Does the Microsoft Certified Master Program Fail 99.999 of us?

It seems like there is a lot of negative feedback for the SQL MCM\MCA certs. I tend to agree. I have taken all of the SQL tests since 7.0 and participated in the SQL 2008 test development process. I really just do it for fun. Yah, that’s how I roll. My boss does not put much value in those certs nor does the industry as far I can tell. Initially, I was happy to hear about the MCM but then I realized it would never happen for me.

It looks like they outsourced most of the teachers. Great industry renowned people with great kung fu but not the guys with access to the source or designed the architecture. In some cases, they teach better (They do it for a living)  but in other cases it may be better to have it straight from the horse’s mouth. On top of that, Greg Low says most people don't pass the first time around. Imagine spending 21 long days and 18.5 large for a 50%-100% chance of failing.

I have recently been put in a position where I have to manage Oracle DBA's and, after looking at the OCM cert, it requires 3 weeks of class time, ~$9k, about 4 tests and a lab test. The expensive classroom time can be split up over time. The OCM holds some good street cred too.

What is the solution? Copy Oracle. It won’t be the first time :)

Here are a few posts:
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/blogs/steve_jones/archive/2008/12/01/rangers-to-masters.aspx
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/blogs/tim_mitchell/archive/2008/11/29/microsoft-certified-master-program-is-this-the-answer-to-certification-woes.aspx

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For once, we're in agreement, Mr Massie. As someone who focuses largely on development, the MCM and MCA don't do a lot for me, as far as I can tell. The MCITP: Database Developer really only scratched the surface of a lot of what I do, and it would be great to have a credible certification out there for those of us who don't have more than 20 grand and three spare weeks.

posted @ Thursday, December 04, 2008 6:26 AM by Jeremiah Peschka

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I am an Oracle Certified Professional DBA (back in 1999). It was an arduous battery of learning and testing. I was proud of myself, and it was an important step towards a more lucrative career.

That said, I wouldn't even bother getting it updated - nor get any other certification. Nor, would I consider anyone recently "certified" having achieved anything meaningful unless they were still never-employed in that certification's field.

Basically, certs are just another corporate money grab without meaning. Unless you are in the position where you are struggling to get that FIRST job, they are counterproductive and pointless.

posted @ Thursday, December 04, 2008 12:08 PM by Michael O'Neill

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Hi Jason

I would just like to make a comment about your comment about 'outsourcing'. From my experience writing my books, I have found that the people who write the code or design the architecture are not the best teachers, because frequently all they know is their one narrow area and have no idea how their area relates to anything else. They can be wonderful people to talk to when you have very focussed questions, but for learning about an entire subject area, they are not the right people.

I know that the outsourcing was done VERY thoroughly, and not only did the instructors have to have great 'kung fu' (they are not all industry renowned), they had to have extensive real world experience in their topic and a great depth of knowledge. For example, there are a couple of subject areas that I was hoping to teach and have written about extensively, but was rejected for the teaching position because of a lack of experience in that area on large systems. (For the topics I would have been approved for, the instructors had already been chosen. I may be a backup instructor.)

I do believe you have some valid points here, but the problem with the 'outsourcing'of the instructors is not one of them.

Thanks for opening up this discussion.
Kalen

posted @ Friday, December 05, 2008 1:02 PM by Kalen Delaney

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Wow, if they rejected you, the bar must be HIGH. I do agree on your points. There are only a select few dev's that stand behind the podium as well as they do in front of the matrix or whiteboard. But for example, I would still rather learn the memory internals from Slava(or his replacement) if I am spending this kind of $. Otherwise, I would price it like a conference precon * 15 + lab expenses.

posted @ Friday, December 05, 2008 2:56 PM by JasonMassie

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That's interesting, because it was the memory and SQLOS topics that I was rejected for. Maybe a solution would be to have someone who is a good teacher, and knows the subject and related areas really well, and then for the last hour, have the developer come in for Q&A.

At least for the deliveries in Redmond they might be able to do this. Maybe for remote deliveries they could just set up a live meeting.

posted @ Friday, December 05, 2008 6:02 PM by Kalen Delaney

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Comments from the following blog entry: Tagged - Career Challenges, located at: http://statisticsio.com/Home/tabid/36/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/304/Tagged-Career-Challenges.aspx

posted @ Tuesday, December 09, 2008 9:27 PM by SQL Server Blog by Jason Massie

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Comments from the following blog entry: http://209.251.180.21/site/archive/2008/12/tagged-career-challenges/

posted @ Sunday, June 07, 2009 2:05 PM

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