By Bonnie Gordon
UNM-Los Alamos announces a new series of courses as a member of the Microsoft IT Academy Program. UNM-LA is the only organization in northern New Mexico that offers Microsoft Official Curriculum Courses.
“UNM-LA offers these courses at extremely competitive pricing along with many extras,” Program Coordinator Gary Garrett said. “See the website for details about our courses.”
Visit the program website at http://mitaunmla.unm.edu/
Course 6292A: Installing and Configuring Windows 7 Client will be offered beginning Wednesday, March 7. This four-day instructor-led course is intended for IT professionals who are interested in expanding their knowledge base and technical skills about Windows 7 Client.
In this course, students learn how to install, upgrade, and migrate to Windows 7 client. Students then configure Windows 7 client for network connectivity, security, maintenance, and mobile computing.
This course helps students prepare for the Exam 70-680, TS: Windows 7, Configuring.
Course 6294A: Planning and Managing Windows 7 Desktop Deployments and Environments will be offered beginning Wednesday, March 7. This five-day instructor-led course is intended for desktop administrators who want to specialize in desktop deployment, configuration, and management.
In this course, students will learn how to plan and deploy Windows 7 desktops in large organizations. They will also learn how to design, configure, and manage the Windows 7 client environment.
This course helps students prepare for the Exam 70-686, Pro: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Administrator.
Course 6293A: Troubleshooting and Supporting Windows 7 in the Enterprise begins April 4.
This three-day instructor-led course is designed for Information Technology (IT) professionals who have experience with Windows XP and Windows Vista who work as Windows 7 Enterprise Desktop Support Technicians (EDSTs) in Tier 2 support environments.
The goal of this training is to enable these individuals to support the Windows 7 operating system and solve technical troubleshooting problems in a Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 networking environment.
This course helps candidates prepare for Exam 70-685, the final requirement for the Enterprise Desktop Support Technician (EDST) professional credential.
The Microsoft IT Academy is designed to keep IT professionals up to date on the latest Microsoft technologies and to prepare students for Microsoft Certification exams. The Microsoft IT Academy Program provides students with access to the latest Microsoft software and course materials in a lab environment using the latest hardware.
Microsoft certification benefits companies by providing them with technically proficient professionals with in-depth knowledge. According to a study conducted by the International Data Corporation surveying 1,100 IT managers, 75 percent of managers believe that certifications are important to job performance. Certified teams are 28 percent more productive.
Certification also benefits job seekers and employees in the IT field. For job seekers, certification can help set a person apart from the competition. Certification provides proven knowledge of job skills. Certification benefits those already employed by providing them with up to date, relevant skills.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 43 percent of people realize an increase of between 5 percent and 20 percent in salary after obtaining a Microsoft Certification.
UNM-LA offers instruction by trained college teachers with years of classroom experience who are also Microsoft Certified Trainers. Another major advantage of the program is the availability of classes in Los Alamos, Garrett said. No travel expenses are involved, with minimal disruption to work and personal schedules.
“Taking the class at home helps students build a local technical support network. In addition, we expect students will have higher exam success rates than commercial boot camp programs,” Garrett said.
UNM-LA is planning to add more classes to the Microsoft IT Academy program in the future. To learn more about upcoming classes and the program, and to receive specific information, visit http://mitaunmla.unm.edu/. Students interested in the March classes should register now, as classes are filling up, Garrett said.
