To those considering the MCDST

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top article wagnerk! just hope they right!

 

Spot on wagnerk,

It is a good qualification but you are actually better of by doing exam 70-270 and Microsoft Office Specialist Master. MCDST is just a cut down version of the two.

On the other side as it is an elective for MSCA it then becomes quite valuable.

Keimos

 

The MCDST also forms one of the primary pre-requisits to becoming an MCT (Microsoft Certified Trainer) wheras the 270+MOS doesn't so it has it's advantages.

I don't know much about MOS, but I feel it would be taking someone further away from a technical qualification by taking the MOS element as opposed to the MCDST.

Certaininly, I feel that in the field I work in it would be more beneficial to have all round application trouble shooting skills (ie 70-272) than to be able to know the detailed in's and out's of the office suite.

 

To Modey,

Maybe a bit off target but,

Exam 70-270 does qualify. An MCT has to pass the relevant MCP in order to teach that course.

Skills set wise MS Windows XP (70-270) goes way more in-depth than MCDST and Microsft Office Specialist Master gives you the skills for the most used Office Applications. And believe me theres more to them than most people realise.

Its neither here nor there whether it is technical or not. Job wise, particularly for support jobs you need all round skills, not everyone wants to be a trainer. For anybody doing or going for a support role initially I would recommend MCDST and MOS Master.

As you progress then move onto an area that you want to specialise in MCSA, MCSE etc

It really comes down to each individual as to what combination of quals will give them the right set of skills for the job that they want to do.

Keimos

 

I think you need to check the MS site a bit more closley m8, a single MCP (70-270 included) isn't one of the elements needed for MCT status. Look here. The bit you copied from the MS site is a bit misleading, you need to click down a level or two ...

I know the 270 is more in depth as I have the qualification. The reason I am going for the MCDST is 1. I will be teaching it in September at a local college and 2. It is the easiest route into getting the MCT status that's also relevant to what I am currently doing.

As for the MOS qualification. I would imagine it might come in handy for people who support users that use office all the time. But it's aimed more at people who actually use the programs not those who technically support them. (70-272 touches on that aspect more) As I said it's not a bad thing to know more about office, it was helpful for me to get my ECDL which sounds like a very similar qualification to the MOS. My employer wanted me to have that because we were selling ECDL courses to our clients, I wouldn't have bothered otherwise.

I actually disagree, I think it would be massively more beneficial for someone to get their A+ and or N+ as well as an MCDST rather than MOS to go with it. It would equip them far better to be a technician. I'm not trying to say MOS is a poor qualification or anything like that, but the way I see it, to a technican it would be a bonus to have, not essential.

I will agree with you on that point though.

 

Modey,

We may be leaving the subject of the tread here a bit.

MCDST os the only single named MCP, MCSA consists of 4 MCP's etc Have you been specifically told that your 270 is unacceptable of MCT status or is it that you put forward to teach MCSA, MCSE and had to get the rest.

Agreed with you on the point of A+ and Network + but they were not related to this topic so I did not include them.

MOS is way above ECDL, it is nearer to doing ECDL Advanced, that is with both Word and Excel advanced modules.

Keimos

 

As far as I can tell from the MS website you need a minimum of an MCDST, or an MCSA + various other certs they list in order to gain MCT status - obviously there are other pre-requisits, but I'm talking just about the certification part of the eligibility at the moment.

On the front page of the MCT requirements it does say ... 'Acquire a valid MCP or Microsoft Business Solutions Certification'. If you click that is then goes on to say 'Before you apply to become a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), you must acquire either one of the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certifications in the following list'

It then lists MCDST, MCSA etc....

Now as far as I am aware (based on what I was told by one of the trainers at the college were I will be working) you actually need one of the certs listed, not an MCP that makes up one of those certs.

I could be wrong, I assumed they knew what they were talking about. Could someone clarify this?

p.s. The MCDST is two MCP's not one. As for what I will be teaching, well the MCDST, A+, maybe N+, and also possibly the full MCSA when I get it, still got to get the 291 though.

 

To All,

wagnerk, good original post, because the MCDST is a good qual to have as it is an all rounder. The Help Desk Institute supports it together with the A+ and MOS Master as good quals to back up there side of customer support.

Is that so hard to get, MCT qualfication requires that you have MCP to teach that course. MCSA etc are made up of MCP's.

MCDST is also two exams that contibute to a single MCP, that can be used as an elective for MSCA but not MCSE.

I looked into before replying to your post.

The other point, training wise is different to being employed. Read some of the other threads about what quals people have and the jobs they are doing. It boils down to interest, the job you are going for, what quals fit, can you do the job.

If you have the interest, you will have played and that will come across in the interview for the job. Bottom line is that if you have the interest, you will have a good idea of what you are doing, quals are a bonus.

If a newbie changing your career, then quals take on a new meaning because you have a sideline interest that you want to turn into a career.

As said before, each person has different requirements that have to be met by the training they get, that training has to be matched to their individual experience.

Back to wagnerks original post -

Thats the selling point. For new people to the IT job world, it offers a route into a support role and it does the job very well.

But, we all know that Microsoft life and real life sort of work out differently.

The shop floor is not going to ask how do I install this they are going to ask questions (please leave help desk howlers to the joke area, which I have a good laugh at), they are most commonly going to ask how do I do this, or this is not working. Main faults are dealt with people that have experience and in about 70% of cases these people just have experience not quals.

Keimos

 

Yes I do 'get' it, but you obviously found it 'hard to get' what I put in my last post. The college in question told me that was the case when it comes to becoming an MCT, the MCDST was the minimum required qualification. I actually think what is on the MS site once you click on point one is ambiguous, but I already I said I could be wrong in my last post so I don't see the need to belabour the point you had made before.

Well if anyone is still reading this who is interested in the MCDST (which I doubt as I think we have rambled off topic big time ) then I think that's not a very clear way of describing it. It's two MCP's that make up a certification. The certification can be used an an elective in the MCSA ...

Not quite sure were you are getting your %'s from there but I know what you mean, I have been supporting users in a technical capacity for many years now.

 

My last word Modey,

What MCP rights do you have with passing just one of the MCDST exams?

You need both to get full access to the MCP site, a point that I did overlook which was why I regard the MCDST as one MCP.

Closure, it is a good qual, taken in the context of what the person taking it, is intending to do.

Keimos

 

That is interesting about the MCDST I didn't know you couldn't access the MCP member site with only one or the other passed.

Given that they seem to be regarded by many as easy compared to other MCP's mavybe MS only considers them to be half of an MCP each? Dunno, can anyone comment on this?

edit:

MS seem pretty clear on this point ...

70-271

and for the 70-272