To MCT or not to MCT ???

JBrown

I have chance to become a Microsoft Certified Trainer, and would not mind to foot the bill myself ($400 first year and $100 there after). My question basically is, Is it worth it or not ? Does anyone here with MCT cert get better/ more job offers than with out one ? or just more chances to teach MS course here and there ?

Ashenwelt

JBrown wrote: »

I have chance to become a Microsoft Certified Trainer, and would not mind to foot the bill myself ($400 first year and $100 there after). My question basically is, Is it worth it or not ? Does anyone here with MCT cert get better/ more job offers than with out one ? or just more chances to teach MS course here and there ?

I keep wondering if I should get this, as I think it could be fun to teach.

Crucio666

of course you should get it! why not??

blargoe

I've thought about for my long-range career plan having my MCT. If I go independent contractor, I could fill in gaps by doing training. Outside of that scenario, I personally wouldn't bother. I think you have to maintain it by teaching a couple of courses per year or something... if you're working a permanent full time job that would be hard to do.

eMeS

JBrown wrote: »

I have chance to become a Microsoft Certified Trainer, and would not mind to foot the bill myself ($400 first year and $100 there after). My question basically is, Is it worth it or not ? Does anyone here with MCT cert get better/ more job offers than with out one ? or just more chances to teach MS course here and there ?

I'm almost certain that it's $400 each year. I think this year M$ offered a discount of $100 at renewal time, making it $300.

Regarding whether it's worth it or not...like many things that all depends.

If you want to be a trainer that trains from the MOC and works with primarily CPLS's, then the MCT is for you. In fact you'll need it to play in that crowd. However, the money to be made in training is mostly not found in delivering MOC courses, and definitely not in working with CPLS's.

The problem with all of the CPLS's out there is that they're mostly all selling the same product, and so they primarily compete solely on price. In my experience that's a really cheap-ass crowd of people that are looking for every little thing they can do to increase their profit. Quite often, one of the areas where they look to make their money is by getting instructors to work at really low rates. There's always an MCT out there who will do what you do for a lot less money.

Personally, I grabbed the MCT for two reasons. First, I had a small bit of work in 2008 from the MOC that required it. Second, I like to have a lot sails in my sailboat, so I was looking for something that I could add to my skills that might open up a new stream of revenue. On the first point the MCT was successful for me, but this was only about 1 month of work, and it was entirely based on a connection knowing me. On the second point the MCT is a miserable failure for me...I make much much more delivering ITIL courses and customized training on various IBM product lines than I ever could make as an MCT.

There was a possibility this year that I would need to do some things from the MOC again, so I renewed the MCT. That work did not come to pass, so it was kind of a wasted $300 this time.

Regarding the worth it/not worth it part...I get "offers" every day to deliver some M$ course. Many people would jump at those offers, but I would say I pass on about 100% of those things. If I were in a different financial and career position would I feel the same way that I do now? Probably not, and in that case the MCT might offer some value.

Hope this helps,

MS

JBrown

eMeS wrote: »

I'm almost certain that it's $400 each year. I think this year M$ offered a discount of $100 at renewal time, making it $300.

Regarding whether it's worth it or not...like many things that all depends.


[snip] .... [/snip]
Regarding the worth it/not worth it part...I get "offers" every day to deliver some M$ course. Many people would jump at those offers, but I would say I pass on about 100% of those things. If I were in a different financial and career position would I feel the same way that I do now? Probably not, and in that case the MCT might offer some value.

Hope this helps,

MS

eMeS,

It did help indeed. I have a few reasons ( or so i would like to think) for getting the MCT. I currently work for an educational institution, and often see computer "Professors" teach Microsoft products , specifically OS side, in the ways that makes me cry. Some of them won't spend another 3-5 minutes to clarify crucial points for students and thus save them headache trying to figure out what exactly "professor" wants. While there are some that teach the same course unbelievably great, by giving them examples from their day to day tech life. I feel that my experience in the MS OS server side would benefit students a lot too.
Also, I was thinking about MCT as say just one more "cert", albeit an expensive one.
But considering your clarification on the pricing, I don't think the above reasons are enough to pay $400 per year to maintain it.

Thank you.

RTmarc

I never did fool with it simply because I didn't have the free hours necessary to meet the requirements.

rfult001

It gives you free access to all the MOCs, that is about the only reason I see in getting it. Unless of course you actually plan on teaching...