Microsoft Certified Trainer

DAVE_K

I've done Microsoft Training for years with a couple of training institutes - i stopped a couple of years ago to go back to Software Development and bring my skills up to scratch. I wasn't a qualified trainer before and the training institutes didn't seem to mind.

I'm thinking of going back to Training now and want to get qualified first this time.

Does anyone know anywhere in Ireland i can do my MCT or CTT....if not Ireland what about the UK?

ifconfig

Hi Dave,

I found this blog entry

http://blogs.msdn.com/clare_dillon/archive/2005/12/15/504037.aspx

It seems at least at the beginning of this year there is/was someone
doing this kind of assessment for training certification. Probably worth
giving the lady in question a call.

Out of curiosity what is your own assessment of the demand out there
for MS certified trainers ? I've a yearning to deliver training but my
background is in more complex IT concepts such as OO/Java/UNIX,etc.
I'm now living in the west and as far as I can see most private
training companies just run basic courses in ECDL/Microsoft Office/Autocad
Payroll/Accounting and Web design. I looked into this a while back and
it seemed that the JEB IT teaching diploma might be useful but I
couldn't seem to get a feel for how much in demand trainers might be
for delivering MS office product training. I got the impression that the
JEB training,courses,etc were as much about being a money spinner for
the training companies even more than they were of great benefit to
those who took them in terms of increasing their employability.

Just curious on your take on the whole training market.

-ifc

DAVE_K wrote:

I've done Microsoft Training for years with a couple of training institutes - i stopped a couple of years ago to go back to Software Development and bring my skills up to scratch. I wasn't a qualified trainer before and the training institutes didn't seem to mind.

I'm thinking of going back to Training now and want to get qualified first this time.

Does anyone know anywhere in Ireland i can do my MCT or CTT....if not Ireland what about the UK?

DAVE_K

regarding training opportunities theres plenty
I used to do .NET, SQL Server, OO stuff and XML and there's not many trainers in Ireland that do that, hence plenty of work.
Certification isn't essential - but that won't last for ever.
Most companies have to get trainers over from the UK which costs more as travel expenses, etc are claimed.
On the java side of things I've done a few basic courses - there's plenty of demand for the advanced side of things too - most people who know their stuff are working as developers - there's more money to be had in training though if you can hack the pace. Giving courses can take a lot out of you and there's never a day you can hide behind your screen cos you don't feel like talking all day.
Down west there's a bit going on in Galway, Limerick and Cork.
In Dublin I have a lead or two I can throw your way - if you've any interest PM me and I'll give you details

Tom Dunne

ifconfig wrote:

I'm now living in the west and as far as I can see most private
training companies just run basic courses in ECDL/Microsoft Office/Autocad
Payroll/Accounting and Web design. I looked into this a while back and
it seemed that the JEB IT teaching diploma might be useful but I
couldn't seem to get a feel for how much in demand trainers might be
for delivering MS office product training. I got the impression that the
JEB training,courses,etc were as much about being a money spinner for
the training companies even more than they were of great benefit to
those who took them in terms of increasing their employability.

I have two thoughts on the JEB diploma.

Firstly, it is a money spinner for the training companies. There is a lot in the course, and if you get the right trainer, it does seem to cover a lot on how to teach a class and help you get better organised.

Secondly, if you want to do any work with the likes of FAS, they require you to hold a recognised training qualification, such as the JEB. The training crowd I was working for wouldn't allow me teach FAS courses for them because I didn't have a JEB (despite the fact I have over four years experience teaching at third level and I have a masters).

Personally, it would be a waste of time for someone with my background. For someone starting out training, and for the reasons outlined above, it may be worth while.

Getting work teaching the Mircrosoft Office suite isn't hard, there is the demand there for it. Same goes for ECDL.

The more specialised stuff is where the demand is. I would love to get into Oracle training myself, but I need to get more real-world experience first.

DAVE_K

Yep there's plenty of money washing around the civil service for Java training that training companies are tapped into. This sort of work requires the right certification so if you want to get on that cash cow you gotta get certified.
Regarding training and real-life experience it's good to hear you're getting some first. I've the bones of 8 years hands on development experience and it does make a real difference to the students appreciation of the topic. You'd be amazed how many trainers there are around who have never applied what they teach to the real thing..............Oracle ones too.
Any cowboy can get the overheads and spent the week re-reading them to you. I remember 1 particular SQL Server DBA course I was sitting on. The guy put the notes on his lap on Monday morning and proceeded to spend the next 5 days reading them out to us. I looked around at 1 stage and out of 5 of us there were 3 sound asleep and the trainer was still reading.
...........and there's plenty of cowboys around.........


PS tried that link above - the numbers outta service and there's no reply from the email address. Looks like the UK or the US are the next options.
Downloaded the list of MCT training companies from the Microsoft Site - funny to see there was one in Gaza but not in Ireland

Tom Dunne

DAVE_K wrote:

..............Oracle ones too.
Any cowboy can get the overheads and spent the week re-reading them to you. I remember 1 particular SQL Server DBA course I was sitting on. The guy put the notes on his lap on Monday morning and proceeded to spend the next 5 days reading them out to us. I looked around at 1 stage and out of 5 of us there were 3 sound asleep and the trainer was still reading.
...........and there's plenty of cowboys around.........

That's funny you mention that, I had a practically identical experience in an Oracle course with a complete and utter chancer.

I'm the type of student that questions everything. This guy read his powerpoint slides, when questioned, proceeded to re-read the slides. We had an "uprising" in the class and most of us walked out. The training company refunded the fees to my company.

DAVE_K

i might as well answer my own question here in case anyone else was interested
These people do the above certification

http://www.ashlingcommunications.com/communications.asp