Database Training Courses (Microsoft MCDBA & MCITP)
Database training can lead to two very different types of career, so care must be taken to select the database course that's right for you.
Most people who are interested in training and working with databases choose to become a Database Administrator (DBA). It's a well respected senior position in a company, and can command a very attractive salary. Database administration appeals to those who have an excellent eye for detail and accuracy, alongside good communication and management skills. The role often involves managing both databases and a team of data input/admin clerks, as well as creating reports for senior managers. Checks and balances are often carried out several times a day to ensure accuracy, and the information is regularly 'backed-up'. That way a computer failure or crash can only lose a small amount of data or work at the most.
Databases can be the eyes and ears of a company. All relevant business statistics are kept on databases, and a good administrator is expected to be able to interpret the information and produce meaningful reports for senior management.
The work will often involve discussions with managers, who'll sometimes request certain information and explanations. The database administrator will then need to interrogate the data to locate any additional or supporting facts.
If you have a 'business' or accounting background and have an understanding of business processes, then you'll find this very rewarding - there is a real sense that you're contributing to the effective running of a company.
A typical example of using a database could be in a supermarket chain. The database may show that 62% of all shoppers who buy strawberries also buy some type of cream. If it emerges that in one store this statistic is only 29%, then that information is very useful - as it highlights a possible sales/supply problem. If the supply is available, then the company may decide to discount cream in that store when it's purchased with strawberries, to 'educate' more buyers into buying cream with their strawberries. We've all seen multiple examples of this happening whenever we do our shopping. There are always offers being run to induce us into buying a connected product.
Store-cards are another prime example: If you've ever wondered why after buying a dog, you suddenly get bombarded with dog-food offers from your local supermarket, then now you'll see that the first couple of times you bought dog food, it was registered as new activity on your card - and then the marketing people kicked in!
Company databases are incredibly closely guarded - a lot of security is put into place around them as they contain the life-blood of a business - its customer 'intelligence' and buying patterns.
The alternative career available via a database course is to become a Database Developer. Developers pursue a different database training track to administrators, and the work suits those who wish to be more involved in the design and creation of computer databases and software. Someone who has a more task-orientated personality (similar in profile to a computer programmer) may find database design and development work fascinating. Though the demand for database developers isn't as high as for administrators, the salaries are equally as attractive. Employment can be found in software companies, who need database developers to create, design and build their databases in readiness for data to be loaded onto them.
Senior positions, as in all areas, will require employment experience in addition to database training and certification. If you're new to the industry, the MCDST (Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician) would be an appropriate qualification to take prior to your database course. This will prepare you for Microsoft Professional training and ensure that you understand and can use operating systems and software at an appropriate level. You could then gain some technical work experience supporting a Windows database environment, and learn more about how people use databases in their working lives.
You would then move on to MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) SQL Server training to develop your SQL skills ('Structured Query Language' or 'SQL' is the 'language' of databases.)
The full MCITP (Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional) DBA training would then follow for your database administration certification. Database developers would follow the MCITP:Developer route.
Highly rewarding and responsible positions can be achieved with Microsoft database training. For more information on the best database course for you, read on...
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