Eckhart Boehme, marketing manager for certification and skills assessment at Microsoft says the new track will probably include exams based on Windows 2000. However, due to the fact the revision is not as extensive as first thought, Windows 2000 MCP and MCSE will not be required to upgrade to the Whistler certification. The Microsoft team also said to expect changes to the Microsoft Certified System Developer program next year. The changes will reflect Microsoft's new .NET strategy and the changes will be a part of the .NET platform Microsoft will release this fall and the Visual Studio, due next year. A November 2000 survey by New Horizons reveals that computer students expect to earn a significantly higher salary upon completion of IT training.
Technicians also pay less for their computer training.
The study also found that almost 50 percent of computer training students are taking certification training courses specifically to make a career change into the IT field. The survey found that more than 90 percent of students expect salary increases after completion of training. Seventy-five percent of students are from outside of the IT industry with the majority of students coming from administrative, customer service, sales, marketing, health care or government positions. Most are male, mid-career professionals between the ages of 30 and 49. Men are more likely to take computer training to obtain a position with a new company.