Re-certification an alternative

[swatts]

Hi all,

First of all I'm not against certification, I think the CLD and CLA are really effective examinations of a programmers skill.

I'm also not someone who failed the re-cert exam grumbling about it. I hold a CLA and the my colleague has just passed his CLD-R. It's the process my colleague has just gone through that is the catalyst for this posting.

I'd like to propose an alternative to the CLD-R and CLA-R. The reasons are that the nature of the exam process adds little value and generates considerable ill-feeling. I suspect it is the cause of many developers to drop away from the process.

My alternative is a 1 day catch-up course that explores all of the newest features of LabVIEW. As far as I'm concerned I'd be more than happy to pay for this, so NI could actually make some money from it.

If you look at the reasons given for re-certification the main one I'm given is that it ensures that the certified person is up to date. Well the current CLD-R is based on LabVIEW 2009 and by it's very nature will always be at least a year behind. Compulsory attendance of a catch-up course will be a much better way to keep up to date.

Hope this is of interest

Lots of Love

Swatts

[jcarmody]

I do like and don't like this idea, as I don't like and do like the recertification tests.  Lemme 'splain...

I failed both practice CLD-R exams yesterday, so I'm going to study the topics I missed and learn new facets of LabVIEW in the process.  The trivial pursuit required to prepare for these exams makes us dig deeper into the language than our (my) daily job requires.  There's just too much stuff to stuff into a one-day class, and it wouldn't cover the existing material that I'm still not familiar with.  On the other hand I would like a day off work to take the class you described.  In either scenario, I have to pay for it myself.

[JÞB]

Swatt / Jim

Have you considered the online core I, II, III courses (A little ribbon that says CLAD Exam kept popping up here and there on Core I I suspect that CLD may show up a few times later in the series)

[swatts]

Hi Jim,

funnily enough my colleague said something similar too..

I still think that in the face of some of the peculiar, negative logic, counter-intuitive type questions you'll face when you do the CLD-R you'll come away dissatisfied with the exam. It's quite an investment in time and money for a very small reward.

I'm reasonably adept at passing exams, but I don't get a warm feeling that hours of study will make me confident of passing.

It's not something I have to worry about for another couple of years, but I've been hearing grumbles from various peers and colleagues and know of a few that have walked away, these people also tend to walk away from being active members of the LabVIEW community.

I'd be interested in the first time pass rate for CLA-R and CLD-R as compared to CLA and CLD, as well as the difference in %. If all was well they should be comparable.

Anyways thought it would make an interesting discussion 😄

Good luck with your recert!

Steve

[Rodéric]

Giving a presentation at NIWeek/NIDays should replace the recert exam... IMHO 

[jcarmody]

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@swatts wrote:

[...] 

I'd be interested in the first time pass rate for CLA-R and CLD-R [...]

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I passed both the first time, but I mostly lurk on the forums because I can't answer many of the questions.  Perhaps forum participation could be used as a criterion for recertification?  I have a respectable quantity of kudos, but I fear that many were for snarky comments in the Breakpoint forum. 😄

[crossrulz]

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@Rodéric wrote:

Giving a presentation at NIWeek/NIDays should replace the recert exam... IMHO 

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NI did have a beta program of sorts a few years ago where giving presentations at user groups etc. could be counted toward certification.  It was a point system of some sort.  So many points for a presentation, so many points for coming up with certification questions, etc.  I never heard if NI is going to stick with it or not.

[jcarmody]

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@crossrulz wrote:

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@Rodéric wrote:

Giving a presentation at NIWeek/NIDays should replace the recert exam... IMHO 

---

NI did have a beta program of sorts a few years ago where giving presentations at user groups etc. could be counted toward certification.  It was a point system of some sort.  So many points for a presentation, so many points for coming up with certification questions, etc.  I never heard if NI is going to stick with it or not.

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A colleague of mine (a CLA) is currently participating in it.

[swatts]

I really liked the contribution idea.

It would encourage participation and as a professional it really forces you to establish your ideas (pushing them out into the public arena).

Also presenting is always a useful thing to practice, so all good.

I signed up to participate in March  (I do lots of stuff in UK), but haven't heard anything back

Steve

[JÞB]

OK,

Zaki, are you paying attention to this?  and this

Please chime in (Jordan could you give training and cert. a nudge?)

 NI training and certification is a personal issue to me.  I'm out here in the trenches slinging wires delighting clients and gitten'r'done.  Why? Because I can!  I have a rare skill (well- not so rare in this community but it is still a small percentage of the world population)

I actually enjoy developing automated test solutions in LabVIEW.  Conveniently, I can even get paid to do it but, only as long as my clients are willing to risk using LabVIEW to develop those solutions.  The CLD logo on my resume has opened a few doors by differentiating myself from the "Last LabVIEW developer" that just failed to deliver without cost overruns, bugs, (insert complaint here) etc....  A visit to the breakpoints "rube-Goldberg" and "why some people say locals are bad" threads will give you an idea about the skill level of the "Last LabVIEW developer" my clients have often seen.  So, I NEED that CLD logo and I NEED it to mean something. 

Participation in the certification program is actually fairly low.  I've actually been studying the issue because it directly effects the job openings available to myself.  It is simple really, no certified LabVIEW developers = no LabVIEW developer job market because those projects are at higher risk of failure.  So, I have selfishly chosen to take actions to encourage training and certification by community members.

Forum participation - (First, make no mistake, I learn enough to save the time my participation costs. e.g. Without some of Jims posts I would be regex clueless.)  Investing in guiding LabVIEW developers to gain skill by offering mine.  Specifically targeting the Certification threads (I have read every post here and do not expect that to change)

Engaging co-workers - yup, polo shirts and logos abound (good conversation starters.) if you are in an office with me I will know three things about you: your NI certifications, why you let them lapse/ did not get them/ plans, your Forum alias,  your name.  I might forget your name.

Engaging NI - I did notice when NI upped promotion of Certification and Training.  I have had direct conversations with NI employees about the training and certification programs and feel that NI is commited to improving them (Yes, I bully them with my shield and challice.  I have that privilage until and unless I bug them too much)  I will leave it to NI to respond with any plans that they care too share.

Prouldy CLD-Jeff