Python Certification : Python Institute's PCAP or Microsoft MTA 98-381

Hello

I'm interested in taking a python certification exam. So upon searching, I found out that Microsoft is offering a basic certification in python 98-381 exam :-

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-98-381.aspx

And then there's a python institute which has a 2 level exam (associate and pro) along the same lines as Oracle's java certification. Price is also much higher for one exam (245 $ vs microsoft's 127$).

https://pythoninstitute.org/pcap-certification-associate/

However, I'm little skepticial about the credibility of the one from python institute. Hardly anyone is talking about this institute or their certs on the internet. They seem to have partnered up with CISCO and Pearson vue :-

https://pythoninstitute.org/partners/

Would appreciate if python certification enthusiasts and others can shed more light on this.

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Comments

DatabaseHead

Probably neither..... Just learn Python save your code and provide to your interviewers when going for jobs.

Cellshade

Is there a specific reason why you want to get a programming certification? Almost all certifications can be argued for or against their value after you've earned them but programming certifications seem to be harder to find value in. If it's to learn the language there are better resources out there and I'm not sure how much besides basic syntax/structure that you'll come out knowing after going through something like the new MTA Python Certification. Having a certificate to say you're a certified programmer or certified in a programming language is a tough thing to say. Programming is like art over time you become better, you evolve, you learn new techniques, and it's just not really always a linear path.

BUT. If you understand this and a certification is something that can help drive you or push you to learning a language then by all means spend your money how you see fit.

yoba222

I'm the kind of person that occasionally studies and obtains a cert that I know has very little value on paper (LFCS, eJPT), but I go for it anyway because having a concrete goal to strive towards motivates me more.

Except programming language goals.

I came to post something along the lines of comparing getting a programming cert as a way of demonstrating your coding ability to getting a degree in art to demonstrate your artistic ability at painting beautiful pictures.
Just paint beautiful pictures and let your art speak for itself.

On the other hand, there is definitely some value in learning the fundamentals of how things work instead of just jumping in the hard way.

The PCAP exam (has nobody at the Python institute ever used Wireshark?) looks brand new. It's offered through the Cisco Academy--that might be good or bad. It tests your programming abilities in the form of 64 multiple choice (and single) choice questions. Yuck. Good if you want to teach Python in high school or college maybe.
As they say, "Those who can, do; those who can't . . . "

I find myself strangely considering this curriculum even know I know better.

I don't like the way Microsoft does business (or Oracle) on a personal level and have no further comments there.

mzx380

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Probably neither..... Just learn Python save your code and provide to your interviewers when going for jobs.

^+1 from me

Spiegel

I would just study the language and try to build as much as you can from what you learn. Keep record of your projects for proof to showcase your competency. I looked at getting certs before but I figured that I'd be wasting my time and money since I saw there wasn't a huge demand for them. The farthest I'd go is taking a course at school or online to learn the theories and network with other like minded folks.

asingh10

Thanks for the replies guys. Yeah its probably not worth it.

Daniel333

Nothing wrong with getting Python certifications or what not. Like most certification what you put in, is what you're doing to get out of it. You can find cheats online and probably pass in a weekend, but if you really use the certification education path as a template for digging deeper you can gain a lot of value from these programming certifications.

At the end of the day though employers don't care too much about programming certifications like this they are more popular in non-developer roles. I searched dice.com for MTA Python (and other spellings) as of the time of this writing I can't find a single job posting asking for - even as a "nice to have". That said I do see a handful of jobs asking for "GPYC" as a nice to have.

Rsimpson2182

I disagree, Employers love big names drops. The fact you, took the time, learned, passed and got a cert with the name Microsoft on it will help you if you don't have any real experience in the field. Everyone bashes the certs, but they don't when it is CompTia certs. But, they are all the same, it just shows you have the basic technical knowledge needed to start a entry-level job in the field. I have the A+, Net+, Linux+, MTAs and MCSA for alot of the Soft dev technologies. They are just like earning badges in boy-scouts. But, they are flashy and Employers eat it up.

NetworkNewb

Rsimpson2182 said:

Everyone bashes the certs, but they don't when it is CompTia certs.

CompTia certs are borderline useless for anything past entry level positions

(the cert itself, not necessarily the knowledge in them)

As far as the programming certs I could see them helping if you have zero prior professional programming experience... Can't imagine a ton of jobs ask for them or know a lot about them though.

karengracias

There are more Python Certifications out there that you may be interested in -

Python Certification from University of Michigan (Coursera)
Professional Certificate in Python (edX)
Best Python Certifications (Digital Defynd)

bigdogz

I think that the credentials may help you with learning but the certifications do not hold any ROI.

DFTK13

I feel that making several projects in X language and putting them on your github really goes so much further than just doing a cert alone. You can actually showcase your skills there. I am interested in a python cert for myself too, but it'd be more of a personal achievement. Anyways, I'd pick the microsoft cert as they're more recognizable.

Hawk321

While there are certification that have more value than a university degree (e.x. CCIE with experience or CCNP with experience or RedHat Architect with Experience), there also many Certs that show someone that you become a senior (LPIC-3 incl. experience).
Other Certs are just a way to testify that you successfully managed a course ... these are nice gap filler.

But a Python certification is IMHO nonsense. Neither is it a special framework nor has it academic value.

Python needs -like any other programming language- time to learn and the learnt material needs to mature...which takes years !

Microsoft is well known for Braindump Certs and other small organizations just try to steal your money with low value certs.

My advice:
Do it on your own with a good book, take your time !!!
Perhaps you can enroll for a course at a university....however, keep in mind that a python module (like Python 1+2 etc. similar to Java) will need 660 hours. There is a reason why ECTS points do exist.