RE: training for new DBA's

As I always joke "Everyone really wants to be a DBA!" J The interest is the key, seems like he is someone worth investing in.  

• Ric

From: Jeff C [mailto:backseatdba_at_gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2014 1:12 AM To: Ric Van Dyke; oracle-l_at_freelists.org Subject: Re: training for new DBA's  

Hi Rick,

I agree that classroom training is the best. But at this point I just need to find out if this person has the potential to be a good DBA. I need to give him some stuff to read and practice on and then test him. He is showing a lot of interest which is good.  

On Mon, Feb 3, 2014 at 12:56 PM, Ric Van Dyke <ric.van.dyke_at_hotsos.com> wrote:

>> Consider that you want your trainee to succeed, but s/he may not want
to be a DBA in 6 months or a year ... have your time and company money been totally wasted?  

Gee, then why train anyone eh? Seriously LACK of training can be just as much a deterrent on retention. Giving good training on a regular bases is likely to keep folks around not the opposite.  

Being in the education world as I am, I believe in classroom training, next online and then very last self-training like books and CBT type. Books and CBTs are excellent for refresher or "feature" type training. (Like, how to I use virtual columns?) But to learn something "new" it's quite hard to do with that style of training.  

I know from personal experience when I was a neophyte DBA that just taking 2 DBA/SQL classes back then shot me way up the curve. I had been struggling for 18 months or so before my first class. Sure the databases "worked" but wow! Once I had some formal training things really got going much better and I had a much better idea of what to even look at.  

Training might appear to be expensive, but ignorance is far more.    

+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

Ric Van Dyke

Education Director

Hotsos Ltd.  

Hotsos Symposium March 2-6 2014

Make your plans to be there now!        

From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org
[mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Wayne Smith Sent: Monday, February 03, 2014 2:48 PM
To: oracle-l_at_freelists.org

Subject: Re: training for new DBA's  

Wow, I think I disagree with just about every response here, except for the need of sandboxes. (Sorry!)

I think you should look at what you need from your new DBA(s).

DBAs come in all shapes, interests and skills, as will your would-be DBA trainee(s)s. Figure what your company needs from its DBAs and this(these) DBA(s) in particular. Make a plan for each one that will get them functional, useful and independent as quickly as possible with a plan of skill development over the coming months, with a look at progress and needs every 3-6-12 months.

Consider that you want your trainee to succeed, but s/he may not want to be a DBA in 6 months or a year ... have your time and company money been totally wasted?

Cheers, Wayne  

On Fri, Jan 31, 2014 at 6:11 PM, Jeff C <backseatdba_at_gmail.com> wrote:

We are looking at training a new DBA from scratch (hiring from within) and I am looking for any opinions on where/how/what to train this person on. I was thinking of starting with just basic SQL and relational database design then onto some pl/sql. After that move on to dba stuff.

Is there any good free or cheap places to get this kind of training?

And how would you test a very beginner candidate to know if they would be a good fit for this position. Any questions or tests I good give them? What would you look for?  

This is new to me as I have been mainly the lone dba for years and also trained on the job.

Thanks for any input.  

Jeff    

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