to mcp...or not to mcp?

let's hear it for arfa, the 9 year old pakistani girl who just became an mcp.

say or think what you want about ms' certification program, it's a pretty awesome accomplishment for her, and she deserves (and has gotten) some props for it.

just think what an asset she could be to her community, or school.

now, would anyone really hire her for an enterprise level job? even if you could set aside child labor laws..the answer would still be no. little thing called growing up still needs to happen.

but there's plenty of time for her to become an adult and join the joyous world of work.

my point is that she found something she was interested in, set a goal, and did the work to reach that goal. why in the world would anyone in their right mind want to do anything but encourage this child to keep setting goals and achieving them? are people really that bitter, petty, and jealous?

i personally know very knowledgeable folks who have been professionally employed in the it field for more than 20 years who would rather gouge their own eyes out and eat them like gumdrops than study and take an exam from any vendor. the first thing out of their mouths is "well, passing those tests don't really mean anything."

to which i say...yes, it does. it means that you've approached a vendor's product from the vendor's designated perspective, and satisfied that vendor you are someone who can present themselves as understanding their product.

now, is having only one vendor's perspective a dangerous thing?

you bet your aunt fanny it is.

here's one of my favorite tech mnemonics (for remembering the 7 layer osi model):

1. please
2. do
3. not
4. take
5. sales
6. persons'
7. advice

as brad hamilton would say (if he'd been a tech intern, rather than working in food service):

learn it. know it. live it.

if you want to blame anyone or anything for the problem of "paper" techs, blame the sloppy hiring decisions during 90's tech boom. our industry is still shaking out the numbskulls.

remembering some of the folks i've come into contact with over my 10 years in it...the maturity level of a 9 year old would have been a huge improvement for a good number of them.

wonder if arfa's fielding offers. we could use a decent frontline tech.