Certification Question

[stephen Kang]

hi, i just passed ibm 141(XML related Technologies) test today. and i am thinking about preparing next step.
i am interested in taking SCJP2 or IBM 158 soon. Maybe my ultimate goal for next year might be the enterprised developer for ibm websphere.
My question is :
Do i need to follow the tracks from SCJP2 ->IBM 486 -> IBM 483 -> finally ibm 158?
Since my company needs to have a websphere person, i felt i should go with IBM 158 first and later on, i could catch up the other tests. But, i am afraid of inefficiency which i might be struggling with "hidden" prerequisites.
The thing is my java exprience is sort of limited by the college courses, though i could handle with SCJP2 without difficulty. If i don't have a java(scjp2) cert or other certs, such as ibm 486, ibm 483, do i get trouble with preparing ibm 158?
Any advice will be appreciated. :roll:
[ November 25, 2002: Message edited by: stephen Kang ]

[Theodore Casser]

The answer is, you can take them in any order you please. IBM doesn't particularly care, but won't give you the 'Enterprise Developer' certification until you've filled all the requirements.
I'd still go for the SCJP exam first, and then worry about the IBM exam for WebSphere. (You'll get a Specialist certification for the time being from IBM for 158 if you pass it.)

[Axel Janssen]

... and the product specific certification like 158 change very frequently. When WSAS 5 is released there will be a new certification.
SCJP2, 486, 483 are far more stable.
...and I doubt that anyone could understand EJB or even Servlets/JSP without a solid java background.
I did SCJP2 and then 158, because of company needs.
For learning generally its better to follow the oficial path. You can play around with WSAD without doing the certification. Don't involve yourself too much in certs (O.k. with ibm free voucher initiative I have 141, 157, 486 voucher too. Will see if I'll get those).
Don't forget to get some practical experience!!!
If there are experienced J2EE developer in your company. Better.
There are very important books, which aren't in cert path, but which are very important (for example Floyd Marinescu or the new One to One. Practical J2EE programming from Wrox: great one).
Recently I have made good experience with programming little, but not totally trivial things. Even I manage to make some (not much) money for my company with doing some consulting/training stuff, where I show these things.
Axel

[rick collette]

Originally posted by stephen Kang:
hi, i just passed ibm 141(XML related Technologies) test today. and i am thinking about preparing next step.
i am interested in taking SCJP2 or IBM 158 soon. Maybe my ultimate goal for next year might be the enterprised developer for ibm websphere.
My question is :
Do i need to follow the tracks from SCJP2 ->IBM 486 -> IBM 483 -> finally ibm 158?
Since my company needs to have a websphere person, i felt i should go with IBM 158 first and later on, i could catch up the other tests. But, i am afraid of inefficiency which i might be struggling with "hidden" prerequisites.
The thing is my java exprience is sort of limited by the college courses, though i could handle with SCJP2 without difficulty. If i don't have a java(scjp2) cert or other certs, such as ibm 486, ibm 483, do i get trouble with preparing ibm 158?
Any advice will be appreciated. :roll:
[ November 25, 2002: Message edited by: stephen Kang ]

Stephen:
Better start from the basic, I am tryong to get WebSphere cert first. It seems that this one is extremely difficult. I got scjp, but I think I need to do scwcd, then j2ee, then websphere. Websphere covers all these stuff plus was, wsad. Otherwise, I guess its impossible to get it over.
Just a thought.

[stephen Kang]

rick,
Thank you for your advice. I thought so, too.
You, Thedore, and Axel's advices encourages me to start the right track to gain java skills, i believe.

Though i practiced java a little bit while i was in college, my memory of java library almost diminshed because our school heavily focused on dumb? C++ all the time and i think i should refresh the java preparing scjp2.
i believe preparing Certification might be the best exercise for learning the skills since one could get the broad picture of what the technology going on quickly as well as good preparation for the credentials.
And later on, i could go on J2EE more depth(does sun offer SCWCD for J2EE?)and websphere suites(ibm 486, ibm 483, ibm 158 and/or ibm 157).
While i was studying XML,i noticed if i had an experience for DOM2 and sax2 using java, the preparation for ibm 141 might be really easier than just meaningless memorization.(i guess that's why i had low score on those dom and sax fields).
I hope the search the javaranch for scjp2 might be really help to know the right track for th certification.
Thanks again you guys.

[Theodore Casser]

Stephan,
Well, 'SCWCD' is for J2EE (the full title is "Sun Certified Web Component Developer for the Java2 Platform, Enterprise Edition"). The prerequisite for that exam is the SCJP certificate.
I found that doing was a better teacher than just studying when it came to Java. Admittedly, by studying for my certification, I learned a lot more about parts of the language that I didn't use at work. But, for WebSphere and the other certs from IBM, I've found that having experience with the tools really is more efficient and effective than trying to find materials to study.
Best of luck as you move forward!