Trying to wake up
For some reason, I find my self falling alseep right now. It's not like I was short-changing myself on sleep any more than I usually do. So I'm hoping that by writing, I'll be able to wake my brain up, catch a second wind, and plow through the day.
Yesterday was the normal long Wednesdays that I've been having since Jan. I wake up early so I can get to work early and subsequentially leave early. Then I drove back to Orlando, stopped at the bank, got home, and then had to make a few calls (more on that later) before going to night class. Got home and my sister and her husband dropped off their dogs for the weekend. So now Brandy has her cousins to play with. I'm thankful for that, only because Brandy likes to play rough and my arms were getting scratched up.
In other news, things at work have been very interesting. My Technical Lead accepted another job and will be leaving the team pretty soon. This is good news for him and I thought that it would be good news for me. After all, he's the number 1 guy on the team and I'm number 2 and been working here for 5 years. Hopefully, they'd move me up to #1 and give me some more money.
Then I remembered who I work for.
Some senarios played through my head. From what I hear, one of them is coming true. They're going to bring in another Maximo expert and put him in the T.L. position. I'm pretty disappointed but only so much. After all, I'm not too surprised my company would pull such a move. After all, I hear they messed up my T.L.'s move to the other company and changed the arrangement on him.
Still, I received the message loud and clear. There's no room for growth where I am and there's no reason why I shouldn't push the next stage of my career. As I mentioned before, I'm taking classes. The class I've been taking is for Oracle 9i SQL. This course is to prepare me for Part 1 (of 4) of Oracle Certification. I want to be an Oracle DBA.
Well, the school I'm at won't have a summer class due to enrollment. Furthermore, they're only offering Part 2 in the fall. No word on the other 2 parts. Even though they are cheap, I can't wait until August to start Part 2 and finish that by December. With what's going on now, I need to accelerate my Certification.
So far, I've looked into 3 places. The first was with Oracle themselves, since they offer training from their location by the airport. They offer a 5 day course for each part. I'm pretty sure if I go to that and do well that I'll pass the exam. Cost - a mere $3000.
PLace two, Tech Skills in Maitland. They offer a program where you can work at your pace. You can come in at night or on a Saturday and do the work and ask their staff for help if you want. Cost - $1800.95 with a Test Pass Assurance (meaning if you don't pass they will re-train you for free). Place three is the Valencia Institute and it sounds like it operates like Tech Skills except it's only $1700 per course.
I'm going to check both places out but I'm not impressed by what I'm hearing. To me, it sounds like "ok, well - here's a computer, here's all the material. Go through it at your own pace and if you have any questions our staff is in the next room. Good luck!"
If that's true, then I can order the materials through Oracle for only $600 and use google for any questions I have. Regardless, I know that they best way I learn is through an instructor-led class. Sure, I can read a book and do all the work on my own but I know I'll get too distracted with other stuff (like having fun).
So I'm very hesitant about Tech Skills and Valencia Institute. Both don't sound like the kind of center I need. Meanwhile, Oracle is holding a class at the end of next month. I might use a week's vacation and take the class. Then I'd be OCA (Oracle Certified Associate) by the end of next month and be half-way done with the process.
I'm going to Valencia Institute tonight and have scheduled Tech Skills on Monday. I don't think they are for me but I have to know for sure before I shell out 3 grand at Oracle.
So why go through all the hassle and costs for this certification? One main reason - go to Salary.com and search for "Oracle DBA" in your zip code. In my zip code, it's pretty damn good.
Oh well, I'm waking up now. Back to work.
Yesterday was the normal long Wednesdays that I've been having since Jan. I wake up early so I can get to work early and subsequentially leave early. Then I drove back to Orlando, stopped at the bank, got home, and then had to make a few calls (more on that later) before going to night class. Got home and my sister and her husband dropped off their dogs for the weekend. So now Brandy has her cousins to play with. I'm thankful for that, only because Brandy likes to play rough and my arms were getting scratched up.
In other news, things at work have been very interesting. My Technical Lead accepted another job and will be leaving the team pretty soon. This is good news for him and I thought that it would be good news for me. After all, he's the number 1 guy on the team and I'm number 2 and been working here for 5 years. Hopefully, they'd move me up to #1 and give me some more money.
Then I remembered who I work for.
Some senarios played through my head. From what I hear, one of them is coming true. They're going to bring in another Maximo expert and put him in the T.L. position. I'm pretty disappointed but only so much. After all, I'm not too surprised my company would pull such a move. After all, I hear they messed up my T.L.'s move to the other company and changed the arrangement on him.
Still, I received the message loud and clear. There's no room for growth where I am and there's no reason why I shouldn't push the next stage of my career. As I mentioned before, I'm taking classes. The class I've been taking is for Oracle 9i SQL. This course is to prepare me for Part 1 (of 4) of Oracle Certification. I want to be an Oracle DBA.
Well, the school I'm at won't have a summer class due to enrollment. Furthermore, they're only offering Part 2 in the fall. No word on the other 2 parts. Even though they are cheap, I can't wait until August to start Part 2 and finish that by December. With what's going on now, I need to accelerate my Certification.
So far, I've looked into 3 places. The first was with Oracle themselves, since they offer training from their location by the airport. They offer a 5 day course for each part. I'm pretty sure if I go to that and do well that I'll pass the exam. Cost - a mere $3000.
PLace two, Tech Skills in Maitland. They offer a program where you can work at your pace. You can come in at night or on a Saturday and do the work and ask their staff for help if you want. Cost - $1800.95 with a Test Pass Assurance (meaning if you don't pass they will re-train you for free). Place three is the Valencia Institute and it sounds like it operates like Tech Skills except it's only $1700 per course.
I'm going to check both places out but I'm not impressed by what I'm hearing. To me, it sounds like "ok, well - here's a computer, here's all the material. Go through it at your own pace and if you have any questions our staff is in the next room. Good luck!"
If that's true, then I can order the materials through Oracle for only $600 and use google for any questions I have. Regardless, I know that they best way I learn is through an instructor-led class. Sure, I can read a book and do all the work on my own but I know I'll get too distracted with other stuff (like having fun).
So I'm very hesitant about Tech Skills and Valencia Institute. Both don't sound like the kind of center I need. Meanwhile, Oracle is holding a class at the end of next month. I might use a week's vacation and take the class. Then I'd be OCA (Oracle Certified Associate) by the end of next month and be half-way done with the process.
I'm going to Valencia Institute tonight and have scheduled Tech Skills on Monday. I don't think they are for me but I have to know for sure before I shell out 3 grand at Oracle.
So why go through all the hassle and costs for this certification? One main reason - go to Salary.com and search for "Oracle DBA" in your zip code. In my zip code, it's pretty damn good.
Oh well, I'm waking up now. Back to work.