Posts from — September 2009

Microsoft is currently offering a promotion where you can save 15 to 20 percent off select Technology Specialist exams and 25 percent off select Microsoft Certified Professional exams.

To be eligible for this special offer, you must register with Prometric and obtain a discount code.

Register for your discounted voucher code (Prometric.com)

This offer is available worldwide and customers must register, schedule, and purchase their discounted exams by December 31, 2009. This offer does not include the popular second chance retake option. The discount does not apply to academic priced exams.

For further details and a complete list of eligible exams, go to Microsoft’s web site:

Career Campaign: Certification Exam Offer

Microsoft introduced the Microsoft Certified Master (MCM) programs in June 2008 to provide seasoned IT Professionals the opportunity to enhance their design, build and troubleshooting skills (previously available only to Microsoft employees) and to provide a credential that would allow them to differentiate themselves from other seasoned experts.  Training for this credential involves a 3-week immersion into server technologies led by top subject matter experts and industry-renowned instructors. Originally, MCM programs were only available for Exchange Server 2007, SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 Active Directory.

Milestones:

• More than 350 of MCMs have been earned by IT pros from over 20 countries and 30 companies
• In its first year, the net satisfaction of the training, rated by attendees, averaged 179 on a scale of 200
• The program has expanded to include MCM for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007
• Microsoft will introduce MCM programs for Exchange Server 2010 and Office SharePoint Server 2010 in early 2010

New Offers:

• Windows Server 2008 R2 offers 11 days of training that culminate in two written exams and one 8-hour long lab-based test. Content focuses on core directory services that builds off of pre-reading and prerequisites that maximize classroom time.  For those who’ve earned their MCM on a previous product version, options exist for ensuring they are up-to-speed on new versions.  Register before January 1, 2010 for a $1,000 discount.  
• Microsoft is offering a 20% discount for all other MCM programs until January 1, 2010.  More information is available here.

The Microsoft Certified Masters program is definitely at a different level than the MCTS and MCITP. It is also very expensive. However, for those that need the advanced skill level that this program offers, it is well worth it. From Microsoft’s web site, the latest numbers worldwide for MCMs are:

Source: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/cert-overview.aspx#tab5