{"id":779,"date":"2019-10-14T15:32:36","date_gmt":"2019-10-14T20:32:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onlc.com\/blog\/?p=779"},"modified":"2019-10-16T15:38:29","modified_gmt":"2019-10-16T20:38:29","slug":"microsoft-technical-certifications-tiers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onlc.com\/blog\/microsoft-technical-certifications-tiers\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft Technical Certifications: 3 Tiers of Expertise"},"content":{"rendered":"

There have been plenty of changes recently to the Microsoft certification structure. Primarily, these changes have been driven by the increasing emphasis on cloud technology. Azure is Microsoft\u2019s flagship cloud computing service.<\/span> Almost all of Microsoft\u2019s certification tracts have been modified to include information about Azure integration in its products and how they will function in the cloud.<\/span> Let\u2019s take a look at the new role-based tiers of<\/span> Microsoft Technical Certifications<\/span><\/a> and some of the changes recently made to include Azure\u2019s influence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Microsoft certifications are currently split into three different tiers: fundamentals, associate, and expert. <\/span><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>Fundamentals\u00a0<\/b>is precisely what it\u00a0sounds like it is. This usually means that the student has little to no foundational knowledge of the subject. Certs in this tier often test for historical and basic knowledge and may or may not be required to proceed to the next tier of certification. Usually, there is only one exam that needs to be passed to earn a fundamentals certification.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 Associate <\/b>is the second certification tier. Some certifications will allow the student to skip the fundamentals tier if they can demonstrate proficiency with the required subject matter or have the necessary level of experience. It also indicates that the student is keeping pace with current technology. There may be multiple role-based exams in this tier, and they are usually required to proceed to the next certification tier.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 Expert <\/b>is the final tier. At this point, the student has put in the time and hard work to learn everything about their chosen role and the technology required to be an effective professional. Most of the certifications included in the expert tier require an associate-level certification before being able to take the exam.<\/span><\/p>\n

All the tiers above are also divided into technical roles and subject matter. These tiers correspond to different categories of technology. Currently, there are four role-based certification paths.<\/span><\/p>\n