Have you taken exams 70-271 or 70-272?
Are you nice?
Excellent. Check this out: MCP mentors is a cool new program some people around here are cooking up, through which our certified community helps others get started in IT. To participate in this pilot, it makes most sense if you are in eastern U.S. or Canada, so you're in the same time zone. But more on that later...
Share your stories and help build the MCP community! Become an MCP Mentor.
As an experienced MCP, you have many stories--of both successes and failures. There was the time when the new guy brought down the entire system. The time you spent an entire week troubleshooting that elusive problem. And the time you completed your task in record time. Microsoft Learning invites you to share your stories, skills, and experience to make a difference in someone's life as an MCP Mentor.
HOW IT WORKS
The MCP Mentor Program matches an experienced Microsoft Certified Professional (you) with someone new to IT and studying to pass their first Microsoft Certification exam (your mentee). Through the program, your real-world perspective, technical skills, and community connections can help others overcome the experience gap to complete a path to proven skills, new career opportunities, and confidence.
As an MCP Mentor, you will share real-world experience with your mentee about objectives that are covered by the Microsoft Certification exam, helping to build self-confidence about his or her technical skills and preparedness. You will meet regularly with your mentee by phone or e-mail. In addition, you and your mentee will have access to an online community to share best practices, tips, and study tools. The online community also helps you and your mentee connect with other IT professionals of diverse experience, perspectives, and backgrounds.
VOLUNTEER FOR THE PILOT AT WALTER REED ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, UNITED STATES
Microsoft Learning is running a pilot of this program in conjunction with the IT Academy that is associated with Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The soldiers in this IT Academy program are recovering from recent injuries and waiting to find out if they will be discharged from the military. Most of these soldiers enter the IT Academy program with little or no experience in IT.
The MCP Mentor Program is not intended to be a replacement for training, but instead to supplement training. An experienced MCT supports these soldiers in their preparation. But these soldiers would benefit greatly from the kind of 1:1 mentoring relationship that you can provide. We need volunteer mentors to help these soldiers build the skills that are validated on their target exam(s), enter the IT profession, and join the MCP community. We are specifically looking for:
- IT professionals (vs. developers) with experience on MCDST exams 70-271 and 70-272 <corrected typo immediately after pressing publish. argh>
- Commitment of 2-4 hours per month over a 3-6 month period
- Local to mid-Atlantic United States preferred <edited 4/16...SEE NOTE FROM PROG. MNGR IN COMMENTS: YOU CAN PARTICIPATE REMOTELY!!!!>
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
If you are interested in volunteering, go to https://connect.microsoft.com and enter this Invitation ID to fill out an application survey: MNTR-CGPX-QQKK. If you have questions about this program, you can contact the MCP Mentor Program administrators at mcpmntr@microsoft.com.
Comments
Anonymous
April 15, 2008
PingBack from http://microsoftnews.askpcdoc.com/?p=2670Anonymous
April 15, 2008
Interesting, sounds like a good idea. (I haven't done 70-271/70-272 yet, though, so I can't try it myself.)Anonymous
April 15, 2008
This is an absolutely AWESOME way to contribute to folks who are transitioning from the military and need someone with experience in the IT field to help get them up to speed. I have MCDST, but don't live close to Walter Reed - too bad too. It'd be well worth the effort to help disabled vets along if they really want to break into IT with a marketable skillset. If there is room for participation via email, I'm game for it. Otherwise, the 11 hour commute to Walter Reed would be a killer! Thanks for sharing this Trika! An absolutely awesome opportunity for returning vets!Anonymous
April 15, 2008
I agree with Chance... AWESOME program! I would also like to sign up, but am on the opposite side of the US from Walter Reed. Is it possible to mentor via email or phone?Anonymous
April 16, 2008
Hi there, I'm the program manager for the MCP Mentor Program. You do NOT have to live close to Walter Reed!! Mentoring can most certainly happen by e-mail or phone. In fact, some mentees may prefer a mentor who lives in their home town. So please sign up today. We need you! Thanks in advance for your support. Krista Wall MCP Mentor Program Manager Microsoft LearningAnonymous
April 16, 2008
A mentee in our hometown?!?!? EVEN BETTER!!! IMHO, face-to-face contact is more effective than email or phone. BTW..already signed up :)Anonymous
April 16, 2008
Hey Chance, Thanks for signing up! By the way, if you know of anybody else who might be interested, please spread the word... KristaAnonymous
April 20, 2008
Hi Krista, I'm from Russia (MCT/MCIP(charter member)/MCTS(charter member)/MCSE/MCSA/MCP, MCP ID : 932337), also I'm Regional MCP Club Lead (MCP Community we are working directly with Microsoft Russia) so I would like to help, can I do it, I mean I'm from Russia and... is it possible to provide help from Russia? a_burlachenko@mail.ru regards, Alex BurlachenkoAnonymous
April 21, 2008
The comment has been removedAnonymous
April 21, 2008
Hi Krista, thank you for your answer, any way if you will need any help pls contact with me, I think it will be so interesting project for our IT world :) it's a small world after all :) Buy the way do you know may be here in Russia somebody from Russian Microsoft doing the same? In this year I'm 10 years MCP :))) dont hesitate contact with me. rgds, Alex aburlachenko@mail.ruAnonymous
May 15, 2008
i've red all comments about the program, i know that you are looking people from US only. i am just writing here, to let you know my opinion about the project: good idea, go on! ciao mauro from italyAnonymous
May 16, 2008
sounds like a good beginning. I do have an A+ and MCDST but unfortunately I am not in the MidAtlantic region. cheers, Mike RehnerAnonymous
May 22, 2008
Hi Mike, Just to clarify, we ARE accepting applications from folks who are outside the mid-Atlantic region. Mentoring can happen remotely by e-mail and/or phone. Thanks! Krista Wall MCP Mentor Program Manager Microsoft Learning