In need of advice

mkbuker · 11-11-2002, 08:28 PM

Recently I got an e-mail ad for www.techtrain.com, and they are advertising bootcamps for MCP/MCSA certs in 9 days guaranteed (sp?). Being a computer guru but not in the professional computer world what do those certs mean or what is the value of me spending the $$$ to get them.

Thanks

URtalking2CRASH · 11-11-2002, 08:37 PM

ok i dont know about all areas.....but in my neck of the woods the commercials for these "titles" always say that you can get a job starting at 70,000+ bucks a year around here.....DEAD WRONG. not in this area. i know too many people who are certified and they either don't have a job or they're only getting paid like 20-40,000 a year. which i think is a little pathetic. All I can say is check your area for average pays for STARTING out and also what the average pay is in 5 years. that should get you a good idea of which companies are better to go with....

IT NEVER HURTS to have a few titles under your belt.....the more you know the more valuable you are to the workforce.

i'd go for it.

CelticShadow · 11-11-2002, 09:13 PM

It basically means that they would train you to have the necessary paperwork to be an "official" Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator. Em is right......most of the things u get in your email like that are crap, but there are training courses throughout the US, and they are referred to as Boot Camps, so this one might be legit. I'll look into it a bit further for u tonight when I get home.

mkbuker · 11-11-2002, 09:22 PM

Just got off the phone with them and the session cost $5400 with hotel for the MCP/MCSA training session. Just also sent of an e-mail to the head of IT at work to see if they will bite.

CelticShadow · 11-11-2002, 09:30 PM

$5400 sounds about right. Those sessions for MCSA, or MCSE usually range from $5,000-$8,000

mkbuker · 11-11-2002, 10:00 PM

My only question is, is it worth it or not?

CelticShadow · 11-12-2002, 12:30 AM

In the long run.......absolutely. You're not going to see immediate results from it though, but it'll definately help you get higher pay, maybe not $70,000+ in your first year, but you'll get there or higher in good time. I was fortunate enough to go through it and test to get the certification at the cost of one of my old employers, and soon there after, I got some really nice offers, the best one being in Dallas, TX working for Xerox making big bucks, 'cept I don't wanna move to Texas.

Kevin98SL2 · 11-12-2002, 12:48 AM

My deal is..you can be totally book smart..but if you cant apply it in the field..your worthless...so try to apply it at home or something if you go with these courses..

So many of my buddies in HS got the MCSE in HS @ Vo Tech and they never got a job cause they had no experience in the field........

CelticShadow · 11-12-2002, 01:30 AM

This is a completely different level of training then what you get in HS

BrenSaSC2 · 11-12-2002, 04:10 AM

Definitely a different training Mike. My brother and brother in law both graduated from York Technical Institute with Associate's Degrees in Computer Networking/Programming. Neither of them have any other Microsoft certifications, and both of them are stuck in jobs they're not meant to be in. My brother is trying to make it on his own being partners in 2 businesses, but let's just say parnters can screw you over. Certifications do help, but you should have another degree to back it.