Microsoft rolls off new certifications

The new certifications—Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist, Microsoft Certified IT Professional or Professional Developer, and Microsoft Certified Architect—map closely to Microsoft’s technology roadmap and better reflect the changing IT environment and the needs of individuals and organisations. The first credentials offered will be for Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005, which will be available next month, to help customers and Microsoft partners to more readily and rapidly adopt these new technologies.

"Today’s systems require IT professionals and developers to possess more specialised skills," said Lutz Ziob, general manager for Microsoft Learning. "These new certifications are key to helping customers and partners continuously build the skills they need to successfully adopt and deploy Microsoft technologies."

The new three-tiered programme offers a rigorous, flexible curriculum to enhance technical knowledge and skills, a certification framework that helps individuals demonstrate their unique skills; and a proven benchmark for managers in making successful recruiting and staffing decisions.

These more targeted credentials can be achieved with fewer exams, making it more cost-effective for individuals and organisations to validate specific sets of skills.

The certification process starts with a free individual online assessment to determine a candidate’s areas of strength and weakness, which results in a customised learning plan that directs candidates to specific resources.