Re: Certification and SRA

Robert Bernier wrote:
<snip>

>Only if there's no debate in the community about PostgreSQL teaching. Consider the following questions:
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>How do you know if the curriculum is any good?
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IMO, Peer review is the only solution here.

>How do your peers know what you're about 'without' taking the time getting to know you?
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http://www.metatrontech.com/projects/ and
http://www.metatrontech.com/wpapers/ ;-)

I have my doubts regarding whether a certification of any type (up to
and including a PhD) will suffice for that broad question.  However, the
more common question of "Will this person make a competant DBA?" is
probably more addressable in a certification program.

>How does an employer know if you have good training?
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I would assume by the reputation of the training company, but who knows
if this is really accurate.  You can't reduce these things to numbers or
statistics.  For example, if only 10% of the people pass the exam after
the training, does this mean that the exam was hard, that the
individuals were not DBA material, or that the instructor was bad?  If
9% pass, did the instructor help them memorize test questions and
scenarios?  Or was the instructor good?  Or was the class composed
entirely of experienced DBA's who could pass the exam in their sleep?  I
have great faith in people to play a numbers game and in marketeers with
inferior products which appear bright and shiny to take over the
world.....

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>I've noticed people hire with confidence only when a 3rd party agency says you're good.
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Did I already make a joke about this as an X.509 Certification Authority?

I think that in the end a standards organization is good for the very
simple reason that getting peer review involved in the process would be
helpful.  Part of the reason why I have advocated certifying the
certifiers is that this brings peer review to the training and exam
level in a way in which the conflicts of interest are minimized.

Best Wishes,
Chris Travers
Metatron Technology Consulting