Training for MCSE

I am currently going to college 1 day a week to do a course titled: HP IT Essentials I : PC Hardware and Software which is a CISCO award and gives me the oportunity to do a CompTIA A+ as well. After that I move onto the "installation, maintenance and networking unit" IT Essentials 2 where I can also take the CompTIA Network+ exam. The second course covers: "Fundamentals (Cisco CCNA 1)" and "Router and Routing Basics (Cisco CCNA 2)".

Has anyone got any advice about where I go after that? I'd like to eventually get an MCSE, but AFAIK I need an MCSA first. I've been looking into various companies offering to do the whole fasttrack, subsidised training, with a guarenteed job at the end of it thing. But it seems to me some of them are possibly rip offs. Has anyone gone through one of these?

I'm finding my current course pretty easy, having been "playing about" with computers for quite a few years (I started back when DOS was the norm and Windows 3.1 was just coming out), and have worked on a part time basis for myself fixing basic problems for people with home PC's and teaching them how to use web browsers, word, excel etc.. So I'd hope I would be able to complete a fast track course without an enourmous struggle, as I already understand many of the concepts behind how computers work. (I know enough of everything to know that I know very little about anything if you understand me :) lol )

you dont HAVE to do an MCSA first - an MSCE is comprised of 7 modules , a certain combination of which also make up the MSCA qualification.

I'd avoid the boot camp companies like the plague personally - I dont think there would be much of a guanrenteed job at the end of it :S

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/default.asp has all the info you need about the MS certifications.

If you want to self study then grab a few second hand books from amazon and download a few 120 day evals of the software you'll need (often they come with the book ) The exams do cover a very wide range of info - (I've been using 2k3 server since the RC1 beta and I still found there was a lot I need for my first 2k3 exam )

the exams cost £88 each , which is the only major financial impact ( I'm lucky that if I pass them , my work pays for the exam fee )

I'm planning on spending most of this year doing certifications so will be happy to offer a little guidance where needed.

I have started looking at doing the MCSA (as that has less exams) seeing work voulenteered to pay for it :c)

Just threatened me to make sure i dont fail...no pressure eh :c/

As for those companies that guarentee a job, iv come across a fair few of them and they 'seem' to talk sense however i dont know anyone who has gone down this path before. the way i see it: if you are comfartable/discaplined enough to educate yourself them save some money and get the literature and setup some sort of environment at home to play with. If however you feel you will benefit alot more from having a teacher then go down that route.

Either way is achievable.

I have my MCSA and MCSE in windows 2000, currently studying for the 2003 upgrade exams.

I've always self studied for them, which has always worked for me seeing as I used to work with windows 2000 and now with 2003.

I always find that whatever you work with and how ever much you know there is always a fair bit to be lerarnt for the exams. Just get yourself a good study guide and you'll be fine.

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Originally Posted by mark19632

I always find that whatever you work with and how ever much you know there is always a fair bit to be lerarnt for the exams. Just get yourself a good study guide and you'll be fine.

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True, i've completed 2 exams, 70-290 + 210, i use both the operating systems on a daily basis....and yet the questions i faced in the exams were miles away from what i expected. Fortunatly i'd read a few study guides so was prepared.

Don't think it's easy cos it's multiple choice.....it's not!!!

...finding the time to study now tho is difficult

I've got 290 coming up in a couple of weeks. I'm feeling pretty ready for it at the moment. once I've got and 291 I'll have my 2k3 MCSA :)

Then another SQL one & another core 2k3 one for MCDBA , followed by my last core one and the design module for MSCE. Its going to be a busy year - I'm plannign to take an exam every 2 months