Oracle Certification vs. Real World Experience

As many have pointed out in earlier threads, just being an OCA or OCP is no substitute for the real thing -- experience. BUT whether you're just starting out or are well along in your career, working towards the Oracle certification forces you to "fill in the gaps" with some knowledge that you might not see on a day to day basis, and definitely gives you some insight into some features that you were only vaguely aware of... Also, it shows you have the discipline required for ANY type of job, and employers like this. Plus of course the adoration and envy of your co-workers is priceless ("and for everything else, there's Master Card").

Compare this to getting a college degree and working in an industry from the ground up for several years -- without the degree, some employers will always have that doubt in their mind without the formal training. So why not both?

I've taken a few Oracle-sponsored classes, but don't think I could have passed the exams without help from some Sybex books -- it looks like they will have a full suite of 10g cert books plus an upgrade book from 9i to 10g, I think only the upgrade book is out now:

http://www.sybex.com/sybexbooks.nsf/booklist/4355

I passed my 9i cert with flying colors in part because of their 9i books...

No, I am NOT an employee of Oracle Corp.!!!!

Later
RB Received on Thu Oct 28 2004 - 23:21:47 CDT