14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has launched a new program designed to offer entry-level certifications for students in developer and IT programs. Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) is addressed at students that lack IT or development experience, and with no employment history, and provides “extra weight” to CVs in a time when a college-issued degree no longer holds any guarantee of a job. With its latest program, the Redmond-based company has opted to focus on providing certification for fundamental IT and development skills, and nothing more.
However, while the software giant does admit openly that MTA only provides entry-level certifications in developer and IT programs for students, it also emphasizes that the program can act as an excellent stepping stone for the future. In this regard, MTA certified students can choose to advance to more sophisticated Microsoft technology certifications, including the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS).
MTA is only available through educational institutions, with Microsoft having tailored the program to the curricula of computer classes. Students can opt for a total of three IT certifications, also three development certifications and only one database certification. The software giant notes that MTA offers the possibility to get familiarized with a range of technologies including Networking Fundamentals, Security Fundamentals, Windows Server Administration Fundamentals, Software Development Fundamentals, Windows Development Fundamentals; Web Development Fundamentals, and Database Administration Fundamentals.
“If you’re a beginning student, you may not know what you’d like to specialize in,” stated Lutz Ziob, general manager of Microsoft Learning. “The MTA exams and curricula give students a good overview of the world of IT and development.” Microsoft currently plans to make MTA available in a range of high schools, colleges in the U.S. and additional markets around the world. Ziob underlines that in the end, MTA will also have the role to open students’ eyes to the plethora of career opportunities before them.