SUN certification exam intrduction

Sunday, June 28, 2009, 2:03
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Sun’s Java certifications: Are they worth the effort?
Tags: Certification, Exam, Java, Sun Microsystems Inc., Sun Java, Sun
Certified Java Programmer, Sun Certified Enterprise Architect, Quality,
Business Operations

Sun’s Java 310-036 certification track Suns Java certifications are designed to be
focused on particular roles in the software development cycle and, therefore,
are more useful than all-in-one certifications such as IBM s XML
certification. Sun currently offers eight Java certifications, which are
classified by level and specialization. Most of the certifications require you
to pass a multiple choice exam, but some 310-036 also require you to write an essay.
It is recommended to have six to twelve months of actual job experience before
attempting to pass any exam.

1. Sun Certified Java Associate (SCJA): This entry-level exam certifies
only knowledge of basic Java language concepts and general knowledge of Sun
platforms.
2. Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP):310-036 At the foundation level, there
are exams for Java 1.4 and Java 5.0. These exams certify solid knowledge of
the Java language. (Note: It is not required to have SCJA to get SCJP, which
makes me wonder why SCJA certification is needed at all.)
3. Sun Certified Java Developer (SCJD): Many employers may focus on this
level of certification for two reasons: You need to be an SCJP (any version)
before you can try to become an 310-016 SCJD. Also, the SCJD requires candidates to
develop a small business system according to the problem and write an essay
defending the solution and explaining the design and programming decisions.
4. Sun Certified Web Component Developer (SCWCD): This exam can be of
interest for Web developers who specialize in using Java technologies such as
Java Server Pages (JSP) and 310-016 servlets. SCJP is a prerequisite for taking this
exam.
5. Sun Certified Business Component Developer (SCBCD): This certification,
which consists of only one exam, is the kernel of J2EE certification as long
as it certifies your 310-016 knowledge of Enterprise Java Beans (EJB). The exam is
pretty hard to pass if you do not have any Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) project
experience. SCJP is a mandatory prerequisite. This certification can be of
interest to employers who use EJB for project development.
6. Sun Certified Developer for Java Web Services (SCDJWS): This
certification is for Java developers who build Web services. You have to take
one exam for this certification, 310-014 and SCJP is a prerequisite.
7. Sun Certified Mobile Application Developer (SCMAD): This is a
certification for developers of Java applications for cell phones or any other
devices containing J2ME 310-014 onboard. You have to take one exam for this
certification, and SCJP is a prerequisite.
8. Sun Certified Enterprise Architect (SCEA): This is what the Sun
certification program is all about. This certifies enterprise architects
responsible 310-014 for architecting and designing J2EE-compliant applications from
scratch. There are no prerequisite requirements even though it is the most
advanced certification. In fact, if you cannot pass any of the previously
listed certifications, you will never succeed with this one. To achieve this
certification, candidates must complete three steps: a multiple choice exam, a
development assignment similar 310-014 to SCJD (but on a much larger scale), and a
final essay exam where you will defend your solution.

Is the effort you expend worth the result? “I have two Java certificates: SCJP
and SCWCD. I earned the first certification while I was student at university;
my professor awarded students with vouchers for attempting to take the SCJP
exam. With the second certification,310-012 Sun contacted me about its new
certification program and invited me to assess my skills for free (and take
the actual exam) in exchange for my feedback about the questions and about the
certification itself.

I think both of my certifications are pretty much useless pieces of paper. The
main reason why I got these certifications was to prove to myself that I am
proficient in Java. While preparing for these exams, I learned a lot; also,
since I was engaged in real 310-012 production projects at that time, I immediately
started applying my newfound knowledge. This is the only reason why I would
recommend that Java developers pass the entry- and mid-level exams. None of my
employers showed interest in looking at my certifications.

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The SCEA certification, however, is a completely different story. If you
peruse career sites, there are lot of vacancies for which SCEA is considered
highly desirable.310-012 Developers can only earn this certification after having a
lot of experience in software architectural design and working with J2EE,
i.e., with a broad range of Java technologies. SCEA is the most attractive
certification for developers who are seriously thinking about becoming a
software architect. I don’t think the other certifications offer much value.

It’s been my experience that most employers will overlook your certifications
unless your resume shows that you have hands-on experience working with a
particular technology. 310-012 At the other end of the spectrum, I have seen examples
of successful career building on the base of certifications. In my opinion,
this is more a question of a particular certification program and particular
holder s attitude to the certification. Most IT pros take certification exams
more for self-learning than for their employer.

Waste of money for experienced developers
I’ve been developing with and teaching Java since 1996. On rare occasions,
someone will ask if I am certified 310-012 prior to giving me an assignment. I usually
respond with, “Why should I waste my time and money to take a test to prove
that I can do what I’ve been doing for the past 10 years?”

There’s a big difference between saying someone is qualified to do something
versus showing that they’ve already done it. I’ve worked with individuals who
are “certified”, but are very poor designer/developers. Expertise comes with
experience and a certificate is no substitute.

The only persons I can see who might benefit from certifications would be
those who have no experience and are looking for an entry-level position in
the industry. If they are 310-011 competing against newbies who have no
certifications, that might give them an edge in getting that first job. Beyond
that, experience and references are going to carry far more weight in making
hiring decisions than some test result.

The bottom line is this: if you can’t do the work, it doesn’t matter what
certifications you have. If you can, then your certifications don’t matter.

I think they are worthwhile
I’ve known many people who dropped out of university and basically blame the
university they visited for this happening to them (too ‘theoretical’…duh!.
it’s like ‘I quit playing waterpolo because I realised I don’t like getting
wet). They get good jobs until they reach fourty and reach the ceiling of
opportunity.

I see the same with certifications. I’ve been in the IT industry since 1990
with a background in electronics and computer science and know MANY colleagues
who THINK they are pretty good, just as I do/did. However, the certifications
I did show me that there was still 310-011 a lot I could improve on, and they also
updated me with current practices and standards, which can be very confusing
in the IT-industry as everything gets hyped in this particular area.

The SUN certification programmes are not overly expensive and they do not
demand irrelevant things (like: which colour coding should you use when using
netbeans or something equally goofy), and they do offer others a means of
evaluating your current state of expertise. If your experience already has got
what it takes to follow the exam, 310-011 they are also easy to make. But people DO
flunk them, and not only because of the sorry excuses you hear after the exam
is finished, but mainly because they simply could not make them.

I’ve experienced years in IT where every idiot who had at one point in their
life touched a keyboard could call themselves an IT-pro and got away with it,
and that background and training where considered irrelevant (consider a
successful job application for 310-011 surgeon on the grounds that you always watch
ER…) and personally I am glad that a solid background, training and keeping
up-to-date have recently 310-011 become more important. It is the sign of a maturing
industry. Not all certifications are good and worthwhile, but the popular ones
are this for good reason.

There are many good 310-011 IT-professionals without certifications and bad ones who
have got one, but I do think that the percentages good-bad are very different
on the non-certification side and the other.

http://www.examsavior.com/310-036-sun-certified-java-2-programmer-14-upgrade-pro-2940.html