General Discussion - Some Thoughts On MCT

Author

Some Thoughts On MCT

necrophantasm

2002-08-28, 4:44 am

Well guys,

A few months ago I talked to my boss and he agreed to send me to a "train the trainer" course and pay for my MCT application. I took the course, and realized at the end of it that my last CTEC course was 16 months ago (one of the MCT requirements is to take a course within 12 months of your application "in order to observe an MCT teach in a CTEC environment"). Well, they want you to take a 3 day course, and I had completed 4 and a half months of CTEC courses. So I emailed Microsoft asking them if that was sufficient. There response, "no exceptions".
Afterwards, I thought about it, and decided to go back to my CTEC center and ask them if there was a way I could either be a teacher's assistant for one of their courses, or at least sit in on one for 3 days. I can't afford 1200$ for a CTEC course right now, and my boss doesn't want to spend that cash on a course I don't even need (all that's left is programming). I talked to the assistant director of student services at my CTEC center and explained my situation to her. She was pretty sympathetic to my dilemna, and said that I could sit in on a class and receive an official letter stating that I had attended the course, with the course name, instructor name, and date. In order to show Microsoft that I attended the course for the exact reasons they specified that I needed to.
I wrote Microsoft again, asking them if a letter would be acceptable, or if I had to obtain a course certificate as specified in the guidelines. Their response: "You must attain a course certificate." My thoughts on that, "Give us more $$$$, the 13,000 you already spent in courses, a grand on tests, and 2 grand in books just isn't enough". That is just my thoughts on the situation. I don't see why a course certificate for a course I have already completed (and already have the certificate for) is necessary to show them that I have been able to observe an MCT teach a CTEC course for 3 days.
The purpose of this post is not to just XXXXX and moan. I wanted to ask all of you if you think that I am out of line here, or if you agree with me that this requirement does not necessarily follow the purposes they explain for even having it listed as one. Why is proof of attending a course to observe an MCT not good enough if they specifically say on the site that that is the reason they want you to attend it? What difference does a course certificate make in this situation (nothing except $$$$...hehe)?
I also wanted to share my experience in this saga (has now been going on for 4 months) so that anyone who is thinking about becoming an MCT knows exactly what they are in for. I wrote my CTEC center about Microsoft's response, and have not received a reply back yet telling me whether they will spit me out another certificate or not. I will definitely let you all know what happens when I find out. I know a lot of you are sympathetic to Microsoft's views and plans (like Freak), but I don't think they are all good intentions sometimes. Please let me know what you guys think of this situation.

MistyRing

2002-08-28, 8:47 am

Does your company have a Microsoft Account Manager? Maybe he could swing it for you. Or perhaps the training centre has one they could to talk to on your behalf. Worth a try.

twister166

2002-08-28, 10:25 am

Well, the thing about the MCT, not just that you need to take a CTT+, you need to attend a class "that you want to teach", you also need to deliver x amount of hours a year, and turn in experience hours point to maintain your MCT status. And if you don't want to teach, you have to put your MCT in sleep mode, else you loss it.

I have been talking to a few training centers, they are telling MCT is now crap and they necessary hire MCT to teach any more. If you have CTT+ and a premium certification you can teach.

Regards.

freak

2002-08-28, 11:50 am

Interesting thread. Sorry to hear about your issue. I am an MCT, and I have to say that in my case it is not "crap" as posted earlier on. It has helped me get jobs both as a trainer and as an engineer.

I also had to sit throught the train the trainer class eventhough I already held a Master's degree in Education and had taught at MIT. I must that it made me smile, but at the end of the day, so what? Life doesn't always make much sense, and you have to keep in mind what you want and how much you want it, then act accordingly. As my daddy used to say, you don't have to like it, you just have to do it

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