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MCAD & MCSD Are they worth it?

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  • 10-08-2005 9:44am
    #1
    Mike_Hunt
    Registered Users Posts: 119 ✭✭


    Ok I would like to get further certification before I think about going to do a masters. I would really like to get the MCAD and MCSD (in the C# stream). Our company is a microsoft house and we are undertaking all new development with C# and SQL Server (Old code base is ASP, VB Coms and SQL Server)

    Finding it difficult to get company to pay for courses as they are pretty expensive (cheapest i've found is over 3k each).

    So can anyone tell me are they really worth it and in future I would like to work in the States and would they help me there?????


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    #2
    Gegerty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 900 ✭✭✭Gegerty


    Mike_Hunt wrote:
    Ok I would like to get further certification before I think about going to do a masters. I would really like to get the MCAD and MCSD (in the C# stream). Our company is a microsoft house and we are undertaking all new development with C# and SQL Server (Old code base is ASP, VB Coms and SQL Server)

    Finding it difficult to get company to pay for courses as they are pretty expensive (cheapest i've found is over 3k each).

    So can anyone tell me are they really worth it and in future I would like to work in the States and would they help me there?????

    I got my break thanks to having the MCP in VB6, I'm doing the MCAD this year but in the VB.NET stream but only because I'm doing a course and they don't have a C# option. I figure I can pick up C# myself at the end of the course. Likewise my company won't pay for it either, but so be it I won't be hanging around working on a legacy VB6 system anyway.

    When I was doing my J1 in the states I was working for a company who had hired a freelance programmer to do a system for them, his only qualifications were the MCSD or was it MCSE, whatever, it was VB6 anyway. That was 1999 and he told me he was turning down work! I doubt its like that now but still that gives an indication of the level of respect it gets. The qualifications will not get you into the states though, you'll need a degree, possibly a masters and also a bit of luck or contacts.

    As for the price of the course, the one I have in mind is 3K as well but its for 8 months every Monday and Wednesday evening. Thankfully my bank are more than happy to lend me the money :) It is possible to study at home as well, but I guess you're like me and just don't have the discipline!


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    #3
    mewso
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 8,950 Mod ✭✭✭✭mewso


    I think the MCAD carries some weight but particularly if you have a body of work to refer to. I have been developing in .Net since it's release and finally last year myself and some workmates did the exams. For me it was proof or evidence of my existing skills. If I was to be perfectly honest about the exams I would say it is not a good measure of someones skills because the brain dumps will help anyone pass. The employers don't care though and thats what matters. With their ignorance comes a price though, i.e. Job Ads specifying C# only when they should know better.


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    #4
    Mike_Hunt
    Registered Users Posts: 119 ✭✭Mike_Hunt


    Yeah your right there Gegerty i dont have the motivation for the self study option but I definitely want to do it in C#

    I have the degree already and just wanted some industry certification before I decided on a masters. (which work will happily pay for strangely enough and give me 15 days extra paid days off a year to pursue)

    I'm glad to hear tho from you both that employers do seem to value them.

    BTW folks where did you do the courses?


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    #5
    Gegerty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 900 ✭✭✭Gegerty


    Mike_Hunt wrote:
    Yeah your right there Gegerty i dont have the motivation for the self study option but I definitely want to do it in C#

    I have the degree already and just wanted some industry certification before I decided on a masters. (which work will happily pay for strangely enough and give me 15 days extra paid days off a year to pursue)

    I'm glad to hear tho from you both that employers do seem to value them.

    BTW folks where did you do the courses?

    I did the vb6 course in FAS in loughlinstown. I'm hoping to do the .NET MCAD in dorset street, they don't do C# though. You're right about the brain dumps but I think its the same for alot of exams. I did engineering in DIT and all you had to do was study the past exam papers because every year was just a rehash of previous years, sometimes they were even identical questions. The brain dumps aren't always correct though and I found when I was doing the MCP in VB6 that it was a bad way to prepare for the exam. You can get official sample questions which are a much better preparation guide. Having said that you do get the odd gem from the brain dumps :-)

    At the end of the day the majority of people do the microsoft exams because they want to learn the technology and for employers its the fact that you went to the trouble to extend your knowledge base that counts I think. Especially if you're pushing 30 like me!


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