Java Certified Exams: Your Ticket To IT Success
Java certification exams have been designed by Sun Microsystems as a way to gauge the Java technology proficiency of those who take them. Those who pass the Java certification exams have proven themselves qualified to perform the specific Java operations which their exams covered, and can use their certification to verify their skill levels to their employers. Preparation for the various Java certification exams is best done with real-world experience working with Java, and with the aid of Sun's classroom and online certification courses. Sun offers a variety of certifications, beginning with basic certification as a Sun Certified Java Associate, and building to the most accomplished level of certification, the Sun Java Enterprise Architect. Achieving Sun Certified Java Associate status requires an applicant to pass the SCJA exam, more formally known as the CX-310-019; for those wanting to prepare, Sun offers a five-day course of study either online or in a classroom setting at various facilities around the globe. The Java certification exams for which most applicants sit are the Sun Certified java Programmer exams, or CX-310-055. There are four versions of the Java certification exams for programmers, but applicants need to pass only of them to become qualified. The next level of Java certification exams is for those wishing to become Sun Certified Java developers. The Java certification exams for developers are more complex than those for Associates and programmers, because they require candidates to complete both actual programming assignment and essay. There are five levels of Sun Certified Java Developer exams, covering topics like the application of Java Server Pages; the design, testing, and deploying of Enterprise JavaBeans applications; the design of J2EE Enterprise Architecture; the creation of Web services using java components; and the creation of mobile applications employing Java technologies for use in cell phones and other intelligent applications. If you have set your sights on employment as a software project manager using Java technology, passing the Java certification exam for Sun Certified Java Associate will probably be adequate. But if your employment goals will require you to display a real grasp of the Java programming language, get certified as a Programmer. Doing so will let your employer know that you have mastered all the programming complexities of J2SE. When you have qualified as a programmer, you can spend as much time as you need getting real-world experience with Java applications before deciding which java certification exams you need to take to open the door on more advanced and lucrative opportunities. The explosion in cell phone use, for instance, has put Sun Certified Mobile Application Developers in great demand, and that trend is not likely to end any time soon. But you'll have to be certified as a Programmer before you can sit for any of the Java certification exams for Developers. Sun offers both classroom and online instruction for the Sun Certified Java Associate and Sun Certified Java Programmer exams, but for all the Developer exams they offer only classroom instruction. Many of those wanting to take the Developer exams will prepare with on the job training and the help of the many excellent study guides on each of the different exams. |
