Many are also
concerned about another recent requirement on the OracleOCP
certification that the candidate take at least one class directed from
Oracle University or an "Oracle Partner". Many independent Oracle
training companies (who claim to offer superior training) are upset about
this requirement.
Other critics
want a return to the Oracle7 Certified DBA requirement that all candidates
offer proof of at least three years experience.
Oracle University training
required for OCP
According to
Damir Bersinic, an Oracle Certified DBA, author and trainer,
has written an excellent article about Oracle OCP educational changes in
this Certcities article
It was a money grab after all.
Bersinic
writes:
"I have
three problems with this requirement. First, who is to say that Oracle
University is the best place to acquire the necessary skills to become
Oracle certified? There are other resources that can provide the same
level of coverage of the exam topics and DBA roles. Granted, Oracle's exam
objectives map nicely to the courses offered (on purpose, I'm sure), but
how about those organizations that decide on bringing in someone to train
their people on the same topics outlined in the exam objectives using
non-Oracle material or instructors? Is the quality of their training
different if the person performing the training is as qualified or better
qualified than Oracle's own instructor? Furthermore, they're not breaking
any licensing rules since they are legally allowed to use their Oracle
licenses to train their own staff.
My second problem relates
to the reason someone may decide to use a third-party training
organization to provide these in-house classes -- the cost. Oracle
University classes are quite expensive. By forcing OCP candidates to
attend an Oracle University class Oracle is helping to ensure a revenue
stream for its education division. Unfortunately, it may also have the
effect of discouraging potential OCP candidates from pursuing their
certification past the OCA stage. I always thought it was about getting
qualified candidates out into the workforce, though it now appears the OCP
certification is about filling seats in Oracle University classes.
This leads me to my third
problem -- any of the Oracle University classes outlined above is valid in
satisfying this requirement. Essentially, simply by sitting an
Introduction to SQL you have satisfied this requirement, but have not
learned any of the skills being tested on the Oracle Database:
Fundamentals II or the Oracle Database: Performance Tuning exams, which
are required to attain the OCP credential. If Oracle wanted to introduce a
course requirement and gear it towards the OCP credential, why not require
that candidates attend a class corresponding to the exams required for the
OCP designation specifically instead of any Oracle class?"
Read other Oracle News on OCP
Oracle certification:
My notes and news on
Oracle OCP certification
and include the URL for the page.
