Other programming certifications?

bcairns

Forgive my ignorance (and lack of using google)...

What other programming certifications are you guys aware of or planning on getting?

Personally I just got the 70-549 MCPD book and will begin the long road tward MCPD enterprise....after that I will probably go after a MCITP Database Developer.

Was just wondering if there are any well known and recognized programming certs out there, would love it if there are some that count tward other certs - like how A+ and Network+ count tward an MCSA.

I know.... C, C++, C#, VB, Delphi, Pascal, TSQL, some Java and most of the scripted languages

JDMurray

Programming certification have never been popular or valued in the software industry. Microsoft tried to market its MCSD certifications for VB and C++ for years, but it just never caught on to the degree that the MCSE did. The Java certifications from Sun Microsystems are perhaps the most respected of all programming certifications, but you only care about that if you are looking for work as a Java programmer. If you consider SQL a programming language (it isn't), it has several certifications as well.

Once again, try searching the job Web site for software certs like MCSD, MCTS, SCJP, SCJD, etc. and see what employers are--or are not--asking for.

bcairns

JDMurray wrote:

If you consider SQL a programming language (it isn't), it has several certifications as well.

I was looking at the MCITP track - seems more focused on database creation and administration.

Odd though, seems like there would be a massive cert for C or C++ somewhere.

Slowhand

I think the influence of computer science programs at most universities also downplays the 'need' for software development certifications. Chances are, if you've completed four-to-eight years of programming classes, (along with the math and sciences to back it up), you're going to be pretty well-versed on software development. I don't think this is the only reason that programming certifications get the backseat to administration and networking certifications, but it seems to be a pretty big factor.

I've also heard from a lot of my collegues that they feel it's "easier" to get into networking or administration, than it is to take up programming. For a lot of them, it's more straighforward to take something and make it work, rather than creating something new like you'd be doing with a lot of coding projects. The general feeling is that something that's physical, something you can hold in your hands, is less intimidating to learn than something abstract, like coding. I'm sure this some influence on the types of certs that are going to be in popular demand.

As for C/C++ certs, that's a toughie. No one wants to step forward and "claim" these languages as their own, since no one sponsors and "owns" them, the same way Sun has Java and Microsoft has the .NET languages. Who knows, maybe a vendor-neutral company (like CompTIA for example. . . hint, hint,) might step up and create a type of certification that would test your base-knowledge of programming topics in C, C++, Java, etc, covering the types of skills you'd learn in a data structures and algorithms class at just about any college. It would be a pain to test for, I'm sure, as you'd either be writing code in simulated setups, or editing code-samples given to you, or we'd have to concede and go for the old multiple-choice types of questions only. Still, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt our industry to have something like it out there.

Webmaster

Slowhand wrote:

Who knows, maybe a vendor-neutral company (like CompTIA for example. . . hint, hint,) might step up and create a type of certification that would test your base-knowledge of programming topics in C, C++, Java, etc, covering the types of skills you'd learn in a data structures and algorithms class at just about any college.

I don't see CompTIA create any of those simulation type of code testing but I think it's the best idea for a new CompTIA cert I heard in years. Just like Network+, Security+ etc it wouldn't lead directly to a job that entails the topics covered on the exam, but it could serve as a good foundation also for those who will never actually write complete apps (sys and network admins even).

JDMurray

Slowhand wrote:

As for C/C++ certs, that's a toughie. No one wants to step forward and "claim" these languages as their own, since no one sponsors and "owns" them, the same way Sun has Java and Microsoft has the .NET languages.

This is an excellent point. No one truly owns C or C++. A cert for these languages could only be considered acceptable if it were based on a product, like the MCSD for Visual Studio C++. On the other side of the coin, a language like Perl that is "owned" by a single person, Larry Wall, could only have a cert with his blessing. But this won't happen, as the Perl community itself seems to be definitely anti-certification.

Slowhand wrote:

Who knows, maybe a vendor-neutral company (like CompTIA for example. . . hint, hint,) might step up and create a type of certification that would test your base-knowledge of programming topics in C, C++, Java, etc

I'll be the first to sign up for the beta tests of the CompTIA C+ and C+++ certification exams.