A new oracle
certification organization dubbed the ?International Technical
Certification Consortium? (ITC2) is offering ?experienced-based?
Oracle certification, with no testing requirements and a $1,750 fee.
Kimberly Floss, President of the International Oracle Users Group is
working on the vetting for this new Oracle DBA and developer
certification program.program.
ITC2 offers two
Oracle certification programs:
Here is the ITC2
web site. Check this out:
http://www.itc2.org/FAQ.htm
According to ITC2:
?Many people have several years of experience and are not able to
achieve certification because they simply ?freeze up? at the mere
thought of having to take a test. They are not able to obtain
certification, and all the while some sophomore in high school is
walking around with several of them.?
While it is not
clear what specific experience will be evaluated, ITC2 appears to offer
an alternative to the OCP and suggests that the OCP certificate may be
less valuable than their ECOCD and ECODBA Oracle certification: ? Some
certifications are being ?cheapened? in the eyes of hiring authorities.
Why? Because ?boot camps? and other ?fast-learn? methodologies help
individuals cram for a test. ?
ITC2 says that
they have representatives in all major cities and that ?Our
representatives are among the top professional and executive recruiters
in the country. ? So, what is evaluated for the ECOCD and ECODBA
certificates? ITC2 notes the following examples from their ?Experience
Certification? methodology? methodology for Oracle certification:
-
total years of
experience
-
total years of
related work experience
-
education
-
other
certifications
-
documented and
verified case histories of project roles in the area in which the
candidate is seeking certification
-
online testing
in which the candidate must score 90%-100%
-
subscription
to a strict code of ethics
-
background
check (where required, i.e. Information Security)
-
peer review of
application
-
peer interview
(vetting)
ITC2 lists many
benefits of their new certification, including ?The chance to achieve
the ultimate distinction of achieving a Master status in your certified
area. ?. They also claim that their Oracle certification provides
?International recognition of the Experience Certification by the top
placement and hiring organizations in the world. ?
ITC notes that the
cost of certification is $1,250 each. It also appears that ITC2 is
currently recruiting Oracle professionals to conduct the reviews and
vetting of Oracle certificate applicants, and ITC2 promises a high
compensation for those who help to certify Oracle candidates. According
to the ITC2 site: ?If we had 100 people certify and you did the reviews
and vetting you would receive $21,000. If 400 people certify, you will
receive $84,000. ?
It remains to be
seen how this new certification will be received by the Oracle
community, but those who have complained about the high-expense and
knowledge requirements of Oracle OCP certification now have an
alternative.
There are other
certification bodies,
some more credible than others.
For more
information about the Oracle OCP and the value of Oracle certifications
to management, see Mike Ault's book "Conducting the Oracle Job
Interview" by Rampant TechPress ($41.95):
http://www.rampant-books.com/book_2003_1_job_ora.htm
Regards,
Don Burleson
www.dba-oracle.com
www.remote-dba.net
and include the URL for the page.
