Microsoft Retires Technology-Based Certifications

Microsft is killing its certifications MCSA, MCSD, and MCSE. Yes, those technical-base certifications are being retired. And they will not be replaced.

It means that soon we will not be able to be a certified Windows Server, SQL Server, Dynamics 365, BI Reporting, and others, anymore.

Check the full list of certifications and exams being retired on this link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/community-blog-post.aspx?BlogId=8&Id=375282

Can I still get MCSA, MCSD, or MCSE Certification?

Yes, we still can get certified before retirement date, on June 30th, 2020, and it will still be valid for two years. For this, we must pass the required exams for each certification.

After the two years period from taking the exam, your certification will still be available on the transcript, but showing as inactive.

So, if you are still pursuing those certifications, I think it’s time to analyze whether or not to continue it. If you feel you can move on and take all the exams needed for the certification until June 30th, go for it.

From Technology-based to Role-based

The fact is that Microsoft is changing the scope of certifications from the traditional technology-based certifications to role-based certifications.

It is movement noticed with the focus on Azure and the product offerings on the cloud platform. It well knows that Microsoft offers the latest features of its products, such as SQL Server, first on the cloud offering, and then releases the traditional package versions.

By retiring the technology-based certifications, Microsoft reinforces the change in the IT professional requirements and signalizes that we should focus on the roles and types of activities, adapting to the technology needed for executing the function.

It is curious to notice, however, that the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certifications and Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certifications will not be affected by this retirement.

Is It a Good Movement?

One thing for sure is that the Cloud is here and is not going anywhere. Microsoft makes it very clear that with this movement.

On the other hand, on-premises infrastructure is still a reality for several companies and having a way to prove the skills of the professionals is yet required.

So I believe that part of Microsoft’s objective with this movement is to capacitate engineers on the cloud environment and push more and more companies to the cloud environment.

The industry is changing, and these changes on the certifications are reflecting it.

But How do I Prove My Knowledge?

Certifications are not the only way to prove your knowledge of a specific technology. And just because we don’t have the certification anymore, it doesn’t mean we should stop studying the products if it is part of our professional goals.

Several online courses provide a certificate of conclusion, and even if they are not certification with an exam, it is good that at least you attended a class and invested in your knowledge growth.

Another means is to teach about the products, which forces you to research that and prepare some material. It helps you to become a reference within the community, participating in meetups, for instance.

Co-workers and managers are also a good source of references, so it’s essential to keep your network closer and aware of your skills.

I just hope that this movement is followed by others involved in that, managers, HR departments, headhunters and hiring people, that they understand the campaign and how the industry is changing, understanding the right skills to be looking for when hiring a professional.

What Certification Should I Pursue?

The natural start is from AZ-900 — Azure Fundamentals exam. This exam tests the very basic concepts of Azure services and on cloud computing.

After that, you must identify which path you want to focus on.

If you were thinking on the certifications that are retiring, you can take the following recommendation path from Microsoft for role-based certification:

A full list of role-based certifications offered by Microsoft can be found on the link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/browse-all-certifications.aspx?certificationtype=role-based

Does It Worth Get a Certification?

In my opinion, yes, it does. Well, I believe that having a certification doesn’t necessarily mean you master the subject of the certification. Still, at least you are capable to get a topic and study it enough to pass the exam.

And I put like that because the topics covered on the certification exams involve a broad of different knowledge that you hardly use 100% on your daily bases.

So I believe that having soft skills and demonstrate them is a plus, compared to know every detail of software or every command line and options of a product. The capacity of learning, finding solutions, and solving problems are much more appreciated than knowing a specific implementation detail that is charged on the exams.

But the problem is how to show that to others, especially during a hiring process. And nowadays, with automated systems, pre-filtering candidates, and recruiters looking for keywords, having a certificate at least gives you a good start.

Microsoft gives a bold step with these changes on the certifications. It reinforces its objectives to its cloud offerings, being a one-way road that we must adapt to.

It seems uncommon for those who are used to have the new version of products every other year and study the new capabilities proving it with an exam.

But if we analyze it, comparing to AWS and Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft is going in the same direction. The difference is that the other cloud providers already started their certifications role-based and cloud-oriented.