Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 7 Programmer

So at my midpoint review for this year, my boss wanted me to get some kind of certificate.

He didn’t specifiy exactly what kind of certificate. Just that I should get “certified” in something. Well, I do a lot of programming, and program a lot in Java, so I decided that might be the way to go. After much Googling and exploring the “Oracle University” website, I came across this page.

It says to get certified in Java by Oracle I have to take and pass some exam called “Java SE 7 Programmer I 1Z0-803”. Except that Oracle doesn’t administer the test. Pearson Vue does. And it’s not immediately obvious that they do, I had to do more digging to find out.

Ok, finally, after much digging, I figure out how to register, where tests centers are, and how much it costs. $245. So I ask my boss how I should pay for it. He asks me to check into our education reimbursment system. I tell him I’ve already maxed it out going to Wright State. He then asks me if I can get the certification “free” via this online learning portal we have at work. I look into it, and it has test prep material for the exam, but not the certification itself. Finally he approves to pay for the whole thing (well, his boss approved it). Off I go.

I take the test. When I’m done, I didn’t get the results immediately, but was emailed them maybe a half hour later. Got seventy-some percent right. Not as high as would’ve liked, but passing (had to get sixty-something or better).

Now, I got this image to put places:

Oh, and here’s the actual certificate, in beautiful PDF form.