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MCDST Hits Milestone

8/10/2005 -- Microsoft has has issued more than 8,000 Microsoft Certified
Desktop Technician titles as of June this year -- a significant trend upward
in the number of desktop technician titles, according to Al Valvano, lead
product manager with Microsoft Learning.

"[MCDST] is the fastest growing credential we have right now," said Valvano.
Microsoft first introduced the certification back in February 2004.

Valvano said the credential has been producing some "crazy, crazy numbers,"
but attributes growth to what's typical for any program in its early stages
as IT hirers begin to catch on. "In some ways, it's protypical of a
credential, like Visual Studio or SQL Server," he says, "It's a natural
alignment of a credential to a job role: It's very clearly defined, the exam
path is short, and the objective domain that it's testing on is extremely
focused and narrow."

As of late June, when Valvano was interviewed at Tech Ed, the program had
topped 8,154. That number is more current than what appears on the "Numbers
of Microsoft Certified Professionals Worldwide" page on Microsoft's MCP
site, which shows data as of June 14, 2005.

To see the chart of certifications issued per title, go to
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/certified.asp.

Side note: Valvano says that the Microsoft Learning group also experienced
its biggest month ever for issuing tests, in May. He believes one
contributing factor is "the conclusion of the second-shot promotions at the
end of May." Valvano says that the group decided to extend the second-shot
offer to August 31, based on popularity of that program. For more on the MCP
exam retake, go to
ttp://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/offers/2ndshot/. -Michael Domingo,
courtesy of MCPmag.com