Six months ago, I applied for a place on a new Microsoft Learning venture, Career Factor.

Being chosen as the successful applicant for the IT Manager role was just the beginning of what for me, has been an amazing journey.

My fellow travelers, who started out as just names on an email have now become good friends. Good luck with your future careers, whichever road it may lie along. I miss you all already.

• Eddie - I know that you will succeed on your chosen path, your passion for learning and passing that knowledge on to others is clear to me. 
• Texas (Kevin) - Enjoy China, make the most of the opportunity that it presents, I suspect that one of your hardest decisions will be which offer to accept when you return. 
• Rabeb - You will pass your 70-511 exam and many more as well. With the connections that you have made during this adventure you will find that job outside " Tunisia "  (or wherever it is you really come from) that you wish for. If an opening appears for you on my team I will be sure to let you know. 
• Neil - The cloud is where it is going to be at and the jump start that this has given you will give you an opportunity to pursue your goals. 
• Caroline - Of all the cast, I guess you are the least likely to pursue a "Technical" career. Nonetheless the foundations that the office certifications give you will put you in good stead should your future employment require them. Go Canucks!! 
• Bojan - Or should we be calling you Master. The community that you have joined as a result of your success can only propel you to higher heights. I know who i will be calling should i ever need an exchange architect (or a bottle of Raikia) 
• Molk (Steve) - So happy for you that you found employment, your personality alone will take you far. Add into the mix the technical skills and knowledge and you are one happy Geek. Why did you have to be so far around the world - Makes meeting up for a drink awkward to say the least!!  Go Braves!! 

My Team who could not muster a certification between them have had a great opportunity to further their careers and better themselves by being given access to learning resources and certification opportunities. At the time of typing, i have 3 members with exams booked and another 2 getting ready plus Dan who has now passed exam # 2 (70-536) to become a TS. Once again, primarily due to the opportunity and encouragement offered by Microsoft Learning and Career Factor.

Myself, well I've enjoyed every minute of it, from freaking out Erwin with my "Locked Up" Tweet,  my rant video after failing my exam for the second time all the way up to our TechEd extravaganza. I've picked up some nuggets of information, some new skills, made some great connections on the way through and achieved my goal of retaining Partner Network benefits for my employer, albeit not exactly as originally planned.

I can't let my wrap up post go by without mentioning the people who made Career Factor possible.

• Erwin Chan - What can i say, pulling it off was an achievement in itself, you were always ready to help and point us in the direction of someone else who could when you couldn't. Thank you and  Good luck with the next venture.
• Melissa Bathum - Organizational Queen, for making sure that everything went as smoothly as it did (and sorting those springboard tixs) Thank you. 
• The Microsoft Learning Group - Your support throughout the show has been fantastic, I hope we made it everything you were hoping for.
• The sponsors, a number of companies and groups have been very supportive of all our efforts during Career Factor, many thanks to O'Reilly, Prometric, Measure Up, Train Signal, GITCA, MSDN Subscriptions, TechNet Subscriptions and The Microsoft Certified Masters Program.

Finally, over the last few months, I have had the opportunity to connect with so many people from both inside Microsoft and from the IT industry in general who have either shown an interest in what we are doing or have been assisting us in achieving our goals in someway.  To all those people, who are far too many to name, thank you very much.

Here's to a Career Factor Reunion at TechEd 2012!! - Where are they now...?

For the final time, this has been Simon Davis and this has been my Career Factor.

Thanks for reading

/SiD