Re: Perspective Oracle DBA

aphlix <noone_at_nowhere.com> wrote in message news:<ND6u9.92892$qM2.27420_at_sccrnsc02>...
> I have a question for everyone. I am about to attend a 6 month course at SMU
> for UNIX Admin/Oracle DBA. Basically they teach the first 5 tests for
> Oracle DBA certification (forgive me if I sound like I don't know what I am
> talking about because I don't know a thing about oracle). After I take this
> course, what do you suppose my chances of getting a Junior DBA position
> somewhere? (the course are part of the Workforce Development Program from
> Oracle and they exceed the minimums from Oracle)
>
> Thanks

Pretty low, unless SMU has an internship program. Other than that, it depends what your other skills are. Places need about ten times as many programmers as DBAs. Most places expect DBAs to be experienced in one way or another. Exceptions might be government and military orgs, and some other stupid places run on buzzwords. I wouldn't know about places that want Jr. admin/Jr. DBA's, maybe SMU needs someone. I know plenty of sysadmins who have added DBA skills, and some even using them, but only a couple who are actually working as DBAs (and of those, well, I don't want to say anything bad... but they would have been better off with programming experience [not necessarily PL experience, just any professional programming]).

I wouldn't advise anyone to take a course like this on spec. If you know someone that would hire you after taking the course, then it is probably worthwhile. Show healthy skepticism of job-placement advisors.

Whether true or not, there is a perception that the need for DBAs is going away. Larry said it in so many words (of course, what he meant by it is open to debate). There is also a perception in some circles that the certification path for DBAs is a joke. I don't necessarily agree or disagree with that, but google for cert discussions.

jg

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