Do you know a high school or college kid who loves technology? Is your son or daughter interested in becoming the next super-developer in your family? Microsoft wants to help.
Through Microsoft DreamSpark, high school and college students around the world* can download Microsoft Developer tools and also get discounts on learning and certification products. Notify your child’s high school administrators and once they sign up with the program, students will be able to start getting hands-on with the latest tools from Microsoft. Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition? Got it. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Developer? Got that too. Windows Server 2008? Of course! Go to the website and take a look – there are currently 16 products listed for download.
While you’re there, click on the Get Training link.
You’ll see free eBooks, Learning Snacks and exam discounts. As part of the DreamSpark initiative, Microsoft Learning will be distributing up to 150,000 MCTS exam vouchers good until June 30, 2009. Students must redeem the voucher and schedule their exam online at the Prometric website by June 30, 2009, so don’t hesitate. Contact your local high school or college administrators today – I did.
*(except China, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Vietnam)
Posted by Dana
Comments
Friday, March 27, 2009 7:36 AM by Peter Read
I can see some merit to the software side of this (particularly commercially for MS, get 'em while they're young...), but doesn't distributing exam vouchers like this devalue these as professional certifications underpinning real experience if it's being marketed to high school kids?
Friday, March 27, 2009 9:35 AM by Charles Hyman
In response to Peter's Comment:
The exams can be taken today by High School students today, if they want. Most of the institutions on the list are higher education institutions. Anything that can give people a sense of accomplishment for learning something new that is of value, is a good thing in my opinion. The vouchers will make this possible, by allowing students to give it a tray without having to outlay the dollars. I dont feel that any of my certifications would be "devalued" by this in any way. Certification and Experience are two separate items in a persons career toolbox.
Friday, March 27, 2009 2:59 PM by Kevin
I'm a bit torn on the certifications going to high school students. On one hand, I've always believed that you get a certification to demonstrate your knowledge and experience with a technolohy. On the other hand, I have taken certification exams the week that they came out of beta (some Windows 2008 exams, for example) or immediately after a product was released.
At any rate, I don't think that high school students getting certs is any "more wrong" than people who go to a weeklong training class where they take the exam on the last day.