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.
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