QA Extends Blended Certification Programme to Include MCAD
QA, the UK’s leading provider of training and consulting, today launches a blended learning programme for Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) certification. Combining classroom sessions, practical labs, self-study, virtual classrooms and an array of online learning mechanisms, the four month programme provides a flexible, cost-effective means of achieving this valuable, and increasingly important, developer qualification.
Building on the success of QA’s blended solutions for MCSA and Project Management (PMP) certifications, the blended MCAD programme is based on the fundamentals of how people learn.
“Our experience has shown that blended works,” commented Brian Sutton, Chief Educator, QA. “Delegates, and their employers, benefit greatly from the delegate’s reduced time away from the workplace. This is an enhanced learning experience, where delegates both manage how they learn, and put skills into practice as they progress”.
The aim of the course is to enable developers to build and practice vital programming skills. Delegates gain valuable knowledge and an important vendor qualification. Furthermore, a unique component, the ‘Programming Challenge’, helps delegates to demonstrate skills acquisition and prove their capability.
“Certification has always been a high priority for systems engineers and is now increasingly important for application developers,” commented, Mark Buckley, Partner Readiness Marketing Manager, Microsoft. “QA’s vast experience of training solution design and Microsoft training delivery means delegates will leave the course as productive programmers”.
The blended MCAD programme is aimed at experienced developers (at least 12 months programming experience) with good language skills in VB.NET or C# and a familiarity with the .NET framework. There are four modules, comprising a proven effective combination of delivery mechanisms to cater to individual learning preferences and styles:
Classroom instruction
Hands-on labs
Virtual classrooms
Online practice testing
Microsoft Press textbooks and CD-Rom
Access to online library Books 24x7
Mentoring and discussion forum
Programming Challenge – an innovative feature that encourages students to make practical use of evolving skills (a prize is awarded for the winning solution).
Delegates have until 10 July 2003 to enrol on the first public blended MCAD programme. The programme is also customisable for on site delivery to meet the specific requirements of an organisation.
For further information about QA’s MCAD blended certification programme, visit www.qa.com, email responsecentre@qa.com or call QA’s Client Services team on 0870 90 600 90.