Good Evening True Believers,
As an MCT and IT Instructor at a community technical college, I spend a lot of time fielding questions about certifications: Are they relevant? Do employers look at them? Which ones do I need? My answer has always been “Depends”, but that is starting to change as I see how our world of IT is changing.
In an improving job market, I think certifications provide an excellent way for my students to differentiate themselves as they enter the IT workforce. Also, it provides validation of their skills and recognition for their time & effort.
From someone who is heavily certified, I use certifications and the testing process as a way to keep me motivated and to keep my skills relevant. It’s a great way to learn new stuff like the new Microsoft Private Cloud infrastructure. In fact, I am currently working through the private cloud setup and plan to attend the “Be What’s Next In IT” IT Camp in Madison on March 28th that covers the private cloud. My goal is to take and pass the Exams 247 & 246 for the Microsoft Private Cloud certification at Microsoft TechEd 2012 in Orlando.
I constantly tell my students that the cloud is the future (or the present) and they need to get to know it. Currently, I’m recommending they pursue the MCITP: Server Administrator certifcation since we cover much of the material in our program. And for the “go-getters”, I am planning to recommend they take a look at the Microsoft Private Cloud certification path. I think it gives them a much-needed intro to the cloud and System Center, which we do not spend much time on at this point. That will change in the future…
Let me know what you think about the Microsoft Private Cloud as you begin to work with it. I think it’s great that Microsoft makes all of the above available (much of it for free) so IT Pros can stay current. Since many of my students are on financial aid or limited incomes, stuff like this is awesome for them.
Thanks for tuning in…Mike
Helpful Links:
- Microsoft TechEd North America 2012:
- Microsoft Private Cloud Certification Information:
- Microsoft Private Cloud Learning Offer:
I found this to be a timely article. As someone who has been in the I.T. field for a number of years but, has gone back and forth on certifications, this helped sway my decision to bite the bullet and finally pursue them.
The case made of helping an individual stand out amongst others in the field was an excellent point.
Mike is exposed to opinions of not only students, but also local business representatives and their opinions of what makes a prospective candidate stand out.
This post reignited my goal of pushing myself to achieve one of these professional certifications.
I found this to be a timely article. As someone who has been in the I.T. field for a number of years but, has gone back and forth on certifications, this helped sway my decision to bite the bullet and finally pursue them.
The case made of helping an individual stand out amongst others in the field was an excellent point.
Mike is exposed to opinions of not only students, but also local business representatives and their opinions of what makes a prospective candidate stand out.
This post reignited my goal of pushing myself to achieve one of these professional certifications.