Access Certification - MOUS MCDA

[Cosmos75]

Access Certification - MOUS, MCDBA ???

I've built a few relational databases for my company and they are willing to back me up in getting some kind of certification/training in this area in order to try and sell some data management tools.

What kinda of certification should I be looking at? Here's some stuff about my Access skill that I don't know how to do.

1) All built in ACCESS 2000
2) All the databases I've done so far run off of ONE computer of over a network with a general password.
3) I don't know SQL
4) Don't use VBA in Access (although I know some Excel VBA).

Since my company is willing, I would like to take this oppurtunity but don't know what would suit me best?

 

[Graham T]

Cosmos75

I've completed all of the MOUS (or MOS as Microsoft have decided to rename it) in Access 97, 2000 and XP.

Apart from the Access 97 exam being Expert level, the other 2 were only released at Core level.

They only really test your knowledge of "using" Access and not developing Access. As long as you can navigate around the user interface and work in tables, queries, forms and reports in normal and design view you should not have any problems at all.

Microsoft never released any Access related Microsoft Certified Proffessional exams (well not over in the UK anyway), although there was talk of releasing an Access related MCP a couple of years ago, it never materialised.

I'm currently studying towards the MCP in Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition, although having not worked with SQL server this is taking some time!

Obviously, if like me, you have not used a great deal of SQL then this would take some time for you also.

If you find any different exams, feel free to post information.

HTH

Graham

 

[Cosmos75]

Graham T,

Thank you for the info!

Good luck on your Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition exam!

Anybody else have any ideas on what kind of certification might come in handy?

Found this site on the web

http://www.teamdatabase.com/Certification.db

Anybody heard of or got a certification from them? Maybe the Certified Database Industry Specialist exam?

Still stumped about how to pursue this opportunity...

Should I just pursue all the MOS (used to be called MOUS) exams? Is trying to learn SQL Server 2000 on my own out of the question (specially since I don't have access to the software ha ha!)?

 

[Cosmos75]

If anybody finds anything better then the MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist) exams please let me know. I am still looking for something to take as my employer is willing to help me get some kind of certification (or training).

 

[Cosmos75]

Here is the link to one Access certification but it isn't one from Microsoft so I am not sure how valueble it is.


http://www.learningtree.com/us/cert/progs/7024.htm

http://gocertify.com/certification/FCPA_DatabaseDev.shtml
-Under Development? from http://fieldcertification.org

 

[jeremie_ingram]

I have recieved my Database Proficiency Certification from the College that I take courses at. These are sets of courses that you take, and are equilivent to anything Microsoft puts out. I am currently taking the Networking course and we are working out of the MCSE 2k book.
You can check this out http://www.cod.edu/Service1/CTA/OccInfo/CIScert.pdf
for a list of the requirements and see if a college near you offers somehting similiar. From the courses I have taken, I could EASILY take any MOS type exam and pass with flying colors.

As for what you would want to know, that would depend alot on what you will be doing. SQL and VBA would truly enhance your database building skills. I would also recommend looking into getting the XP developer edition of Office, which allows for upsizeing an Access MDB into Microsoft SQL Server database. With the developer edition you can distribute you MDB with a Run-Time version of access for the end users.

 

[Kevin_S]

I would also recommend looking into getting the XP developer edition of Office, which allows for upsizeing an Access MDB into Microsoft SQL Server database.

Just for information sake - you don't need A xp/2002 to upsize to SQL Server. There is an add-in provided by MS to do this with A 97 and 2000 has the ability built-in. Just wanted to post this so people reading this thread know they have the ability...

HTH,
Kev

 

[Cosmos75]

mySQL certification

This is off-topic but just thought I'd share this if it wasn't already common knowledge.

http://www.mysql.com/news-and-events/news/article_335.html
http://www.mysql.com/training/certification/

Also, found this link on database certification.

 

[Cosmos75]

Anybody hear anything about this website?
http://www.freetechtraining.com/

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[Cosmos75]

I have searched and searched and the best I can come up with so far in terms of certification is this from Learning Tree.

Anyone know of anything I could take right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma?

 

[Pat Hartman]

New Horizons has an office in Tulsa. Their courses are not as detailled as the LearningTree courses. They are more geared to passing the MOS exams. I decided to take the MOS exams and so I signed up for a "club". I don't work with Word and Excel as part of my day-to-day work so although I can get them to do anything I want, it is sometimes a struggle. I also thought that a class would help. New Horizons has a program that seems to vary from location to location regarding certain details but generally lets you take A2K, A2002, and A2003 versions of courses for ALL the Office programs plus a few others such as Visio and Quickbooks. You can take the classes as many times as you want within a year. They also include online course materials if you have trouble getting out of the office.

After taking the three Excel courses I feel a lot more confident with creating spreadsheets.

I would rather have taken the LearningTree classes because of the depth but the LearingTree is very pricy considering I have to pay for the classes myself plus I would need to comute to NYC to take them. It's 1.5 hours on the train plus another 20 minute walk from Grand Central to the LearningTree office near Times Square. I've done it but I hate it. Even as far out as I am from the city, it is frequently SRO on the train going in and worse coming home.

 

[Cosmos75]

Good alternative?

I think this might be a good alternative to the Learning Tree certification.

Access-VB-SQL Advisor Live from the magazine Access-VB-SQL Advisor.

Topics range from Access to .NET, see here.

Anyone here going? Been to a past event?

 

[Cosmos75]

Here is a response I got from Advisor Media, Inc regarding an email I sent asking if they thought that this would be an appropriate event for me to attend. Same kinda info you get from the website.

Thank you for your interest in Access-VB-SQL Advisor Live. I think you would find this conference to meet your needs. We have many beginner and intermediate sessions on Access and .NET topics. I think the biggest benefit you'll receive from attending is the time you can spend with our expert speakers. We have several speakers with lots of SQL Server experience so they can give you some good tips on how to prepare for Microsoft's exam. You will also find the session, "SQL Server Basics for Access, VB, and .NET developers to be very helpful. The Microsoft Access team will be at the event so you'll be able to ask them any questions you like.

 

[Pat Hartman]

A conference is not the same as a hands on class. If you have limited funds, spend them on a hands on class. If you can do both, go to the conference to meet people and network. The sessions will be interesting but probably not detailled enough.

 

[Kodo]

it is frequently SRO on the train going in and worse coming home.

Memories.. of skipping school to hit the city..lol. those were the days.

Back On topic:
In your experience, Pat, have most Access courses concentrated on DAO? or do they have a mixture of DAO and ADO. I don't want to waste cash on a course that just says "VBA" without knowing which they are going to discuss exclusively or even better.. both so I can discover the differences in depth.

Coming from ASP, I'm an ADO *****, so I prefer that as my method of madness.

 

[Pat Hartman]

Not many Access courses even go in to programming. That's the complaint most people have. The Access courses are similar to the other Office courses. They cover how to work the interface but barely touch on the topics of analysis, application design, database design, and programming which are critical to the success of an application.

I'm not sure why people (especially managers) think that just because they can manipulate the Access GUI, that they can build an application. Being able to manipulate Word wouldn't convince them that they can write a novel, even a mediocre one.

There is usually a totally separate course that covers programming. As to DAO and ADO, DAO is actually the preferred method to use with Jet tables. It is faster and has more features. Examine the precis carefully before you take any course. Also ask to speak with the instructor.

 

[Kodo]

Not many Access courses even go in to programming. That's the complaint most people have. The Access courses are similar to the other Office courses. They cover how to work the interface but barely touch on the topics of analysis, application design, database design, and programming which are critical to the success of an application.

I've noticed this too.. infact, it's not until level three where they begin to touch on VBA. I checked out the NewHorizons link you posted and compared that to another training center I found on a google. Seems to be that Access training leaves much to be desired; It's almost as if VBA is a secret.

Probably better to take a VB class instead ..? I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard to transition. It didn't take too long for me to transition from ASP to VBA. I just want to get into the more detailed aspects of programming in a deskptop environment. I'm all webbed out and need a new goal.

 

[Pat Hartman]

The New Horizons course doesn't go into detail. They offer 3 levels for a total of 5 days training which barely scratches the surface. They cover the major points but at the 10,000 foot level. A 5-day course that covered ONLY database design would barely prepare you to competently design a database.

 

[Kodo]

The New Horizons course doesn't go into detail. They offer 3 levels for a total of 5 days training which barely scratches the surface. They cover the major points but at the 10,000 foot level. A 5-day course that covered ONLY database design would barely prepare you to competently design a database.

Agreed, that's why I skipped right to the lvl3 class to see what they offered in that. If I plan to go for any class on making "better" database designs, it will be for SQL server.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Pat Hartman]

It is actually the level 1 course that talks about db design.