It is a best chances for MCSE holders to get free MCSE recertification trough MVA. Now Microsoft is offering a free, self-study way for IT professionals to recertify their expiring MCSE certifications through online courses from the Microsoft Virtual Academy.
The Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) has long been known as a good source for online training and information, much of it certification related. In what I hope is the start of a soon-to-be pervasive trend across all Microsoft certifications.
How to Get Free MCSE Recertification?
MVA is offering MCSE recertification “paths” for two MCSE credentials: the MCSE: Data Platform (normally achieved by passing exam 70-469 Recertification for MCSE: Data Platform) and the MCSE: Business Intelligence (normally achieved by passing exam 70-470 for free MCSE Recertification: Business Intelligence).
In a recent Born to Learn blog post, Microsoft Learning Senior Product Manager for Certification, Larry Kaye, describes how completing a prescribed “skills path” at MVA can lead to recertification on the two MCSE credentials (Data Platform and Business Intelligence) for which such coverage is available.
Here’s what’s involved in re-certifying your expiring certifications through MVA:
- Find the appropriate skills path for your expiring Microsoft MCSE certification.
- Pass all of the self-study assessments for each MVA course in the path.
- Email Microsoft when you’ve completed step 2 with your MVA username and Microsoft Certification ID: certquest@microsoft.com.
Once Microsoft verifies your completed MVA courses, they will update your MCP transcript with a new expiration date for your MCSE.
That same blog post goes on to add that Microsoft Learning plans to add more recertification paths for MCSE and MCSD credentials over the next 12 months or so. Gosh! I’d like to see them add coverage for the various MCSA credentials, too, at which point they’d have the vast majority of certs covered, including all of the popular ones.
This will really help IT professionals maintain their Microsoft credentials, and also make it much easier for them to focus on topics they need to learn and master to keep tracking current certifications in the MS program(s). And unless Microsoft changes its delivery for MVA content, all this stuff should remain free and available to the general public, too.
For more information on this program, please take a look at the details in the Re-certify with Microsoft Virtual Academy page on Microsoft Learning. There you’ll find the list of MVA courses to take for each credential covered, and their availability status. Microsoft Learning also promises to keep this page updated with new credentials covered as they are added to the collection. You’ll also find the e-mail address through which to communicate your status when you complete all the assessments for a credential there, too.
Good stuff! Glad to see Microsoft is providing a free, self-study means for IT pros to keep up their MS certifications.
Source: TomsITPro
