Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

PCMacUser

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 13, 2005
1,708
30
Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone here has Apple Certification of any kind?
 
Mac Certs

Mac certs are very expensive and are relatively hard to get as only a few cities have testing sites. I considered getting some sort of mac certification as I was getting my Microsoft certs and decided that it was going to be too expensive.:(
 
I will begin pursuing mine in July.

Mac certs are very expensive and are relatively hard to get as only a few cities have testing sites.

Prometric does the testing, and they have locations everywhere. Tests are usually $150, so I don't consider it that expensive.

For example. To get ACDT, its $300 for training, and $300 in tests...$600 to become a certified desktop technician.
 
I have three:

Apple Desktop Repair
Apple Portable Repair
Apple Mac OS X Help Desk

working on Server certification..
 
Well, at least it's not as expensive as the Red Hat stuff. Classes are like three grand.
 
It wasn't that expensive. You can buy the training from Apple for $300 if you want... but honestly, PeachPit Press books are almost word-for-word what that training has... and costs less. Like $50 per book. The initial test taking is bit more expensive... but the re-certification tests are cheap... only $50 I think.
 
Help Desk cert: means you can tell users to "repair disk permissions"

[/sarcasm]
 
<-- ACTC

Help Desk cert: means you can tell users to "repair disk permissions"

[/sarcasm]

Actually it's a tad more than that. One demontrates that one understands the basics of how OS X (Client) works, as well as the basics about the UNIX it's built on.

And they aren't hard to get. I never studied for the ACHDS and passed it with no problems at all.
 
The first main level of certifications (not individual certifications) is ACHDS. Apple Certified Held Desk Specialist. To have that, it requires a hardware and a software certification.

The Mac OS Help Desk certification is that software one. That one is basically knowing the ins and outs of Tiger. Simple things like, how to find info on a file, to things like, what's the name of the technology used by the Mac OS to communicate better with the windows platform. (something like that... and that's not too hard either)

You'll probably ask me for sample questions... and I don't really know. I don't remember.
 
The first main level of certifications (not individual certifications) is ACHDS. Apple Certified Held Desk Specialist. To have that, it requires a hardware and a software certification.

The Mac OS Help Desk certification is that software one. That one is basically knowing the ins and outs of Tiger. Simple things like, how to find info on a file, to things like, what's the name of the technology used by the Mac OS to communicate better with the windows platform. (something like that... and that's not too hard either)

You'll probably ask me for sample questions... and I don't really know. I don't remember.

Thanks for the info, chipchen. I'm thinking about getting the certification, and by the sound of things it doesn't seem too daunting!
 
Thanks for the info, chipchen. I'm thinking about getting the certification, and by the sound of things it doesn't seem too daunting!

Yes there's a sample test pdf somewhere on apple.com. If you are minimally computer savvy should be a piece of cake.
Questions were multiple choice and like:

Q How do you delete a user?

A: Go to system prefs>accounts>click on the username and the "-" sign.
 
Yes there's a sample test pdf somewhere on apple.com. If you are minimally computer savvy should be a piece of cake.
Questions were multiple choice and like:

Q How do you delete a user?

A: Go to system prefs>accounts>click on the username and the "-" sign.

If that is seriously one of the questions, and that is the correct answer I'm going to puke. This is worse than the MCSE
 
This is worse than the MCSE

It is not equivalent to the MCSE.

Questions range from the simplistic and the mundane to the "slightly more challenging", about POSIX permissions, basic troubleshooting, and other less "common" questions about the innner workings of OS X.
 
Questions range from the simplistic and the mundane to the "slightly more challenging", about POSIX permissions, basic troubleshooting, and other less "common" questions about the innner workings of OS X.

How much does this class cost? I could reccomend a book that's like, mabe twenty bucks that will set someone on the right path, rather than listening to some iDiot blather to me about UNIX and POSIX, for god knows how much cash

Seriously, I bet they use Finder as an example for showing people what POSIX permissions mean, with that Get Info window. (sighs)
 
I never took the class, not bought the book, though I imagine it's the same as Server Essentials, the book would be $65 and the class $1000 to $2000.

The test uses both the Finder and the Terminal to query POSIX permissions.

I think you might have a misinterpretation of who this class is for. Generally it's for people who don't know much about the basics of (Mac OS X) computing, but like it and would like a possible career in it. Apple has to pander to the lowest common denominator here and make sure people that pass the course have enough understanding about all basic aspects of OS X to be able to help others with issues.

There's no System Administrators coming out of Support Essentials.

So, don't judge it too harshly.

The real test come when one pursues AC System Administrator.
 
So, don't judge it too harshly.

The real test come when one pursues AC System Administrator.

Hah! Judge too harshly is my vice. :(

Thanks for the info though. I'll mend my ways one of these days.

That's a lot of bones though. Then again, Red Hat is the same way with their courses. I didn't do too hot on the pre-test stuff because I don't use vim or emacs :-\ So I might have to slap down some cash for the classes, or at the least the darn books.

Go figure.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.