Monday, July 1, 2013

A Look At The Newly Designed Microsoft Certification Program

By Susan Tucker


Microsoft is once more making substantial improvements to its IT training certification program. While these changes are designed to make the Microsoft certification program easier to use, there are some drawbacks involved and anyone who has or is considering getting Microsoft training ought to pay attention to how the program is evolving. It should also be known that those who already have Microsoft certifications must also be familiar with these new changes, since they will have an impact upon a few Microsoft certificates.

What Changes Are Going To Be Made?

Microsoft is phasing out both the MCITP title along with the MCTS title. These titles will be substituted with the MCSE and MCSA titles, which had been the titles that Microsoft had been originally utilizing for the longest period.

Nevertheless, Microsoft does a lot more than just changing the names around. It is also bringing down its ranking for the MCITP title, rendering it equal to the MCSA title but not to the MCSE title, which is widely considered to be the superior form of Microsoft accreditation.

Microsoft is yet again making re-certification required for individuals who wish to keep the new MCSE or MCSD certification. While this is a requirement which angered lots of certification holders when Microsoft initially tried to introduce it, many people are coming to realize that ongoing, fast changes in the technology world make it impossible for someone to continue to hold to the same level of certification without regular training. MCSE certifications must be renewed every 3 years and MCSD certifications every 2 years. MCSA certifications are going to have no re-certification requirements.

Why the Changes?

Microsoft's MCITP and MCTS titles weren't well accepted by either certificate students or those who were looking to employ graduate students from Microsoft's certification program. Many businesses were and are still not technically savvy and thus did not understand the differences between Microsoft's new certifications types and the company's old ones. This made it challenging for individuals who were searching for a job, since these individuals had to explain to possible employers just what the new types of certification meant and why they were every bit as valid as the old ones.

One other reason why the initial program change was not well received is the fact that Microsoft declared that the new certificates would need to be periodically renewed. However, the company was vague regarding precisely what would have to be accomplished to get hold of certificate renewal and even when the certificates would reach their expiration date. Obviously, this approach created a large amount of uncertainty for people who were contemplating getting started with the Microsoft training program.

Tips On How To Upgrade Current Certificates

Almost all new MCSE, MCSD and MCSA certification paths offer special upgrade examinations. These examinations center on testing the know-how of the student on the new and changed functionalities of a new technology edition. The requirement for these upgrade examinations is always one or more valid MCTS or MCITP certifications. Additionally, in the event you presently hold a MCITP certification for Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7 you will automatically be given a corresponding MCSA certification.

Are There Any Advantages Associated with Upgrading a Microsoft Certificate?

Because Microsoft has just recently changed the certification rules, it isn't crucial for anyone to instantly upgrade his or her certification. There are lots of companies that are more than happy to hire a person with either a MCITP or MCTS certification, particularly if this person has experience and can prove that he or she is staying up-to-date with new developments related to his or her line of work.

Even so, down the road it would be necessary for someone to have new upgraded certifications that reflect Microsoft's new systems and technology versions. Whilst it might require some time and cash to obtain a new certification, it truly is worth the effort. Furthermore, the skills obtained under Microsoft's past program do count for something and can be put towards the learning requirements for the new type of official certifications (by means of special upgrade examinations). The necessity to upgrade existing certifications will be more urgent when companies start using the more modern Microsoft technology versions (eg. Windows Server 2012, SQL Server 2012, SharePoint 2013, Exchange 2013 and so forth).

Microsoft's new certification program has worried some individuals that are considering taking a Microsoft training course or have by now taken this type of study course. While the changes are not small or light in nature, they will be for the most part beneficial and in the long run will help to accurately reflect precisely how much education and expertise an individual has in any given field of IT. Any person who is presently taking a Microsoft training course for one of the more modern technologies will already be using the brand-new program and thus have nothing to be concerned about. Simultaneously, those who have old(er) certificates (or what is now named legacy certification) are able to keep employing their old certifications without any problems, whilst sooner or later switching over to a newer certification is unquestionably recommended.




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