Microsoft Corp. today announced a new three-tiered certification program that provides valuable training and credentials for IT professionals and developers. The new certifications — Microsoft® Certified Technology Specialist, Microsoft Certified IT Professional or Professional Developer, and Microsoft Certified Architect — map closely to Microsoft"s technology road map and better reflect the changing IT environment and the needs of individuals and organizations.
The first credentials will be offered for Visual Studio® 2005 and SQL Server 2005, which will be available next month, to help Microsoft customers and partners more readily and rapidly adopt these new technologies. Partners will also be able to take advantage of a new level of integration between Microsoft Learning and the Microsoft Partner Program, which will let them apply Microsoft Certified Professional certifications toward multiple Microsoft Solution Competencies.