Microsoft Looking at recertification requirement

steve13ad

Guess Microsoft has been eyeing Comptia's CE cash grab.


We need your feedback about recertification - Born to Learn


Microsoft technologies are evolving more quickly than ever. In order to maintain the value of your certifications, we need to ensure that Microsoft Certifications keep pace with changing technologies and remain a meaningful indicator of a candidate’s continued competence.

Recertification provides assurance to hiring managers and other key stakeholders that the candidate who holds the certification has demonstrated continued competence even as the technology has changed based on service packs, revisions, and new product version releases. Recertification also provides candidates the opportunity to update an advanced-level certification to encompass the skills they have gained on a newer version, without having to complete the full certification path again.

We are conducting a survey to gather customer and hiring manager feedback about recertification requirements for advanced level (i.e., MCITP and MCPD) Microsoft Certifications. Your responses will help us determine how often a candidate should be required to recertify, which activities hiring managers would consider appropriate proof of continued competence, and which activities candidates would prefer to engage in to demonstrate continued competence. One possible recertification requirement would be passing an exam--but it doesn't necessarily have to be an exam. We'd like to hear your opinions on other possible activities.
We hope that you’ll take the time to participate in this short—but important—survey. Please complete and submit your responses by August 8th.

Follow this link to complete the survey: Microsoft Learning Recertification Survey

Thanks in advance for your participation!

blargoe

I don't see the point for MS to go this route. By the time the certification on a product were to "expire", the product would have already been superseded by the next version (or two).

sina2011

I agree with Blargoe

billyr

Yep, absolutely no need for recertification for a Microsoft Cert. There products are roled out too fast to worry about recertifying in them. Your certification already expires with the natural life cycle of the product.

I can only see this turning people away from them if it did come to fruition.

pzero

They better not go trying to impose an annual maintenance fee...... 3 Million MCP's will flip if they do!

gorebrush

It's difficult enough having to keep Cisco certifications up to date.

I think I'll stick with Cisco from now on.

Goodbye MS

bertieb

blargoe wrote: »

I don't see the point for MS to go this route.

I see their 'point' if they impose a frequent requirement for an existing technology (i.e. yearly recertification?) or a credit/point type scheme where you need to attend workshops/seminars etc etc to keep it valid, all of which will ultimately mean more £/$ that needs shelling out by you and me that ends up in their pockets.

I completely agree with you by the way. I think I'll just keep 'recertifying' on the new products by taking the relevant exams for that product.

NetworkingStudent

steve13ad wrote: »

Guess Microsoft has been eyeing Comptia's CE cash grab.


We need your feedback about recertification - Born to Learn


Microsoft technologies are evolving more quickly than ever. In order to maintain the value of your certifications, we need to ensure that Microsoft Certifications keep pace with changing technologies and remain a meaningful indicator of a candidate’s continued competence.

Recertification provides assurance to hiring managers and other key stakeholders that the candidate who holds the certification has demonstrated continued competence even as the technology has changed based on service packs, revisions, and new product version releases. Recertification also provides candidates the opportunity to update an advanced-level certification to encompass the skills they have gained on a newer version, without having to complete the full certification path again.

We are conducting a survey to gather customer and hiring manager feedback about recertification requirements for advanced level (i.e., MCITP and MCPD) Microsoft Certifications. Your responses will help us determine how often a candidate should be required to recertify, which activities hiring managers would consider appropriate proof of continued competence, and which activities candidates would prefer to engage in to demonstrate continued competence. One possible recertification requirement would be passing an exam--but it doesn't necessarily have to be an exam. We'd like to hear your opinions on other possible activities.
We hope that you’ll take the time to participate in this short—but important—survey. Please complete and submit your responses by August 8th.

Follow this link to complete the survey: Microsoft Learning Recertification Survey

Thanks in advance for your participation!

Interview for IT position..

So are you certified on Windows 7 Sp1 or SP3?

I’m service pack 3 certified and I’m certified with internet explorer 9 too!!

Well that’s great we are looking for someone that is Windows 7 SP 3 certified!!

I think Microsoft is really failing and extremely out of the loop.

First they lose money on their Win 7 phones, but open more stores so that they can try to push them? Retailers can’t give these things away. They missed the tablet race.
Now they’re trying to get more change for certifications? Whynot just hold up a sign saying we are broke?

Claymoore

I'm betting they didn't ask this question at the Worldwide Partner Conference a couple of weeks ago.

"We have a new great idea! Last year we changed the partner requirements and mandated that you have 4 individuals with high-level certifications in order to achieve a gold competency. Now we are thinking of requiring that you pay to recertify those same people every time we release a service pack! What do you think about that?"

At least on the internet we can all reply 'Negative' or 'Extremely Negative' in anonymity. In front of a live audience, that speaker could be booed off the stage or chased out of the conference center followed by a mob of angry partners carrying torches and pitchforks.

Retiring the certs when new major versions are released is enough. If MS really wants to improve the value of their certs in the eyes of hiring managers, they should add more labs and simulations to weed out the braindumpers. But adding labs and sims costs money, while requiring recertification makes money. We need to remember that every division in Microsoft is responsible for it's own P&L, including Microsoft learning.

crrussell3

I don't like this at all. We are now faced with "expiring" certifications (which I am perfectly fine with) and higher exam fees. Now they want to make us recert, and at what cost?

Zartanasaurus

blargoe wrote: »

I don't see the point for MS to go this route. By the time the certification on a product were to "expire", the product would have already been superseded by the next version (or two).

If they keep the name the same for each product IE MCITP:EA for Server 2008, Server 2012, Server 2016, etc, updating the exam and having certs expire 18 months after the release of the new technologies, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

powerfool

I wouldn't get bent out of shape by this. Microsoft poses this idea every so many years, especially when a new product certification is about to roll out. Also, this isn't an attempt by Microsoft to make more money... they lose money on certification.

They are simply trying to keep a pulse on the market and see what would be the best way to move forward. The first major attempt was when Windows 2000 came out and they were going to expire the MCSE on NT4; they decided to "version" the certifications at that time. I remember the same thing with Windows Server 2003 and 2008, as well.

Participate and share your thoughts with Microsoft. Otherwise, they may get feedback that supports the idea.

MrSwissCheese

IMO, the versioning is enough. If you're certified on 2003 or 2000, you should always be certified on that version - your knowledge won't be going away.

At the same time, I can certainly understand the versions - if I know 2003 inside and out, that means nothing for 2008.

Of course, more than the certification, the resume speaks volumes. If I go out and get my VMware VCP in 2011 then don't use it for the next 3 years, I shouldn't expect my potential new employer to value the VCP nearly as much as someone who had used it as part of their job for the last couple of years but wasn't certified.

pham0329

I would be pretty pissed off if I had an MCITP EA and had to redo the entire track every few years. Heck, I'd be pissed off if I had to redo my MCITP:SA track.

At least with Cisco, if you take a higher exam, it renew all your lower cert. I don't see how MS can do that as the only thing I can take after my MCITP: EMA is the master certification, which requires a $7500 fee (really????).

powerfool

pham0329 wrote: »

I would be pretty pissed off if I had an MCITP EA and had to redo the entire track every few years. Heck, I'd be pissed off if I had to redo my MCITP:SA track.

At least with Cisco, if you take a higher exam, it renew all your lower cert. I don't see how MS can do that as the only thing I can take after my MCITP: EMA is the master certification, which requires a $7500 fee (really????).

That MCM has undergone many changes. For starters, $7500 is way low... it was $18,500... but they offer a $5k discount on Active Directory. SQL Server and Exchange Server have changed to a model similar to the CCIE, in January and July of this year, respectively. It is now a $500 written exam and a $2000 lab. However, there is still the option to do the three-weeks training program at the original price (and it includes the exams)...

Just let them know how you feel though. I would imagine they would likely keep versioning and offer an upgrade path....

GAngel

powerfool wrote: »

That MCM has undergone many changes. For starters, $7500 is way low... it was $18,500... but they offer a $5k discount on Active Directory. SQL Server and Exchange Server have changed to a model similar to the CCIE, in January and July of this year, respectively. It is now a $500 written exam and a $2000 lab. However, there is still the option to do the three-weeks training program at the original price (and it includes the exams)...

Just let them know how you feel though. I would imagine they would likely keep versioning and offer an upgrade path....

Didn't know that about exchange. Now it might be worth having a go.

Turgon

crrussell3 wrote: »

I don't like this at all. We are now faced with "expiring" certifications (which I am perfectly fine with) and higher exam fees. Now they want to make us recert, and at what cost?

It was a regular thing on the Novell tracks over the years. To keep CNE or MCSE status current you had to recertify. Novell did offer a single upgrade exam for the benefit of the CNE holders (myself included).

Microsoft do need to start thinking about the cost of this process for it's certification holders though. Most of them do not work for partners that will invest in it and it's getting increasingly difficult for individuals to privately fund their certification process given the economy. This means most of the MCSEs in the world. People will turn to more 'affordable' measures..****.


Asking for more sort of runs counter to what is happening worldwide when it comes to certification. The perceived career incentive to throw money at getting certified evaporated in 2003 for the western countries. It exists now in developing countries but as a way out the poverty trap. A lot of training companies are struggling now as the western cash streams dry up. Look at the instructor layoffs in the CCIE vendor market. Much of the growth is now in the developing countries and these people just dont have the money to buy all the materials and self finance exams.

jibbajabba

If Microsoft goes that route then I will have mine expired and don't bother again. I'd like to see getting a value back into the certification, but what is the point of recertification if the certificates itself are rubbish. In order to get my MCITPs recertified I'd have to re-take 10+ exams... will / would I do that ? Hell no ...

Turgon

jibbajabba wrote: »

If Microsoft goes that route then I will have mine expired and don't bother again. I'd like to see getting a value back into the certification, but what is the point of recertification if the certificates itself are rubbish. In order to get my MCITPs recertified I'd have to re-take 10+ exams... will / would I do that ? Hell no ...

I think the sun is setting on MS certification in the traditional sense of pursuit of them TBH.

Devilsbane

Left my feedback. I agree with you guys. Let the market demand expire certifications, no need for Microsoft to impose a time.

Essendon

Devilsbane wrote: »

Let the market demand expire certifications, no need for Microsoft to impose a time.

Agreed.

*Shudder* - at the thought of having to do the EA all over again.

RobertKaucher

bertieb wrote: »

I see their 'point' if they impose a frequent requirement for an existing technology (i.e. yearly recertification?) or a credit/point type scheme where you need to attend workshops/seminars etc etc to keep it valid, all of which will ultimately mean more £/$ that needs shelling out by you and me that ends up in their pockets.

I completely agree with you by the way. I think I'll just keep 'recertifying' on the new products by taking the relevant exams for that product.

With most of their tech on a 3 to 4 year cycle I think the only recertification policy they need is the current one.