certification for web developer and web masters

[web98sj]

  Dear Webmaster Key Forum members:

       I want to pursue a career in either web developing or as a webmaster. I want to know what kind of training or certifications are available for these careers.

      I am thinking two types of training. a) through computer training school, b) distance learing program. I want to hear your recommendations about top training schools and distance learing program.

     My criteria of training programs are: a) instructors have in depth knowledge in the area they teach. They should be professionals who currently working in the industry.

   b) training program offers certificate that are recognized by the industry.

   c) If school or program can provide internships opportunity to their students that will be great!

    If you know any good training programs please let me know:)

    I did little research by myself. I found following certificates:

      a) WOW Certified Web Developer Apprentice (CWDVA-apprentice)

      b) WOW Certified Associate Webmaster (CAW)

    Are these two certificates are standard means to certify web professionals? ( I mean like MCSE, SUN, JAVA certification)

     I would like to hear you suggestions as well as recommendations. I appreciate your help!

                                                                                                          Sincerely,

                                                                                                          Jeff Shu
                                                                                                          8-13-04

[Hope]

I don't know of these certificates. I have never seen anything about them. I am a webmaster, and have no certificates. I don't know that they are needed.

I would suggest you learn everything you can about html, cfm, asp, php, java script, perl and java. I would also suggest you learn how to use photoshop, dreamweaver and flash.

I would also suggest you get a portfolio together of different sites you have worked on. If you have no experience, build your own website.

[pipeten]

I agree with Heidi. Read, Research and RRRRM learn Rather than going for the scatter affect across all languages and sectors concentrate on the one which most interests you. For all HTML is a must and will serve you better than Photoshop, Dreamweaver or Flash.

[justjeni]

I agree with Hope and pipeten, but if you really want a more "formal" training, there are many avenues you can take.  Monday I'm starting a 1-year Technical diploma course in Web design because I want to further my skills and feel I need this type of structured education and learning to expand on what I've taught myself.  This course is entirely online and is offered through my local technical college.  I've gotten a few grants to absorb much of the cost and am very excited about it.  There are many other sites that offer online courses, as well...just google it!

[pipeten]

Heidi? Sorry I meant Hope (don't know what happened there).. Also if your going for the more script/programming side of things a good understanding of how the internet works, computer architecture etc. etc. The worst scripters i've spoken to are the ones who don't know the fabric of what they're working with (i.e. they don't have a clue about networking, servers, dns, domains etc).

[Hope]

Heidi? Sorry I meant Hope (don't know what happened there)

Hope is my nick in the forums, but my name is Heidi, so you were correct. Heidi is in my signature.

Also if your going for the more script/programming side of things a good understanding of how the internet works, computer architecture etc. etc. The worst scripters i've spoken to are the ones who don't know the fabric of what they're working with (i.e. they don't have a clue about networking, servers, dns, domains etc).

All that stuff is important. if you don't understand how the internet works, then you should just find another line of work. I currently work with people who don't have a clue about any of this stuff and it makes it difficult to have a converstaion with them. I have to explain what DNS is just to tell them why the site isn't live yet. This is sad when they should understand at least the basics.

A basic list of things that you need to understand:

HTML (frontpage, dreamweaver, etc.)
JavaScript
Image Editing
A scripting language (ColdFusion, Perl, PHP, etc.)
DNS
Domains
Server Specs
Web Logs

Extra things you should know to be good:

Flash
Photoshop
Design & Development Concepts
Usabiliy Concepts
Forms (building and parsing)
CSS
Search Engine Rules

[natasha]

Hi all !!!

Hope I can get some help here. I have been a web designer/developer in the past and relocated to Canada from India. I haven been here for a year trying to get into my professional line but its only now that I got an interview call for a webmaster position. Although I do know the profile of a web master but I am very confused as to the kind of questions that I can expect in such an interview. The company is a major automobile manufacturer. If you could please suggest what kind of questions you faced or asked at such interviews.

thanks a lot
Natasha

[gthelp.com]

I recommend a Community College.  Most colleges now a days offer multiple web courses.

To succeed in this business you also need to know how to run a business.  At a local college, you can kill 2 birds with 1 stone".

[gthelp.com]

natasha,

You may be asked to get your hands dirty right there on the spot.  (They may  ask you to fix/solve something to see if you know what you are doing.)

[Hope]

natasha, each company is different. several will want proof of your abilities. they will ask for a portfoliio of sites you have worked on. if there is someone there who knows about being a webmaster, they might ask you some indepth questions about design, form and function of a site.

It is really hard to tell what will be asked.

[Andy]

My opinion is that you can bypass all the awkward questions and exam results simply by developing a successful website and showing prospective employers printouts of webstats and paychecks from affiliate programs etc. This will show them that you are capable of driving traffic to their site and hence making it successful and generating revenues and shareholder satisfaction.

For programming, you can develop a member site and show them how you coded it in php or asp etc.

As regards web-site visual design, you then need a portfolio of sites with the "wow!" factor which is harder for me. And you will be competing with anyone on earth capable of moving a mouse!

[johnhask]

The experience gained in a classroom among students and instructors is a great first step. Sharing ideas and criticisms in the basics should advance anyone in the right direction.

Certificates are great for first hires in the areas of programming and back-end development. As Hope mentioned, dreamweaver, flash, photoshop and the rest of the basics are important to everyone. These skills are best gained by experience, reading, doing and re-doing. Good luck.

[Hope]

These skills are best gained by experience, reading, doing and re-doing.

There is an understatement. The only way to learn most of this stuff is trial and error. I have made more mistakes and learned a lot  from them. It is a good thing though.

[Andy]

Everybody I know says that qualifications are what you need to get your first job (a toe in the door). After that, it's experience that counts most. Just ask experienced adults that you know. Your salary will shoot up in the first years of employment as you learn more and prove your capabilities.

But...

The web is an amazing place where you can get this experience and be able to prove it without having a job and at very low cost. Before you go to the job interview.

Enthusiasm counts for a lot also. How do you demonstrate enthusiasm? Easy, you already have a website that you are passionate about.

Qualifications show that you have learn't how to do something and are ready to be given a break. Your starting pay will be low and if it all works out, you may get a raise.

I much prefer to learn from books rather than study courses because when I am passionate about something, I have to learn it fast, I can't stand months of 1 evening-per week courses etc. in a class. I want the knowledge ASAP to put it to work immediately. So books/ebooks are the only way for me. Plus I can verify that the book will deliver the quality of information I expect via online reviews. You cannot tell from a college if their teacher is bad or good.

I overheard one of our IT staff at work (in UK) advising against a career in IT/web design to someone who's wife was about to enroll on a course because their pay is low no matter how many aspects of IT they are qualified in.

So, I'm pretty sure, if you can show a company a portfolio of your work and examples of success that you could apply immediately to boost their business via their website, you could land a good, well-paid job. But if you turn up with only some certificates in competance of Dreamweaver and Flash operation, you will be in competition with alot of hot designers and web programmers competing for the low starting salary.