopping the bad behavior before it happens makes for a much stronger program all around.
One question I often get is “how do you find cheaters?” Well, I won’t say how, because then the cheaters would be on to me. A better question is “how do you manage all the instances of piracy out there?” There are a variety of top-secret methods I employ, but one of the best ways is by tips I get from the public. The majority of our learning community is dedicated to protecting the value of their content and certifications, and they don’t like cheaters and pirates any more than I do. Therefore, I always welcome tips.
One hazard of a job like mine is with so much focus on bad behavior and piracy, it can seem like a losing battle at times. But, when I look back at my reports over the past year, and I compare the number of cheaters to legitimate candidates, it’s actually quite a small number. Most people are eager to do well on an exam, to use legally obtained training materials, and to purchase books rather than stealing them. Motivation is a subject I will talk about more extensively in a future blog post.
Got a tip for me? Let me know at [email protected].
Kerri Davis
Does certification really matter? This is one of the most frequently asked and debated topic among IT pros and developers, whether they have college degrees or years of industry experience. You want to know if pursuing Microsoft certification is a good investment of time and money. MCT and Senior Consultant Jasper Kraak, who lives and works in the Netherlands, shares what he has witnessed in the industry, and why certification indeed matters. Read on:
Why Certification Does Matter
There seems to a lot skepticism on IT Certification and there’s probably a good reason for that. But that is not what I’ll be blogging about in this post. I’m looking for empowering reasons to DO get certified.
For individuals it’s always good to stretch yourself; life begins at the end of your comfort zone. The harder you need to strech the more satisfaction you get out of the result. Maybe that’s even better than a higher salary or bonus, although I do not underestimate those benefits. Certification makes it easier to search for new jobs, you can show that you’re up to date in your field of expertise. Passing an exam is also an acknowledgement for yourself of which you should be proud.
I also think it’s normal to stay up to date, looking at my closest relatives (neither of them are into IT), they all keep on developping their skills and knowledge about their respective jobs. Even my 82 year old mother as a biologist…. She blogs and is active on LinkedIn. But especially in IT, you’re out if you’re not up to date, it goes with the job. About nine months ago I blogged that the “serverhuggers” will be the first to lose their jobs. Last week I heard a CIO/CEO say: “What’s the difference between Elvis and a Systems Administrator? The Systems Administrator is really dead!”
For employers it seems logical that they only want to hire qualified employees to manage their expensive hard and software systems. I’m always very unpleasantly surprised to hear that they just “trust” their people but have actually no idea what they are doing for their money. It’s ridiculous to have untrained and unskilled people manage very expensive systems on which the company relies for it’s primary business processes. As employers invest in new technologies, training is hardly ever on the budget. It’s time now to take that business serious, IT has evolved enough to get rid of the sociologist who happens to know something about Windows. Windows is not manageable through therapy (most of the time… J). Employers investing in people have a more loyal workforce, no, they won’t run after they took their classes and passed their exams.
For outsourcers, headhunters, employer agencies and companies like that, you charge your customers big bucks so you’d better deliver. I do not only want to see an impressive resume with projects, responsibilities and accomplishments. I want to see a steady list of Certifications matching the position, otherwise we have no deal. So you should demand of your candidates a proper set of certifications, moreover, it should be the first thing to look for in any resume.
I take pride in being an IT Professional with an outstanding track record of certification and through that achieving great results in projects and training. And that leads to being reckoned as expert and guru in my fields of expertise.
About Jasper Kraak, in his own words:
My passion lies with Microsoft Technology, which started with NT3.1. Since then I’ve always be a frontrunner in investigating the newest versions of almost the complete product line of Microsoft, resulting in multiple MCSE and MCITP certifications. I love to share my knowledge as a Microsoft Certified Trainer, speaker and blogger.
Lately I mostly work with Vitualization, Collaboration and Cloud Services. In my job as a Senior Consultant for Qwise, I’m also responsible for knowledge, ambition and inspiration for my co-workers. Connect with me at http://www.kraak.com/ or https://twitter.com/jasperkraak .
I stumbled across this interesting blog post today (http://scn.sap.com/community/training-and-education/certification/blog/2012/10/11/what-drives-it-certification). Why do employees, employers, vendors, and partners get certified? John Kleeman spoke to attendees of the European Association of Test Publishers (EATP) to find out. (As some background, the Association for Test Publishers (ATP) is one of the key professional conferences in the certification industry. Microsoft Learning typically attends ATP in the United States, but I would love attend the European version at some point!)
I was struck by the reasons that employees get certified and why employers want their employees to be certified.
Employees: Why do you get certified? Certainly, one key driver is to improve your job or career prospects, but it appears that another key driver is to learn and develop skills. Certification is hard--it has to be if it's going to differentiate you from others--so if you get certified simply because you want an objective evaluation of your skills, you're showing some serious dedication and commitment to continuous lifelong learning. Of course, this makes me curious about why YOU get certified? Does the idea of using certification to learn and develop skills resonate with you? What drives you to get a certification and/or maintain one?
Employers: Why do employers want their employees to be certified? To improve performance, obviously, but it's clear that employers realize that certification is not a guarantee for success. That being said, it certainly improves the odds of success, especially for first time implementations of new technology. To me, that suggests that the most valuable certifications are those in newer technologies and that certifying early--when a new version of a technology is just released--may give you an advantage over those who aren't certified, especially in those in those organizations that are rolling out the latest and greatest. Hmmm... this seems to tie back to that idea of certification as a mechanism to learn and develop new skills. Very interesting, indeed.
What do you think about the key drivers of IT certification that John described? Did he miss why you get certified or why you want your employees to be certified? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Recently as I sat in our company’s annual meeting, I was moved by the expressions and reactions of thousands of Microsoft employees as they sat silently watching a story of tenacity and hope.
I saw stunned silence, amazement, tears, smiles and then thundering support for a man named Goodwill, who overcame incredible obstacles to create a better life for himself and his family. As I listened to those around me that day and read the many emails that were sent to our team after the meeting, it became very clear that today, unlike any time in our history, we have an opportunity to change the world. One person, one product, one education, and one certification at a time.
Goodwill’s story with Microsoft begins in 2009. The simple gesture of a friend; a letter to a radio station looking for a Christmas wish. The wish was submitted by a colleague of Goodwill’s who knew his story and his love of technology. As fortune would have it, his dream came true. Goodwill was given the opportunity to enroll in IT training through an authorized Microsoft Learning Partner, Dynamix Learning Solutions.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Microsoft certification program. At the beginning of the year we announced we would donate 5,000 Microsoft Technology Associate certification exams through organizations like NetHope Academy and Microsoft IT Academy . Goodwill’s story and success initiated this campaign and his story will inspire thousands of others.
At Microsoft, we believe in the transformative power of education and technology. We aspire to help people around the world to realize their full potential. Through my travels, I have personally found that the hope and tenacity, combined with education and innovation, creates strength through which anything can be accomplished. This is best articulated in a letter to us from Goodwill, who today is happy and thriving.
Dear Microsoft
My name is Goodwill Kwenza Khuzwayo and this is my success story. From a young age, I was always fascinated by technology. Unfortunately, I was born in to poverty and earning an income became priority over education. For this exact reason, my passion and interest in technology had to take a back foot and earning an income to support myself and my family became priority.
Years passed by and I moved in to a shack in Johannesburg (Diepsloot) in hope of reaching my dream which was to become educated and skilled professional in the IT industry. This dream was crushed after I got involved in a Motor (Taxi) accident, rendering me permanently disabled and reliant on crutches the rest of my life. As I am always positive and had to be for the sake of my new family, I did not give up. After recovering I found a job as an admin clerk for a swimming pool company in the Northern Suburbs. This is where I met the woman who is now my best friend and comrade, Nikki Barnard. Over the years, Nikki stood by me through thick and thin and was always there when I needed advice or motivation. I was stuck at the pool company with a very poor salary and no room for advancement. Nikki noticed this and out the goodness of her heart, did something for me which would change my life forever.
In 2009, Nikki contacted a local radio station, 94.7 Highveld Stereo to enter me in to their Christmas wish list Competition. Through her constant persistence and motivation, Highveld Stereo granted me a wish. The wish was to study Information’s Technology, staying true to my wish growing up. Putco (transport company) quickly came on board to sponsor my studies with a Microsoft Training Company called Dynamix Learning Solutions. I was finally living my dream, but more complications were on the horizon. Putco paid for me to study my MCITP Server Administrator course but did not take in to account that i had no experience in IT what so ever and needed introductory courses such as basic applications/Operating systems training, CompTIA Strata, A+ Etc. I fell behind jumping straight in to the first MCTS Module and had to drop out. Dynamix approached Putco on my behalf to query the possibility of paying for my pre-requisite training, but with no luck. My dream once again seemed untouchable.
To my and Nikki’s surprise, Dynamix approached us to offer me not only the pre-requisite courses required, but an addition to my Server Administrator certification, the MCITP Enterprise Administrator Modules, at no additional cost to me or Putco. My interest and passion for IT grew and grew throughout my Microsoft studies and my knowledge/understanding of IT increased dramatically in a matter of months. I studied Monday to Friday day and night as I knew my future now lay in my hands and my hands only. I grabbed this opportunity with both hands and never let go! I am extremely proud to tell people that I am now a Microsoft Certified IT Professional, Enterprise Administrator and passed all of my exams with no less than 90% on each exam!
Not even 1 month after completing my Microsoft Certification, I got hired by the South African Electronic Toll Gates Agency and was placed in their IT Department. My dream and goal is to gain some much needed work place experience and work my way up to become an Enterprise Administrator. My new salary has also allowed for me and my family to move out of our shack and in to a new house.
Thank you my dearest friend Nikki Barnard, Microsoft and Dynamix for making my dream come true.
With warm regards,
Goodwill Kwenza Khuzwayo
When we last spoke, I started describing some of the changes that are being made to our beta exams (http://borntolearn.mslearn.net/btl/b/weblog/archive/2012/11/12/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-beta-exams-part-1-beta-invites.aspx). Another change is related to the availability of beta exams. In the past, we would pull the exam out of beta as soon as we had sufficient data to psychometrically analyze the results, and then republish the exam approximately 6-8 weeks later, resulting in a window when the exam was not available. However, given the limited number of free beta seats and the overwhelming demand for some technologies, we have decided to leave beta exams in market until the exam is live. This ensures continuous availability of the exam, and gives candidates who want to take the exam early an opportunity to do so.
If you’d like to take the beta exam but did not receive an invitation or were unable to register for a free seat, you may take the exam during this period by registering as you would for any exam (although these exams will use the beta prefix of 71) and paying the regular price. The experience will be the same as if you were taking the beta. In other words, you may see some items that won't appear on the live version of the exam because they are psychometrically unsound, unclear/ambiguous, or technically inaccurate, and you will not receive your score until we have analyzed the psychometric performance of the items and set the passing score. Although this exam is not free, we understand that some candidates may have interest in taking the exam early to meet job requirements or career growth needs or to demonstrate that they are early adopters of (and competent in) the technology. Having an exam available continuously gives candidates the option to take the exam when they'd like in order to meet their career, professional, or personal development goals.
Recently, a young IT professional starting out in his career asked us on Facebook: "What is the benefit if I get certified?" In the guest blog post below, MCT Ed Baker responds to this young IT pro's question. If you'd like to connect with Ed for more advice, please leave a comment or check out his Born to Learn profile.
Why do we have to take all these exams?
I am lucky enough to teach for Firebrand Training, a Microsoft Learning Partner in the UK, and for the last 12 months also a Microsoft IT Academy. I split my time between teaching Server and Client courses to corporate delegates and apprentices. For the most part, the corporate delegates are only there for one thing – certification, that’s why they chose an accelerated programme MCSA Server 2012 in 8 days, MCSE in 13 or 14. Talking to these experienced IT folks about certification is, as we say, preaching to the converted. A large proportion pay for their own courses and know just how valuable certification is to a career. I know – because that is how I started on the road to becoming an MCT. Apprentices are a different matter. They're usually younger and working at their first IT jobs, and I enjoy helping them lay a good foundation for their IT career.
What exactly is the benefit of all this certification to young people?
Well, I tackle it from a different angle on day one. I explain that it is my job to help apprentices achieve a certain level of competence and understanding in the technical areas, so that not only can they get a job, but more importantly they can do the job well AND keep it. I am not here to get them certified, but that if I do my job and they do theirs, they will pass the exams, and invariably they do. The 5 weeks of residential training cover Networking, Database, and Server Administration. The IT Academy e-learning also allows them to take the material and study at work or online at home to take those tests later.
If 500 young IT professionals apply for any technical job, all with similar résumé contents, then a hiring manager is going to put the certified candidates right at the top of the pile. In troubled employment times, employers can be very picky. Once you secure a job and prove that you can do the work it entails, you need to progress, show you can learn more and upgrade your skills for more responsibilities. How do you do that? Go and learn the new products with hands-on experience, and prove you can do the job by taking and passing the certification examinations.
Is that what you did Ed?
I started out on my IT journey as a Project Manager who wanted to make sure that all the technical consultants were not trying to add un-necessary days and weeks to my precious project plan. Once I got the technical bug and decided I wanted to teach what I knew, it was essential to be certified. I would not try and tell someone how to use something without being qualified. To be qualified, it is my assertion that a trainer MUST be certified and SHOULD be experienced in using the product in everyday situations, including the bad times when things are going wrong. How to get out of trouble when your Server goes down is a valuable skill.
For those who don’t want to teach, then certifying is just as useful. Microsoft provide access to a whole bunch of useful benefits to its certified professionals. The online transcript sharing tool allows a prospective employer (or current one) to view all of your Microsoft exam passes, current and past certifications and in the case of a trainer, the course you are allowed to teach.
What else does Microsoft give me?
As a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), you receive access to an MCP-only website with links to the MCP community. In addition, this site offers downloads of Certificates, Logos, links to a Certification Planner and many more useful bits and bobs. If you decides to become a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) or a Trainer (MCT), the other tabs on the site become available to you, along with their benefits.
So, if apprentices and those starting out in IT should get certified, is it just as relevant for those with many years of experience and practice behind them? In short, it opens doors that are firmly closed without a current certification.
I had spent many years being self-employed and not needed to recertify every time a new version or product was released. I simply learned the products, tested them in a lab and then deployed and used them for my customers. When I decided I wanted to take a different career path, I found more than one prospective employer happy to talk to me and discuss options but not one of them would progress further until I was certified in the subject areas I was interested in.
As soon as I had gone away and gained the certifications for things I already knew I could do, the employers were offering jobs at the first opportunity. It is very difficult to make a hiring decision without some objective markers and certification is an effective marker of ability.
Isn’t it just a bit of paper?
For this reason it is imperative that the integrity of the certification system is maintained, if not, then there will be a larger number of ‘paper-qualified’ people around. Without integrity, the certification process means nothing. As end users, we have to trust that the provider, in this case Microsoft maintains both the integrity AND the fairness of the exams and the process.
Anyone who has taken Microsoft exams in the last 12 months will have seen an enormous number of changes to the item types, just check out the Ask a Certification Expert (ACE) series of video clips to see what’s been happening. They even have their own outtakes video!
These changes have turned the new certifications into excellent examples of current, relevant and challenging tests. There is however a dark side, where the force is strong, sadly.
Some exam centres and administrator are not as vigilant as they should be and there are a number of websites, forums and other communities where the contents of exams are regularly exchanged. This is being tracked and tackled by Microsoft – They have a department and a manager specially employed to do this. Check out this Born to Learn interview, too. It is also up to us IT professionals all to be on the look-out for such things. More importantly SEE it, REPORT it! If you don’t, you have no right to complain when someone else who you know cheated get the job you are after.
In a nutshell.
Certification get you.
You know it makes sense.
About the guest blogger:Ed Baker is an MCT specializing in Windows Server and Client products with 20 years industry experience. He currently teaches for Firebrand Training and the Firebrand Microsoft IT academy Programme in the UK. @edbaker1965 holds three of the new MCSE certifications as of November 2012.
As some of you have probably realized by now, parts of the the beta exam process have changed. Let's start with the elephant in the room--the beta invite process. I'm sure many of you were expecting to receive an invitation to participate in a Windows Server 2012 or Windows8 beta but didn't get one. I've fielded a lot of emails from candidates just like you, so let me describe how the process works.
Microsoft offers a limited number of beta seats for free; these seats are available by invitation only. Invitations to participate in beta exams are first sent to qualified members of the Microsoft Learning SME Profile database (http://connect.microsoft.com/site862). People who have indicated experience in the newest version of the technology are prioritized. If we don't have enough people with experience in the newest version of the technology, we then look for people who have experience with the previous version of the technology or related technologies. If we still don't have enough people, we may post the beta information to Born to Learn; however, to truly understand the psychometric performance of the items, I need people who know the technology to take the beta exam, so I only do this as a last resort with the hope that only those with some experience are actually the ones registering for it. This is how the process works for most technologies; in these cases, if you were expecting a beta invite, you probably received one.
However, for some technologies (Windows Server, Windows operating systems), we have significantly more qualified candidates in the SME Profile database than we have available seats. In these cases, we randomly select an appropriate number of qualified candidates (usually a 2:1 ratio of candidates to available seats), and send the invitation to those that were randomly selected. We simply can't send a beta invite to everyone given the extremely limited number of free seats. We have found that dissatisfaction with the process is much higher for those who recieved the beta invite but didn't get a seat than it is for those who didn't get the invite even though they were expecting one. We use the random selection process to mitigate the potentially negative experiences with access to beta exams. (And because I know this question is coming...no, we cannot increase the number of free beta seats.)
Want to increase the likelihood of being invited to participate in a beta exam? If so,
KEEP IN MIND that receiving an invitation does not guarantee you a seat in the beta exam. Participation in the beta is on a first come, first served basis. Due to popular demand, register as soon as the beta registration period begins.
Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCT) are great sources of information and advice about technology, certification and IT career. As such, they often get questions about study tips and certification exam preparation. In the guest blog post below, MCT Bert Wolters shares some solid tips gathered from years of teaching and his own experiences with certification exams. Bert's post was originally written in Dutch here, and we appreciate his careful translation into English for sharing with Born to Learn blog readers. If you'd like to connect with Bert, please see his profile here.
Ask an MCT: How do I take my exam and stay calm?
As a trainer I’m often asked how I cope during those exams. Most of the time these are students of mine, preparing for their first exam, or people who failed for their exam the first time. Nerves are also playing tricks on people. On some occasions I’ve had students in my class who did fine on a practice run in a measure-up session. “Fine” in this case means 850 points or more, but froze during the real exam. In this blog post, I like to give you some tips and tricks to get through your exam-day, with the cooperation of Microsoft Learning, just to make sure I don’t tell you something illegal.
Ok, now we’ve cleared all of that… Here we go, this is how I often take my exams. Since I am a trainer and I can’t teach something I’m not certified in, I usually take 2-4 exams a month, opposed to a “regular” IT Pro, who takes these number of exams in a year.
Ok, let’s just say all preparation is done (check out my earlier blog post on how to prepare for an exam) and I’m fairly confident I can pass. I then schedule the appointment for the exam about one or two weeks later. In the meantime, don’t forget to keep your knowledge current. Concentrate on your weak-spots but don’t forget to keep your stronger points up to par.
I try to have a good night’s sleep the night before my exam and dress comfortably on the day. Some of these exams can literally take hours, so try to avoid ány irritation when you can. If you like to take of your shoes for an exam, if it makes you feel better, do so!
Ok, we’ve had breakfast, checked whether we have our ID cards with us, then we’re off to the test center. I make sure I’m at the test-center (we’ve got a Prometric exam location at all of our training locations) well before my exam is scheduled to start. The coffee is good, so no hard feelings there when you’re 30 minutes early.
Once I’m checked in at the front-desk, and turned my pockets inside out, I’m swiftly directed to my exam station. Then the “fun” starts. Usually the exam starts with an innocent questionnaire. This will not take any of your exam-time away, so relax. No, it will not give you a harder exam, just because you’ve checked the box, stating that you’re a guru at tying your shoes… So again, relax!
Now for the exam…, no I’m not giving away any technical details. Even better; I don’t know anything about the contents of the exams. When you’ve taken an exam, you’ve agreed to a Non-Disclosure Agreement, so I’ve “signed” a pact that I don’t know anything about the exams, so you will not find any technical data in this blog.
I’ve tried to convert the exam-language from Prometric into some examples regarding a bakery. I hope Prometric isn’t the exam institute for the National Bakers Association, because they’ll sue me over that… But let’s just keep our fingers crossed for now.
The exam itself… My strategy is always to read the question, try to formulate an answer for myself and then see whether that answer is amongst the different multiple choice answers. When it is, it’s great…. When it isn’t, it’s still not that big of a deal.
When it isn’t, I’ll use the one closest to my own answer. When I don’t know and I can’t think of an answer quickly, I mark the question for review and move on. We’ve got a time-limit people! Nothing to worry about too much in advance, but still, something to keep in the back of your head. At the end of the (section of) the exam you’ve got the possibility to review all questions, marked and unmarked. When you follow this strategy; you make your “quick wins” first, and save the problem cases for later.
Elimination: There’s more than one way to answer questions. When you think of your own answer, and it’s amongst the provided answers, it’s great. But what if it isn’t? You can always try crossing them off… Here’s an example.
What is bought at the bakery shop since they started this kind of business?
A) Chocolates
B) Meat
C) Car parts
D) Bread
In this example you immediately dispose of B and C, since in the early years they didn’t have cars and meat isn’t a common thing in a bakery (at least not in the Netherlands).
That leaves us with Bread and Chocolates. That just comes down to your knowledge of the matter (or ofcourse a gut-feeling when you’re really clue-less). But I’d go with bread for this one. Answer D.
Tip from a colleague:
I received a tip from one of my colleagues, when reviewing this little blog of mine. When you’re really clue-less about a question, go with the best formulated answer. The rest of the answers has been made up, so could be sloppier. (In the “Guessing Top 10, this is just above answering the question with an educated guess, or the saying:” When in doubt, choose C”, so no guarantees here.)
Use the noteboard:
I regularly see people stepping out of the exam-room, a little sweaty, telling me how difficult the exam was with all of those relations amongst databases, Active Directory Sites, and so on… When you take a look at the laminated note-board it’s all shiny and new.
I’ve found out there’s a reason why people in our early ages teach us to draw stuff, it’s so we can make it easier for ourselves during the Microsoft exams! So please draw, scribble, write down stuff and use up 2 markers, there are plenty in stock in the exam-location. That way releaves the gray matter in your head. Something you write down is something you don’t have to load in memory, and you’ll need that buffer during the complete exam-experience.
Summarize:
Another nice thing of the laminated note board is that you can make the questions easier through summarizing the data you receive to the essentials you need. Ready for some reading? Here we go!
You are the chief-baker with Yummy Cookies International. You have bakeries across the globe in New York, Amsterdam, Tel Aviv, Sao Paolo and Moscow. Product research and development and product management is based in Amsterdam. All bakeries produce the products they sell locally with the same recipes and all baking is done before 7 AM (local time) because of regulations issued by the International Bakers’ Union.
All of the baking ovens are heated to exactly 200 degrees Celsius by 2 AM (local time) so the bread baking can start in time.
What is the temperature of the ovens at 02:00 AM local time?
A) 200 degrees Celsius
B) 198 degrees Celsius (the door has just been opened)
C) Room Temperature
D) 200 degrees Fahrenheit
Summarizing the story, only leaving the essentials:
What I do in these cases, with this amount of data to consider, read the question first and then go clue-hunting: 02:00 AM local time? When is the oven lid? What location? Summarize the story above and you’ll get there.
Read carefully and don’t assume anything:
Different question, same possible answers.
What is the temperature of the ovens at 02:00 PM local time?
See what I mean? After spending some time in the exam you usually go blind for such changes (AM-> PM conversion in the question).
Be sure to read every question very carefully and don’t assume anything… People often refer to their own configuration at their place of work. Don’t! (I almost feel like the psychiatrist in this video)
The exam “creates” very specific configurations/situations and that’s what you have to deal with. If steps aren’t mentioned in exam cases, they’re not taken.
Take these advices into account, think about them and when you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’ll answer them as far as I’m not bound to NDA or other agreements.
Want to familiarize yourself with exam questions some more? My colleague Christian Peeters has done some fine blogs (in dutch) on those topics.
Additional questions about exams can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF3AEB246624F3304&feature=view_all
And explanation about the new “open” questions in exams can be found: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/exam.aspx#
As a long-term Microsoft employee with extensive field expertise, the opportunity to take on a global role with Microsoft Learning was very exciting. It lends itself to my personal passion for learning, connection to the field and to my desire to see change in the world and to people’s lives through technology.
Over the last month, I had the opportunity to travel to keynote two of our Leaning Partner conferences. While in India, I announced an exciting partnership with NIIT in which over the next three years we will train 1 million IT Professionals to be cloud-ready.
The partnership with NIIT represents what we in technology know and feel around the world. This is an unprecedented time of growth for Microsoft, our partners and the industry. The cloud presents incredible opportunity for people globally to build skills and secure jobs. According to IDC, by 2015 there will be more than 14 million available cloud related jobs in the technology sector. The current skill gap, partnered with an unprecedented product launch cycle will challenge our global team to be as efficient and relevant as we ever have been in our content development, delivery mechanism and ease of use strategy. We will also continue to focus on our ability to scale to meet industry needs; you will further see us establishing large-scale partnerships around the world over the coming months.
I was impressed with how connected our teams are to our core business and excited by the optimism they share for what the future holds in their own country. It was clear in all the areas visited that certifications play an important role in providing a clear roadmap for IT Pros and Developers and that government is highly invested in training their citizens.
More to come.
Hello and welcome to my first blog post! As the Anti-Piracy Program Manager, I manage the programs we have in place to monitor fraud, cheating, and content security for our exams, certifications, courseware, and books. I work with my colleagues across the business to ensure that we continually combat fraudulent practices that undermine the integrity of our products. We want to ensure that when you buy our content, attend a class, or take an exam, you are given genuine learning material and a secure testing experience.
You may be saying to yourself, “you have an anti-piracy program?” We sure do. This is always a delicate thing to promote, because while I’m dedicated to ensuring security is an essential part of our certification integrity, to making sure our authors’ work is protected, and to creating a fair candidate experience, I also can’t give away my secrets. I don’t want the pirates and cheaters to know what we do to thwart them! But it is also important that our community of dedicated writers, trainers, test-takers, and learners know that we take security and piracy seriously. We want everyone to have a fair learning and testing experience.
My hope through these blog posts is to educate on some of the fraudulent practices we see plaguing the industry so that our partners and customers are well-informed. Over the next few months I will continue to post on topics (that I can divulge) that let you peek into how we maintain our commitment to anti-piracy. If there are questions you have about our efforts, please let me know!
Some of my best information comes from the community. If you see an incident of fraud or cheating, or if you have a question about the legitimacy of prep materials, or have a security question in general, let me know at [email protected].
Beta invites have been sent for exam 71-688 Managing and Maintaining Windows 8. We are addressing a delay with publishing the prep-guide on the Microsoft Learning site. For those who have received an invitation in the interim, here is the prep guide:
Target Audience: This exam is intended for IT professionals who work with small businesses and individuals to manage their computers and devices, which are typically set up in a peer-to-peer or remote environment.
Tasks that candidates typically perform include:
Objective Domain
1. Design an Installation and Application Strategy (25%)
1.1. Design an operating system installation strategy.
This objective may include but is not limited to the following design considerations:
Windows To Go
Operating system virtualization
Native VHD boot
Multi boot
Upgrade vs. migration
1.2. Design an application strategy for desktop applications.
Application compatibility using Client Hyper-V, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT), and App-V
Application updates
Application co-existence
Application reputation
Internet Explorer 10 management
1.3. Design an application strategy for cloud applications.
Microsoft Office 365
Metro applications
Restricting Windows Store content
AppLocker
Internal content
1.4. Design a solution for user settings.
User profiles
USMT 5.0/WET
Windows Live integration
Folder redirection
User experience virtualization (UE-V)
2. Maintain Resource Access (27%)
2.1. Design for network connectivity.
IPv4 and IPv6
Name resolution
Wireless
Network security
Network settings
2.2. Design for remote access.
Off-network use and management
Metered networks
VPN
RDP
DirectAccess
Remote administration
2.3. Design for authentication and authorization.
Two-factor authentication including certificates, smart cards, picture passwords, and biometrics
Workgroup vs. domain
Trust relationships
Local account vs. Microsoft account
2.4. Manage data storage.
This objective may include but is not limited to:
Resolve data storage issues
Manage pools
Manage data availability using BranchCache
2.5. Manage data security.
Manage share/NTFS permissions for storage spaces
Configure EFS
Configure security for removable media
Manage BitLocker and BitLocker To Go
3. Maintain Windows Clients and Devices (27%)
3.1. Manage hardware and printers.
Resolve hardware and device issues
Sync devices and resolve sync issues
Monitor and manage print servers
3.2. Manage mobile devices.
Resolve mobility issues
Manage mobile device policies including security policies, NFC, secure SIM, and remote access
Manage mobile access
Manage Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync in mobile devices
3.3. Design a recovery solution.
PC refresh/reset
Windows 7 file recovery
Recovery drive
System restore
User files including local files, SkyDrive, and file history
User profile settings
Application settings
3.4. Manage endpoint security.
Resolve endpoint security issues
Manage updates using Windows Update
Manage client security using Windows Defender
Manage client security using the Microsoft System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection client
Configure application reputation
4. Manage Windows 8 Using Cloud Services and Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (21%)
4.1. Manage clients by using Windows Intune.
Manage updates and update groups
Configure the company portal
Monitor on-network and off-network machines
Manage asset inventory
4.2. Manage public cloud services.
Manage Windows Live services including Trusted PC, storage, SkyDrive/Live Mesh apps, and groups
Implement Office 365 using the Office 365 Desktop Setup
Manage Office 365
4.3. Monitor and maintain clients by using MDOP.
Remediate startup issues using the Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT)
Monitor clients using System Center Desktop Error Monitoring
Manage the App-V client
Manage BitLocker and BitLocker To Go using Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM)
If you have not received an invitation and are interested in participating in future betas, be sure to sign up for our SME database (http://aka.ms/MSLSME). Good luck!
Ask an MCT: How do I prepare for an exam?
As a trainer I’m often asked how I prepare for an exam and how I cope during those exams. Most of the time these are students of mine, preparing for their first exam, or people who failed for their exam the first time. Nerves are also playing tricks on people. On some occasions I’ve had students in my class who did fine on a practice run in a measure-up session. “Fine” in this case means 850 points or more, but froze during the real exam…
In this blog I like to give you some tips and tricks to prepare for all (Microsoft) exams in general, with the cooperation of Microsoft Learning, just to make sure I don’t tell you something illegal. Ok, now we’ve cleared all of that… Here we go, this is how I prepare for an exam.
Take the course, do the mileage
Since I like to work with the newest technology available, courses aren’t always available to me. But whenever I do get a chance to do so, I run through the courseware. These courses are written by experts in the field and will get you started to understand the technology tested in the exams, and used in the real world. I want to emphasize the “get you started” in my last sentence. Is just reading and memorizing the book enough to pass the exam? No. The exams are more and more about using the technology mentioned in the book in day to day situations.
I know we don’t all work in an enterprise environment on a day to day basis and that some of the exam content might seem a bit “over-the-top”, but when you show on your exam you have the insight to use the Microsoft technology in a big environment, with all complexity and dependencies of that environment, we know you can apply that knowledge in smaller environments too.
Don’t understand some things during training? Ask Questions!
This is something I personally had trouble with in the past. “What if people think I’m thick headed?” or “Other people don’t ask questions, so they must understand this way of explaining by the trainer…” or, and this is by far the best one: ”I’ll look it up later...”, trust me, you won’t. You will not even remember what you needed to look up, unless you write it down. Please don’t think in this way! I’ve come to realize over the years, that all trainers love technology and people. So please “bother” us with your questions…. If you don’t understand something when we explain a subject, ask us to clarify it again, or with different examples. That’s what gives us trainers a good feeling,… you understanding the subject matter at the end of the day! Please, never hesitate to ask us. And in the isolated case we don’t know the answer for your question (for sure) from the top of our head, we’ll look it up for you and answer you as soon as possible, when necessary by e-mail. That can happen sometimes, since we’re told by Microsoft that we’re only human. ;-)
Do the labs!
Don’t just consume the theory, but make sure you also know how to apply the technology, know the exceptions. When I read about DHCP, I can picture the console and think of the Powershell cmdlets that are applicable. When you’ve got the time, ask your trainer if you can work beyond the lab-assignment to do some experimenting of your own. More and more computers for home use are virtualization-capable. When you have the time, download an evaluation copy of windows server and set up your own home-lab to dive deeper into the content.
(When under 18, or when someone else is buying the computer for you, please consult them before making a dual-boot system)
Read articles on Technet/MSDN
In my earlier years, I once explained Kerberos authentication at an Active Directory training, based on additional reading I did on sites like Wikipedia. The senior trainer in the room stopped me and had to correct me, since there were some giant holes in the theory on that user-managed website. It’s very easy to assume that everything published on the internet is true, but beware of assumptions, data from specific configurations and features from different versions/service packs. Microsoft Technet and/or MSDN is the place to be for correct and in-depth additional reading material.
Check the Microsoft Learning website
My colleagues and I always check the website of Microsoft Learning for the latest exam-topics. At the “Skills Measured” tab you’ll get a nice overview of what is expected from you. Do you see new topics, such as (for example) “Secure Dynamic DNS”, Goo… ehhh Bing it! ;-)
Unsure? Take a test-exam!
Also mentioned on the Microsoft Learning website, mentioned under preparation materials, we’ve got official Practice exams. You will not find the exact exam questions there, but it will help you to get used to the way of questioning in the exams. The providers are MeasureUp and Selftest.
Don’t over-study…
In High School we still see that students are cramming for a test or exam all night long. We also see students who study up until five minutes before the test starts. Research has shown that all of that time is wasted and people could have been better off, starting in time and having a good sleep the night before the exam.
I hope this blog post has given you some pointers in the right exam direction. Do you have additional tips and tricks? Let me know and I’ll add them! My next blog post will be on exam taking tips. Stay tuned, and good luck on your next exam!
The Microsoft Certification team continually monitors industry trends and then revises exams and certification requirements to keep pace with changes in technology. On a regular basis, new exams are introduced and older exams are revised or retired. Certifications you have earned remain valid even if qualifying exams have been retired. When an exam you passed is retired, your transcript retains the record of the exam and identifies the exam as retired.
Most exams for SQL Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008, Visual Studio 2010, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008 will be retiring on July 31, 2013. Exams for SharePoint Server 2007 and Project Server 2007 will be retiring on January 31, 2013. New exams for SQL Server 2012, Windows Server 2012, and Visual Studio 2012 are already available.
Planned retirement dates for additional exams have been announced, including exams covering Windows XP and Lync Server 2010, as well as the SharePoint Server 2010 Masters exams. Note that both exams and dates planned for retirement may be subject to change.
Do you test software? Or do you implement and manage Visual Studio Team Foundation Server? Or perhaps you develop Application Lifecycle Management solutions for your organization? If you've answered Yes to any of these questions, we want to hear from you.
We are conducting a survey about the skills and experience of individuals who are involved in software testing and/or applying an integrated process across the application lifecycle. If you use Visual Studio to perform these job functions, great! If you currently use other tools, that's fine too...we'd still like to hear from you! Your responses will help us define certifications that will be relevant and meaningful, not just for those who do software testing or who manage the life cycle of an application, but also for the hiring managers who are looking for qualified job candidates.
We hope that you’ll take the time to participate in this short—but important—survey. Please submit your responses by October 15, 2012. Follow this link to complete the survey: http://microsoftlearning.us.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8iVjnVJOKbhXVEp
Thanks in advance for your participation!
Microsoft Certified Professionals: You're invited to participate in the 6th annual salary and skills survey conducted by Global Knowledge and Windows IT Pro. It is one of the industry's most extensive surveys of IT and business professionals. Last year's survey had over 10,000 participants. The topics includes:
All participants will have the option to request a complimentary summary of findings. Responses are due by October 19, 2012.
The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Click here to begin.
It’s a new era for developers. The consumerization of IT has changed the technology landscape in a big way, and customers have higher expectations than ever before. They want fast, light, stunning applications that deliver high value and are accessible on any device. For developers, this can mean an opportunity to turn bright ideas into applications.
As Microsoft celebrated the release of Visual Studio 2012 at today’s virtual launch event, Microsoft also has cause to celebrate our new Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) certifications, designed for the future of the applications marketplace. The new MCSD is available in two tracks, each designed for developers:
The MCSD provides an objective, meaningful way to identify advanced technical competence and significant real-world solution-building expertise. But that’s not all—in the process of achieving your MCSD, you’ll build the skills you’ll need to succeed in this new era. Preparing for your MCSD is a great way to learn how to take advantage of the new and exciting possibilities for developers in Visual Studio 2012 and Windows 8.
Over the course of the next few months, Microsoft Learning will be releasing a variety of books, courses, and other learning products that enable developers to build the skills needed to architect and build Windows Store apps, and to create modern web applications. You can start getting ready for the new era today by downloading this free Microsoft Press e-book: Programming Windows 8 Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (Second Preview). You can also attend worldwide Tech Showcase events, which focus on Microsoft’s most recent technology releases and provide you with a first-hand look at what’s new. As another boost on your road to MCSD, Microsoft is offering a free second shot at certification exams or exam packs.
Stay relevant. Build the skills you need to create tomorrow’s apps by preparing for and earning an MCSD certification!
Yesterday, we released our next certification under our new branding - Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) on Windows 7.
Many of you now have this certification on your transcript and may be wondering what it is and how you earned it. As part of our efforts to grandfather our existing customers into the new program, we are awarding those individuals that have already passed the approprite Windows 7 exams, the MCSA: Windows 7 certification.
Here are the MCSA: Windows 7 requirements:
MCSA certification
Requirements
MCSA: Windows 7
MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator (Exam 70-680: Windows 7, Configuring and Exam 70-686: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Administrator)
OR
MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician (Exam 70-680: Windows 7, Configuring and Exam 70-685: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician)
Some questions you may have are
For those that have earned the MCSA: Windows 7 certification, you will be able to earn the new MCSA: Windows 8 certification by taking and passing one exam - exam 689.
Here is the upgrade path to the MCSA: Windows 8 certification.
Current Certification
Goal
MCSA: Windows 8
Exam 689: Upgrading Your Skills to MCSA Windows 8
This exam has not been released yet, check back later this year for more information.
Our web pages are in progress and should be updated with the latest information in the next day.
Lots going on so let me know what questions you have.
Have a great day!
Hi!
I wanted to make a really quick announcement to all of you, especially since you have been asking....
The MCSA: Windows Server 2012 now counts as a pre-requisite certification for the MCSE: Private Cloud certification. NOTE - it won't show up on your transcript until November 2012.
Now for anyone that already started down the path of the MCSA: Windows Server 2008 certification, you are still in luck. It still counts towards the MCSE: Private Cloud certification and it will show up on your transcript immediately.
The MCSA: Windows Server 2012 exams (410, 411, and 412; the upgrade exam 417) will be released as final on September 17th. For those of you that took the exams in beta, you should be seeing your scores right around that time.
As a reminder, the MCSE: Private Cloud does require recertification every 3 years.
I hope you find this information useful and have a great day!
We were thrilled to feature Buck Woody for two tweetchat sessions on August 28. We talked about everything from ideas for aspiring DBAs to mentorship, from continuous learning to blogging tips and community involvement. Buck shared many resources and retweetable sound bites. If you were able to join us live, thank you for your contribution to the great chat. If you missed it... fear not. Below are replays of both tweetchats.
Bonus question: What do you think about all the tweetchats we've done so far? Is there a guest you'd like to see featured next? Please post suggestions in a comment below. Thanks!
Replay of session 1 - RSS feed
Replay of session 2 - RSS feed
With the 20th anniversary of Microsoft Learning upon us, we are heading into an unprecedented year in terms of new products and respective training and certification opportunities. Developers and IT Professionals have never had more opportunity to increase core skills and enable career success. Our goal continues to be developer and IT Professional empowerment and success through training and certification and we are very pleased to announce that Microsoft is bringing back its hugely popular Second Shot promotion—giving anyone a free extra chance to pass that exam! The Second Shot offer is valid through May of 2013 and we hope that many will take advantage of the opportunity.
Alison CunardGeneral ManagerMicrosoft Learning, Worldwide Marketing & Sales
Second Shot is available for single exams and featured certification packs.For more info and to get your voucher, visit http://aka.ms/secondshot .Spread the word on Twitter with hashtag #SecondShot.