Microsoft Certification Status

Microsoft Certification Exams Completed Successfully

I recently completed a MCPD certification, but I had also wanted to get come training and certification in SharePoint Application Development.  After I got back from India and my MCPD I decided to look for a course that would provide me with the training I was looking for.  I did a lot of research and evaluation on-line for a suitable training company.  I eventually came across Firebrand Training, and after some more research as to their coverage and reviews I decided to go ahead and book with them.  I booked the SharePoint Developer (Dual MCTS) Certification, which was the "Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) 3.0 Application Development" and the  "Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007 Application Development" courses rolled up into one.

I received the usual email literature and was given a login to their Pre-Reading site.  This however did not prove to be assuring, as the site was poorly designed and often came across areas that were confusing, or simply did not work.  The site was based on SharePoint, and as I wanted to go on a developer course for this very subject it did not bode well.

I arrived in St Neots train station on the Sunday afternoon and was picked up by their free shuttle to the training facility at Wyboston Lakes.  From there we checked in to the hotel and had to make our way over to the training centre for the 18:00 induction.  The hotel rooms were very basic but pleasant enough.  After the induction we were ushered off to our relevant training rooms.  This is where I met the other 7 students (they were Daniel, Peter, Aquila, Xavier, Andy, Simon and Carl) and our lecturer Joel Jeffery (See the company JFDI Phoenix Ltd).  It was here that I got a little bit of a shock, as we had now plowed straight into our training!

The training was extremely intense and as Joel stated, there was more material to cover that we could possibly get done in the time, so it was up to ourselves to  learn what we could this week and then the rest after the course.  The training started at 09:00 and continued on until on average 23:00 each night.  This however did not include any time to study, so I was often up until 02:00 reading the supplied books and material, before going to bed.  As such I was quite tired every day, and at the end of the week it was quite tough to concentrate.  The course lasted from Sunday night to Friday afternoon.  This however was where our trainer came to the good.  Joel was very good at his delivery and was very good at keeping us motivated and attentive.  I have no idea however how he managed to keep going for so long and so focused.  No wait, yes I do!  The amount of coffee he drunk   I don't think that there was a point at which during the week that there was an area of the subject where I felt weak, as a result of the lectures.  I personally felt much more confident with the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 part of the course rather than the SharePoint 2007 part, as I was more experienced with WSS3.0.  As a result I did indeed pass the WSS course with a higher percentage than the MOSS exam.

Overall I really enjoyed the course and everything I got out of it.  All of the people on the course and the instructor were all really pleasant and I enjoyed their company.  I think that this really helps when you are in such close proximity, all trying to learn the same thing and it aids learning when you can feel comfortable bouncing questions off each other.

At the end of the intense week, I came away with the following additional Microsoft Certification Status (See my previous post for the other certifications I have achieved):

Microsoft Certification Exams Completed Successfully:

I have been wanting to get qualified for a very long time.  I have been in the "Software Development" industry for a very long time, and specialised in Web Development.  I have however been too busy "doing the job", and not getting the qualifications that say to employers that I am qualified to also do the job.  In todays economic climate I thought that it was about time, and as I had the drive and determination I thought that I would go for it.

My original reasons for going to Koenig were twofold.  Firstly they were recommended to me by former colleagues (Colleagues from Xansa and Capgemini) and secondly it was at a very attractive price!  Originally I planned to go to their training facility in Goa, India in early March but this proved unachievable.  I was not able to attend the training course until June.  As such I thought that going to somewhere like Goa would be simply too hot for me and therefore make it challenging for study.  After some further advice I decided to attend their Shimla facility.  The travel there would be longer, but I think I made the right decision.

Upon arriving in Delhi, India I was hit straight away with the sheer heat and was thankful that I had indeed decided to go to Shimla, India which is much further north and in the Himalayas.  The instant that I arrived in India all of the Koenig staff were polite, courteous, friendly and very informative.  This was to be continued thought my entire time in India with Koenig.

I took the night bus from Delhi to Shimla, which was perfectly fine and gave me my first experience of India, even if from an air conditioned bus and through a window.  Upon arriving in Shimla I was greeted again by helpful and friendly Koenig staff and taken to my hotel, which was the Hotel Willowbanks.  The hotel has big rooms and is right on a main street called “The Mall”.  This made it convenient for entertainment, food, shopping and general sightseeing.  The only problem I had was that on the top floor, during a heat wave/drought, the hotel room became very hot during the night as it did not have air-conditioning but simple fans.  However, when the heat wave broke (and the monsoons came) it was pleasant enough.

Every day you had the option of being driven to the training centre or walking.  The walk from the hotel does require a fair amount of up-hill walking but is pleasant enough and takes about 40 minutes at a leisurely pace.  This is well worth it as it affords some great views and experiences.  The walk back from the training centre is much easier as it is mostly down-hill and takes you through the main market areas.  The cab ride however, for someone from Europe, is quite an experience.  Our driver (Negi?) was an excellent driver and very safety conscious.  He took care of us at all times and made sure that our cab experience was appropriate and pleasant, even if the roads and the other road users were not.  Trust me, if you do not like agressive driving, then this is probably not for you.

The training centre it’s self has a large number of private laboratories that provides for a number of different students to study a number of different subjects.  Each laboratory had its own computer systems and air conditioning facilities.  The examination facilities were also very well organised and very conducive to taking exams and feeling comfortable.  There was also a large dining area where all of the students could eat their lunch.  The food provided by Koenig, especially the “Koenig Special” which was prepared by the chef who provides the meals at the serviced apartments, was excellent.  It was always a disappointment when the chef had a day off and you then had to choose from a different menu!  There was also an available area at the top of the building that you could use to take a break, get some fresh air, watch people in their daily life and take in the stunning and expansive scenery.

I had booked a “Fast Track” course and when I arrived I was expecting to be placed in a group with other students and therefore be subject to learning at the pace of the slowest/least experienced person.  I was pleasantly surprised therefore to find that I was not within a group but on my own and provided with a dedicated lecturer.  As a direct result of this I found it much more conducive to learning.  My lecturer was Ashish Bhardwaj and I found him to be a really nice, extremely friendly, he has excellent English, is very engaging when delivering his material, and most importantly, he really knew his subjects.  At every occasion that I had a question on the subject he was able to directly answer these questions and was able to provide further explanations and where appropriate examples.

As I was the only one receiving tutelage from Ashish we were able to go at a pace that suited me perfectly.  We concentrated on areas where I was weak or had no previous knowledge, whilst going faster over areas where I was stronger and had relevant experience.  Where the official course literature was incomplete or lacking, Ashish provided me with invaluable additional material that really helped me understand the subject.  It was only with the expert help from Ashish that I was able to pass all of my exams and thoroughly enjoy my learning experiences at Koenig in Shimla.  As such I was able to really learn the subjects and not just about the subject and how to pass the exams!

I thoroughly enjoyed my learning experience at Koenig and in Shimla.  Without fail I was provided appropriate support at every stage of my trip and learning experience.  When you look forward to going to training and examinations every day and still have a smile on your face at the end of the day, this says an awful lot about the experience.

At the end of the training I came away with the following Microsoft Certification Status:

Microsoft Certification Exams Completed Successfully: