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Teradata Certified Masters take the lead
by Keith Ferrell
It's one thing to become proficient with a data warehousing system, but it's another thing altogether to truly master a system's intricacies and nuances. For those who are willing, the Teradata Certified Professional Program lets users do just that.
Of the nearly 13,000 professional certifications that have been issued since the program began in the fall of 1999, fewer than 600 recognize individuals at the Master level.
The program consists of a rigorous series of courses and tests covering eight levels of technical proficiency ranging from basic familiarity to mastery. With certification now available on Teradata Database V2R5, Teradata Certified Professionals can bring their qualifications up to date; current Masters can update their certification with a single exam.
"There's a lot of pride involved," says Oliva Baronner, Teradata Certified Professional Program manager, "and a sense of the prestige and recognition that the Master's certification carries. In fact, quite a few of our Masters have been so determined to achieve that level of certification that they paid for the program out of their own pockets."
However it comes about, achieving certification as a Teradata Master is significant, and it's clearly a source of personal and professional pride to the individuals who earn that distinction. Read on.
Fostering efficiency
Steve Baltes,
IT specialist, Global Data Services Department, 3M
"Our company has made a significant investment in Teradata, and having a well-qualified technical support staff is one simple way to improve return on that investment," Baltes says. "We can delay costly upgrades by having efficient processes and a well-tuned Teradata system. Load-process efficiency and overall system performance are more likely with a well-trained staff. The certification process provides for a balanced approach to technical learning."
Baltes also sees Master's certification as having other benefits for 3M. "The role of Teradata Masters at 3M is expanding to include more consulting and coaching for clients of the data warehouse and business partners. The training and study associated with the certification process have led to a better understanding of the capabilities of Teradata and has fed directly into projects to satisfy evolving client requirements."
Looking behind the scenes
David Lu,
lead data warehouse developer, Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC)
David Lu values accuracy, and accuracy is at the heart of his work at HCSC, parent company of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Texas.
"I'm able to write more efficient queries now and to use what I've learned to make both data acquisition and HIPAA compliance more efficient and accurate," Lu says. "What I particularly appreciated about the program was the focus on the user's perspective-thinking about how the users will actually put the warehouse to work in business has been an important lesson."
Equally important is the fact that Lu has the ability to "look behind the scenes" with a heightened understanding of multiple aspects of data warehousing. That perspective lets him approach his job with greater efficiency and an increased confidence in the accuracy of data loads and data extraction from legacy systems.
Collaborating with peers
Gail McMahon,
BI specialist, LexisNexis
"Because our 14 Masters have all been through the same program, we have a shared language and a shared perspective that is enhanced by each of our specialties," says Gail McMahon of LexisNexis.
"We work in teams at LexisNexis, and our specialties include logical modeling, database administration, development and release management," explains McMahon. "The appeal of certification for LexisNexis is that it allows team members to understand diverse perspectives, which enables their ability to integrate and work together more effectively."
That new perspective also encourages innovative approaches to a variety of problems and projects.
"The Masters have gained knowledge that expands their focus to include future as well as present operations. We see things in different ways now. The traditional approach doesn't always address end-user needs," McMahon says.
Reaching for a target
Andy McCann,
development DBA, Vodafone UK
"Certifications give an excellent target to aim for as you try to develop knowledge of a technology," McCann says. "I wanted to become certified at this level so that my colleagues and peers knew that I was an expert in this field, and they could trust my ideas and opinions. I have received a great deal of respect since I obtained the certification."
Certification also serves Vodafone's overall business plan. "Vodafone wants to have the best qualified people on its staff to ensure it gets the most out of its technology. It also gives a measurable target for staff as they start to learn new technologies or build up their skills and knowledge of Teradata," McCann points out. "Teradata Master credentials give us a strong hand in ensuring we get the most out of our investment."
Sharing a language
Siddhartha Arya,
senior database warehouse architect, Verizon Wireless
"The chance to get an overall hands-on understanding of all the different areas of Teradata has enabled me to handle my projects more efficiently and accomplish them on-budget and within the allotted time," Arya says. "I wanted to take the Master's program (to) help me in my job and also to get a deeper understanding of the differences in features between Teradata and Oracle."
One of four Masters contracted to Verizon Wireless, Arya sees the shared experience as an important aspect of effective team-building. "We're able to reinforce each other and help each other more thoroughly in our respective areas because we have a shared language of understanding," he explains.
Earning confidence and esteem
Kevin Yang,
database administrator, VarTec Telecomm
"Being a Master gives me a lot of confidence, and I appreciate the esteem of my colleagues," says Kevin Yang. "The extent of the certification course was larger than what was needed for my job, and that, too, lets me approach projects with more confidence. I can bring new approaches and ideas to tackling the project, whether it involves modeling, queries, development, backup and archive, whatever."
He continues, "We have three Certified Masters on staff. The more brains you bring to bear on a problem, the more easily and quickly the problem gets solved. Because we've all been through the Master's program, we have a shared language that contributes to solving problems and tackling projects quickly and efficiently."
Opening doors
Lawrence Lakey,
senior data analyst, The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company
"I always wanted to prove my technical ability, and certification helps me do that," Lakey explains. "The benefits I received through the process touch every aspect of my work with Teradata, and being a Master gives me a foundation upon which to build my skills."
Lakey passed his first exam at the 2002 Teradata PARTNERS Conference and became a Master in June of this year. "I didn't watch much TV for two years, but I found out I hadn't missed anything," he laughs. "So I'm back to studying, this time for Teradata Database V2R5. Certification takes time and energy, but it's worth it. I'm grateful for the support of my peers, instructors, managers, friends and family."
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| ARE YOU INSPIRED? |
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DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Visit teradata.com/certification for a testing center near you. Or, you can schedule an exam during the 2004 Annual Teradata PARTNERS User Group Conference & Expo in Seattle, October 10-14, 2004. All Teradata Database V2R5 exams, including the Master's Update Teradata Database V2R5 exam, will be available at a discounted price.
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Keith Ferrell is the former editor of OMNI magazine.
© Teradata Magazine-September
2004
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