Microsoft has tentatively announced their plans to introduce an intermediary step in gaining premier certifications such the MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) and the MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional).
The new certifications, provisionally being the systems developer and the systems administrator, are being introduced to enable employers and consumers to more easily identify which Microsoft expert they need as well as enabling learners to work towards the certification they want.
Employers may have been cynical in the past about the value of certain Microsoft certifications, such as the old NT4.0 MCSE, for being too easily achieved. The introduction of such a stepping-stone will surely be of benefit to the training industry and increase the profile of Microsoft certifications and those who have attained them.
