Reply to: Ceritifcations - no exam without attending course first.

[psychocandy]

Indeed, a few places I've worked are chucking it out in favour of Linux, probably better off self studying the LPI if you want a qualification in that area.

Can get a surprising amount of study done if you spend a couple of lunchtimes each week on it.

Yes think its whats going on now in the unix/linux world. Its just a pity that more clients are not a little more flexible and realise that a good solaris admin wont take too long to change over to red hat or similar.

Red Hat RHCSA £400 for exam.

[smatty]

Solaris is on the way out anyway for all but the uber niche use cases.

Indeed, a few places I've worked are chucking it out in favour of Linux, probably better off self studying the LPI if you want a qualification in that area.

Can get a surprising amount of study done if you spend a couple of lunchtimes each week on it.

[kaiser78]

Absolutely this! Companies fail through lack of investment for the future and this is a perfect example how exactly the same will happen to contractors. Time moves on and you have to keep up. You can't sit on your arse and expect knowledge of aging technology to keep you going for the rest of your life. All these numbers are reduced due to tax gains as well don't forget. £2.5k course to be in contract for the next couple of years is absolute peanuts.

Agree with NLUK. I have used previous bench time to complete various certifications, although reading of manual + exam only, without the actual teaching bit, as not seen as being necessary.

Although given current bench time, I think I could end up with a PhD at this rate...

[northernladuk]

I assume then you only care about getting a qualification for your CV then actually getting something useful from an instructor led course?

Most experienced contractors will use bench time, or in your case dole time, to reskill so they don't lose "£2500+" a week in missed billing

Quotation marks as if you are on £500 a day you are either a fantasist or a liar given your problems with money in the past

Absolutely this! Companies fail through lack of investment for the future and this is a perfect example how exactly the same will happen to contractors. Time moves on and you have to keep up. You can't sit on your arse and expect knowledge of aging technology to keep you going for the rest of your life. All these numbers are reduced due to tax gains as well don't forget. £2.5k course to be in contract for the next couple of years is absolute peanuts.

[psychocandy]

You'll have to pay for them, then, and stop moaning.

Umm. Yes obviously.

[TheFaQQer]

Nope. Don;t need the courses just the certifications.

You'll have to pay for them, then, and stop moaning.

[psychocandy]

I assume then you only care about getting a qualification for your CV then actually getting something useful from an instructor led course?

Most experienced contractors will use bench time, or in your case dole time, to reskill so they don't lose "£2500+" a week in missed billing

Quotation marks as if you are on £500 a day you are either a fantasist or a liar given your problems with money in the past

Nope. Don;t need the courses just the certifications.

Problems with money? I can't remember that one.

[TheFaQQer]

I assume then you only care about getting a qualification for your CV then actually getting something useful from an instructor led course?

If you are after the knowledge, then there is something to be said for paying more and getting a real expert to run the courses, rather than someone who knows the training material really well.

I remember asking our instructor a question about something and he said it wasn't possible. Three pages later in the course material it told you how to do it. But the guy running the training was a trainer, not an expert who was running a training course. There is a big difference between the two, and you never know who / what you are going to get.

[cojak]

I make sure that I am up to speed with the latest buzz word and generally get a certification in something every 3 years as it keeps my rates up and ensures agents badger me, not the other way around. Last time it was Agile, this time it's COBIT.

Consider that the next time your bum is warming the bench and you're on here complaining about it.

[SimonMac]

I assume then you only care about getting a qualification for your CV then actually getting something useful from an instructor led course?

Most experienced contractors will use bench time, or in your case dole time, to reskill so they don't lose "£2500+" a week in missed billing

Quotation marks as if you are on £500 a day you are either a fantasist or a liar given your problems with money in the past

[cherhill]

Bottom line is certification is just getting too expensive. If the pre-req is a course then how many contractors are going to shell out £2K for a course, a week non-billing etc. Not me anyway.

Still balking at the idea of £400 for exam and half day not billing!

If you are worried about losing half a day can you not work late some days to make up for it. That is what I have done before.

I don't personally bother with courses anymore. Don't feel it adds much nowadays.

[psychocandy]

Bottom line is certification is just getting too expensive. If the pre-req is a course then how many contractors are going to shell out £2K for a course, a week non-billing etc. Not me anyway.

Still balking at the idea of £400 for exam and half day not billing!

[NotAllThere]

...
But, Oracle I see and Vmware for their proper certifications wont let you do the exam until you've actually attended a course. Nice little money spinner...

SAP do this. But only in India.

[b0redom]

Solaris is on the way out anyway for all but the uber niche use cases. I was recently at an all Solaris shop and they were trying to justify a web tech refresh. The cheapest SPARC server they could get was well into 4 figures. Just not worth it when commodity hardware and Linux is so much cheaper (comparatively).

[psychocandy]

Sounds better than Bracknell at least!

Thats just it. Looked at cost of Solaris 11 course to enable me to do the Oracle Professional one. £3000.
I dont think so.