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Free MCSA for unemployed

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    #2
    Krusader
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    HigsBoson wrote: »
    http://search.momentumskills.ie/Default.aspx?q=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

    I'm starting this course on Monday morning and there are still places available. I went to the induction day and it really sounds interesting. After you gain the certification there is a two week workshop building servers with a company in the city and then a two week career and CV workshop. They will also be providing all students with a 13 week work placement with an IT company. It is part -time on 2 mornings a week, either Monday & Wednesday, or Tuesday and Thursday. The only requirements are A+ or N+.

    Those exams are retiring in July but the course runs till November??


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    #3
    Coyler
    Registered Users Posts: 408 ✭✭Coyler


    The MCITP title retires in July but the MSCA in 2008 will remain. I'm under the impression that MS will retain two MSCAs in both server and desktop for the foreseeable future. So 2008 and 7 MSCAs are hanging around until the next iterations of those platforms. You can also do one more exam (70-417) and get the MSCA 2012, if you are so inclined.


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    #4
    CorkFenian
    Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭CorkFenian


    I dont think the MCSA is a good idea unless you're getting the server exposure day in day out, if anything it will trip up those people with very little experience, just my 2 cents....Its not that regarded, I have one and people dont rate MS exams as highly as they used to....(if they ever did ;-) )


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    #5
    HigsBoson
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭HigsBoson


    CorkFenian wrote: »
    I dont think the MCSA is a good idea unless you're getting the server exposure day in day out, if anything it will trip up those people with very little experience, just my 2 cents....Its not that regarded, I have one and people dont rate MS exams as highly as they used to....(if they ever did ;-) )

    Hey, cheers for the reply. Im new to IT but can already see the value of full time exposure on networks and systems, trouble is the only way to get this exposure to already have certification. The course uses networked virtual servers and domain controllers which are great for labs but I don't know if these would be adequate experience for a real life enterprise environment.
    Regarding the certification not being regarded, do you know if this is a common view in the IT sector? I ask because the course managers said before they applied for funding they researched and sought feedback from the IT industry, and from this decided the MCSA would be the most valuable in terms of getting work. Also I was speaking to an acquaintance at who works for an IT firm in London at the weekend, and before I even told him I was on the course he said that employers over there really rate Cisco and Microsoft certs. I suppose I won't really know until I I finish and test the job market for myself.


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    #6
    CorkFenian
    Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭CorkFenian


    HigsBoson wrote: »
    Hey, cheers for the reply. Im new to IT but can already see the value of full time exposure on networks and systems, trouble is the only way to get this exposure to already have certification. The course uses networked virtual servers and domain controllers which are great for labs but I don't know if these would be adequate experience for a real life enterprise environment.
    Regarding the certification not being regarded, do you know if this is a common view in the IT sector? I ask because the course managers said before they applied for funding they researched and sought feedback from the IT industry, and from this decided the MCSA would be the most valuable in terms of getting work. Also I was speaking to an acquaintance at who works for an IT firm in London at the weekend, and before I even told him I was on the course he said that employers over there really rate Cisco and Microsoft certs. I suppose I won't really know until I I finish and test the job market for myself.

    I'm not trying to be negative i got mcsa 5 years ago, and can safely say it hasnt done a lot, even where i work now, i would say very few of the server team have it, its all experience they want, I float between desktop support and server support, its a catch 22, it all depends on how you go with it, bit of fortune etc, i can say from experience in financial houses in Dublin that MS certs definitely arent rated highly whilst Cisco definitely are....
    Best of luck, i'm not against it, just saying......


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    #7
    JJJJNR
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,791 ✭✭✭JJJJNR


    there not highly rated as they dont use the products to full capability, for example nearly all the places i've worked in only use the very basic group policy, and security is a second thought for most.


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    #8
    HigsBoson
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭HigsBoson


    JJJJNR wrote: »
    there not highly rated as they dont use the products to full capability

    We had a talk from the director of a Dublin IT company last week and he told us the same. He said most of the material we are studying does not apply to much outside of the large corporate enterprises, which are rare in Ireland. He said the MCSA will give us a good grounding in the technology and prepare us for entry level or trainee positions. He told us to view certification as an aid to getting on the employment ladder. He told us he wouldn't consider anybody for a position if they didn't at the minimum have some vendor certification.


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    #9
    CorkFenian
    Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭CorkFenian


    Working 12 years in IT now, i see these exercises as bringing down wages in the sector to be honest, MCSA done properly is not easy , by done properly i mean without <snip>etc, best of luck with it :D


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    #10
    NullZer0
    Registered Users Posts: 1,629 ✭✭✭NullZer0


    CorkFenian wrote: »
    Working 12 years in IT now, i see these exercises as bringing down wages in the sector to be honest, MCSA done properly is not easy , by done properly i mean without <snip>etc, best of luck with it :D

    Its important not to assume that people are using such material.
    Whether its difficult or not is subjective really - it depends on the person, experience, time available to study etc.


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    #11
    JJJJNR
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,791 ✭✭✭JJJJNR


    These days the exams seems to change daily so if you do decide to take that route its still important to get the material covered, on another note I can't believe how expensive the MS exams are now.. how come they are so expensive, 150 euro for one exam is a joke.


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    #12
    Kinet1c
    Closed Accounts Posts: 824 ✭✭✭Kinet1c


    JJJJNR wrote: »
    These days the exams seems to change daily so if you do decide to take that route its still important to get the material covered, on another note I can't believe how expensive the MS exams are now.. how come they are so expensive, 150 euro for one exam is a joke.

    Comptia exams are twice that and the cisco ccna exams are around 150 too. Considering the value they add to your overall worth, it's a small price to pay.


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    #13
    SRFC_1901
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭SRFC_1901


    HigsBoson wrote: »
    http://search.momentumskills.ie/Default.aspx?q=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

    I'm starting this course on Monday morning and there are still places available. I went to the induction day and it really sounds interesting. After you gain the certification there is a two week workshop building servers with a company in the city and then a two week career and CV workshop. They will also be providing all students with a 13 week work placement with an IT company. It is part -time on 2 mornings a week, either Monday & Wednesday, or Tuesday and Thursday. The only requirements are A+ or N+.

    Could you tell me how you found FAS to do the MCSA with? I'm debating whether to do the 2008 with them , or do the 2012 on my own, I would rather do 2012, but I have little server experience so I think I'd just hit a brick wall.

    To anyone else that has used classroom teaching, do you think it would be that much more beneficial(easier) , than doing it myself?


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    #14
    HigsBoson
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭HigsBoson


    Hi Guys. Just thought I'd mention that this course is running again. Had a 50% success rate at getting full-time employment for participants last time round. It's really great course and great people running it, really focused on getting the participants into a full-time job in IT.

    http://www.ballyfermotitcentre.com/news/?id=209


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