Certiblog

Tech Issue Buster: RAM

After a prolonged hiatus, Tech Issue Busteris back to outline the top customer service issues facing Certiport Testing Centers. Last time, we tackled the ins and outs of administrative rights for installing/un-installing software.

This time, we're hitting—in Maverick speak—"the need for speed:" RAM. The RAM requirement for computer systems used to administer MCAS or Microsoft Office 2007 certification exams is 1 GB. Every other exam needs 256 MB or above for peak performance.

These requirements are largely dictated by the Office 2007 software leveraged in the exams, says Josh Sommer, Certiport customer service support liaison.

"If you don't have the 1 GB Microsoft requires, [the exam] will throw up an error message," he said. "It will not run. You cannot proceed until you have a gig put in."

The problem was ... more of a problem a year ago or so when most centers were making the leap to Office 2007 without the hardware to do it properly, Sommer said. That's changing with continuing advancements in the speed of the typical CPU. Today, practically every testing center can avoid the RAM "Danger Zone" (sorry, couldn't resist) with their next system upgrade.

Certification Looks Even Better in a Recovering Economy

This should probably go under the "I guess we already knew that" category; nonetheless, I always enjoy confirming what I thought I knew. (Does that mean I'm insecure?)

In CertMag's annual "Certification Salary Survey," 20 percent of the publication's survey respondents had passed their first certification in 2009 (up from 17 percent last year and 12 percent in 2007). Even more interesting, 37 percent added a second certification this year and 18 percent added more.

Seems like a pretty popular way to help yourself stand out.

Our own studies confirmed that,too. I love symmetry.

Workers that Stayed Hurt by Lingering Recession

Two studies released earlier this month say that employees are growing discontent and restless in the wake of a global recession that may be improving ... but not quick enough. Firms Right Management and Finnegan Mackenzie got responses from hundreds of executives and rank-and-file workers alike who indicated their companies' belt-tightening has them feeling neglected.

Some are starting to look elsewhere for work.

“Employees are clearly expressing their pent-up frustration with how they have been treated through the downturn,” Douglas Matthews, president of Right Management, said in a statement. “While employers may have taken the necessary steps to streamline operations to remain viable, it appears many employees may have felt neglected in the process. The result is a disengaged and disgruntled workforce.”

For companies that have gotten away from employee training programs during the recession, it might be time to take a look at cost-effective ways to support your employees' career goals. Certification is a proven option to build skills and loyalty.

Bring Your 'A Game' for the 2010 IC3 World Cup

As I browsed the 2010 IC³ World Cup Web site (registration for the competition is now open, by the way), I got a bit nostalgic for the Cups of yore. (Acutally I really just enjoyed viewing this ridiculous video that our team put together a year or so ago on a whim.)

The video also reminds me of what I like most about the IC³ Cup Competition: I love the commraderie of the team. Unlike the Worldwide Competition on Microsoft Office (which is fantastic in its own right), the Cup is something you can do with your crew. That's what makes it fun; that's why it's unique. You do it for the team.

Now, get out there, and kick a goal or something!

BTW, I'll post a pretty cool story about the IC³ Cup in December.

Singapore Uses Certiport in Revamped Computer Skills Program

I always find it interesting to see how countries from around the world respond to challenging economic times. Singapore, of course, has been on the leading edge of technology usage for years; but even their government officials don't believe the status quo is enough.

The Singapore Computer Society (SCS) will use E-Learning for Microsoft® Business Certification to reach workers who are interested in honing their Microsoft Office skills yet lack the time to regularly visit one of the training centers.

The SCS would like to get an additional 50,000 through the training in three years.

Success Story: Edison Job Corps

The crazy thing about aiming for the stars is that you just might hit the moon along the way. Case in point: Edison Job Corps in New Jersey, USA.

Many of the youth enrolled in the federally funded program are getting a second chance at an education and developing work skills because of difficult life circumstance and/or poor choices. It's a group generally anxious for a clean start; one anxious for skills and direction. They get both in spades when they walk into Edison.

“We lay it out from the beginning: ‘We really expect you to earn all eight certifications that are available,’” said Marianne Arkush, deputy director of Edison. “Now a student can complete less than that, but since we raised the bar and our expectations, they tend to meet them.”

How refreshing—in an age where things seem to often be dumbed down—to require and expect more! And guess what? It's working.

Read more here.

iCritical Thinking and the Information Evaluation

I cringe when I think of the days of pouring over primary sources of information for research. Not only was the search often tedious ... those books were heavy!

Now, I won't go as far as to consider the future of books, but online reading and information gathering has certainly made life easier for many, myself included. However, there is what some would consider drawbacks to the Internet research.

Information ... there's lots of it. The words needle and haystack sometimes come to mind when I try to find that tantalizing piece of information I know I've seen somewhere else before. And then there is this issue of the reliability of the information consumed and often passed on as truth. Sometimes ... gulp ... the Internet is wrong.

It's the former that really tends to cause the most problems, especially for those whose main information resource has always been the Internet. (Teachers, ever see a Wiki-based book report?)

One of the main thrusts of the recently released iCritical Thinking powered by ETS is the evaluation of credible resources from the Internet. As Irv Katz, ETS senior research scientist, says, "Even when people have access to technology, they may not be using that technology effectively; and that gap is what iCritical Thinking is meant to assess."

Sure, educators and employers probably long for the days of hefty hardback tomes or microfiche like they do for music on 8-track or spaghetti westerns. At a minimum though, poor judgment in selecting sources of information on the Internet probably leaves them wishing students and workers had developed the ability to discern the difference between Web fluff and weightier, more credible information. 

iCritical Thinking Powered by ETS Launches

Certiport has released what it's calling an "academic and work-readiness" certification. As I posted last week, the road to 21st Century Skills is not simply learning how to use technology---it's applying that knolwedge so that it works for any given situation.

You can learn more about the new certification here: www.certiport.com/icriticalthinking.

More on iCrtical Thinking to come on Friday ...

Afternoon Links

Scanning the Twitt-o-sphere (not really a word) for certification news and information ...

• Mississippi joined the Microsoft Elevate America workforce enhancement program yesterday via press conference. TheMississippi Department of Employment Secturity (MDES) says the program will make 19,200 Microsoft Office certification exam vouchers available through job centers statewide.

Said MDES Executive Director Les Range: “Technology has been, and will continue to be, a critical element of ensuring that MDES achieves our mission of 'increasing employment in Mississippi.'”

• Great article in CertMag on the never-ending debate on skills vs. formal education. (Can't they just get along?) Here's a news flash: Maybe both are needed. Says Ernest Friend, director of academic systems at Florida State - Jacksonville: “Having a certification will help you get the job — but having the foundational skills will help you keep it. They need to work in tandem.”

• Finally, the new U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (this will not come as a shock) says that NCLB needs to be redone. In a THE Journal article Arne said he believes that the lightening rod federal legislation is actually causing U.S. students to fall further behind.

So this got me thinking: How effective has the 8th grade technology component of NCLB worked in your school?  Have you been able to implement an effective certification-based digital literacy program as a result ... or has it been a non-issue?

Give me your feedback; I'd love to hear from you.

Finding New Ways to Keep Company Stars

Money, money, money!

It's more than a song. Employers often think it's what keeps a company's best employees from walking. (Yes, even with a down economy organizations fret over losing their best folks. Maybe you do, too.)

But as several studies indicate keeping your top performers is often more than just about salary. Last year, Certiport had more than 500 certified employees respond to a series of questions asking about the value of their Microsoft Office certification.

A couple of interesting things came out of that:

• Two-thirds felt they would be more dedicated to employers that offered them opportunities for certification.
• More than half said their job satisfaction increased when they put those certified skills to use within the organization.

The lesson here? Invest in skills of the best. They'll return the favor by sticking around.