New Certifications Connect to Products, Roles

Major product launches in Nov. 2005 for SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005 will echo in the Microsoft Learning organization, which is overhauling its certifications so that they better correspond to common job roles and skill levels. As the simultaneous launch of new certifications and new products illustrates, Microsoft credentials will more closely reflect its product priorities, helping customers find IT professionals and Microsoft partners with the skills necessary to use new Microsoft technologies.

New Certification Levels

Microsoft has long had several levels of certification, but these levels haven’t followed a logical pattern, and some are tied more closely to products than others.

Some Microsoft certifications are considered to be “senior” certifications-the Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE) is the oldest and best known and has a general focus, while other senior certifications were more focused on particular technologies, such as databases (Microsoft Certified Database Administrator) and development tools (Microsoft Certified Solution Developer). In recent years, the company has developed “junior” certifications, such as the Microsoft Certified System Administrator, whose exams are a subset of those for the MCSE, or the Microsoft Certified Application Developer, whose exams are a subset of the Microsoft Certified Solution Developer certification. However, to organizations not familiar with Microsoft’s particular set of credentials, such as human resources departments, the differences between junior and senior certifications were not immediately obvious.