16 Vincentians now Microsoft certified

Last Friday, 16 persons graduated from a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) course couducted at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Ottley Hall.
The course, held in collaboration with the NIT and the Ministry of Telecommunica-tions, Science, Technology and Industry, ran for three months. {{more}}
Course instructor Domenico Palombo, who is associated with the Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, explained that the course consists of seven intense courses and examinations that generally run “40 hours per module.
“After these modules, participants must take a standardized certification exam by Microsoft, which is not designed by the instructor,” said Palombo, who added that the exams are considered to be some of the toughest in the information technology industry.
“This is meant for professionals who are in the field and is a very tough certification to get,” said Palombo, who is currently working on his doctorate. Palombo praised the participants for having passed the exams with such short preparations.
He said that because of the level of this training, the certification counts towards 21 credits at numerous universities internationally.
“What we did is that we took a 21 credit, intense, rigorous programme that normally runs a year and a half and condensed it down to three months; I’m impressed and amazed,” said Palombo who described this type of training in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as very important.
“This helps to produce a professional workforce; this type of training and certification that is recognized internationally brings the competitiveness of SVG up in the region,” stressed Palombo who also functions as coordinator of the Computer For Friends Fellowship Programme.
Also speaking at the graduation ceremony were Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Telecommunications Lynford James and Minister of Telecommunications, Science, Technology and Industry Jerrol Thompson.