Any Microsoft certificate for help desk or desktop support jobs?

wangxjj123

Many jobs require AD and server experience, since I'm not a CS major, I would like to know where can I learn these skills. Thanks

markulous

Setting up a home lab and studying for the MCSA would be the best way to learn them. Let your work know that you're wanting to learn more also. Maybe they'll allow to to train/shadow with sysadmins.

Smilymarco

Sign up for the Microsoft Virtual Academy (it's free!):
https://mva.microsoft.com/

As markulous said -> Set up a home lab. Lab everything you read about (AD, DHCP, DNS, a second DC, maybe a RODC, failover DHCP and so on).

Get the topics from the exams you want to pass. In your case that would be MCSA Windows Server 2012: 70-410,70-411 and 70-412
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-70-410.aspx
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-70-411.aspx
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-70-412.aspx

You may want to learn something about Hyper-V (depends on the company you work for, some use Hyper-V, some use VMWare...):
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-74-409.aspx

Or get the MCSA Windows 10 first:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-70-697.aspx
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-70-698.aspx
The 698 is still in beta, but has very good topics! To get the MCSA Windows 10 atm, you will have to get the MCSA Windows 8 and then pass the 697.
MCSA Win 8:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/mcsa-windows-8-certification.aspx

DatabaseHead

Some really good suggestions, typically speaking help desk is doesn't require certifications so if you do choose that route it will be on your own dime.

A few years back ~8 or so I was report writing for a service desk and they wanted all the members to get ITIL Foundation certified.