Certification Watch Volume 6 #19
Certification News regarding help desk certifications from Microsoft and Apple, new titles from Nortel and Check Point, and more.
Published October 15, 2003
By Anne Martinez
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It's October and new certifications are popping up like pumpkins. Both Apple and Microsoft have come out with help desk focused certifications this month, a potential boon for end users who will have more places to turn to for competent help. Plus these new titles can be used as a learning blueprint by individuals seeking to expand their operating system skills beyond the every day level. Nortel and Check Point have new offerings as well, and IBM has resurrected a batch of retired exams. Here are the latest developments in computer certification:
Microsoft Launches Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST)
The newest certification from Microsoft may prove very useful to businesses worldwide, by creating a corps of certified support technicians to troubleshoot Microsoft applications, including the Windows operating system and the programs that run on it. The MCDST focuses on a help desk, technical support role rather than network administration or programming. In fact, MCDSTs are not expected to have network administration skills. They will, however, have to pass two exams: Exam 70-271: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Microsoft Windows Desktop Operating Systems, and Exam 70-272: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Applications on a Microsoft Windows Desktop Operating System Platform. These exams are not available yet, but should be out by the end of this year.
Microsoft will be hosting a free, live Webcast about MCDST on October 16th. To register for it, visit this Microsoft page.
Apple Adds New Help Desk Certification, Adds OS X 10.3 Exams
The new Apple Certified Help Desk Specialist (ACHDS) designation is intended for individuals who support Mac OS X customers over the phone or who perform Mac OS X troubleshooting and support in schools and businesses. This single exam certification covers the Mac OS X client operating system, but not Mac OS X server. The exam costs $150 US and is available through Prometric test centers.
The ACHDS exam is also the first of two exams required to earn Apple Certified Technical Coordinator (ACTC) on OS version 10.3 (the second covers OS X Server essentials). New exams for OS X version 10.3 are now available for both ACTC and ACSA titles. Previous exams were for version 10.2. Upgrade paths are available for those certified on the earlier version.
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