Windows 2000 Will Send MCSEs Back to School

The launch of Windows 2000 signals major changes for Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSEs) and Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs). Microsoft has been working for some time to make Microsoft certification a better measure of technical aptitude for certificate holders and prospective employers alike. The introduction of Windows 2000, with its radically new technology, will cause more changes: existing Windows NT 4.0 certifications will be retired, forcing current MCSEs to recertify for Windows 2000. In addition, MCTs will now be required to hold a full MCSE or Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) certification in order to maintain MCT status. The bottom line for many corporate customers will be a hefty increase in training budgets over the next couple of years.

What the Credentials Mean

Before PCs dominated computing, two or three systems engineers could support a single mainframe or cluster of mini-computers on behalf of several thousand computer users. As the computer industry moved to microcomputers, a requirement for less-specialized support technicians known as system administrators emerged. The rapid proliferation of PCs prompted companies to hire system administrators at a rate of one for every 100 to 150 PCs. The exploding demand resulted in a flood of “power users,” who had no formal training in computer science, changing careers to become system administrators. Not surprisingly, difficulties followed as these new administrators struggled with complex corporate networks.