Microsoft beefs up training of MCPs

There are fewer Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs) in the country compared to other Asian countries, but this could change if Microsoft Phils. succeeds in its new training and certification program called Center for Technology Excellence.

With only 2,300 Filipino professionals certified in different Microsoft products, Microsoft partnered with the Virtual Center for Technology Innovation in Information Technology (VCTI-IT) to produce at least 500 more MCPs by September.

VCTI-IT, a unit of the Department of Science and Technology, manages training in two Microsoft-funded computer laboratories: one located inside the University of the Philippines in Diliman, the other in Southeastern College in Pasay City.

India has 100,000 MCPs, while Singapore and Malaysia have more than twice that number.

The VCTI-IT-Microsoft partnership only trains and certifies IT professionals from the government and academe in Visual Basic and Windows Server.

The program, which started last March, has produced 32 MCPs and at least 130 have completed it.

The program initially targets a 60 percent passing rate for the Developer and Infrastructure certification exams after the training. The passing rate now is 80 percent, according to Kevin Hou, Microsoft Phils. managing director.

"The certification follows a universal standard. The Philippines is lagging behind in terms of certification so we set up this project to give IT professionals in the government and academe world-class training and certification at a low price," Hou said.

The subsidized training cost per participant is only P5,000 compared to P19,000 when taken at private training centers. Participants are also given a rebate of P1,000 if they pass the certification exams.

Training on Visual Basic takes 10 days, and on Windows Server, eight days.