Frequently Asked Questions - Software View Certified Java Programmer

You should be. But keep in mind that the job opportunities available for those who are only familiar with Java Standard Edition is relatively small. Hence you will not be able to find a job very easily. This doesn't mean that there are no job opportunities for those who are only familiar with Java Standard Edition. Surely there are. But not in abundance.

The job market is such that there is a comparably higher amount of job opportunities (in couple of folds) for those who are familiar with Java Enterprise Edition. There is lesser amount of job opportunities for those who are familiar with Java Micro Edition, but this is a very specialized area with growing interest.

As mentioned earlier, you may be able to find a job only with the knowledge of Java Standard Edition.

If you are a job seeker, you should ideally know about Java Enterprise Edition as well. If you have a special interest in mobile device programming, you should have skills in using either Java Micro Edition or other Software Development Kits (SDK) like Google Android.

However, Java Standard Edition is the base for all these extensions. Hence you necessarily need to know Java Standard Edition to use Java Enterprise Edition, Java Micro Edition or other SDKs.

No. But you will gain significant Java language and programming skills that will position you in a significantly advantageous position compared with many other job candidates.

In case we receive requests from software development companies, we will happily direct you to such places. If you are an interested employer, consider filling and submitting this form.

Broadly speaking, skills in three categories are expected: Analytical and problem solving skills, programming skills and communication skills.

This training program mainly deals with the programming skills. It also caters for analytical and problem solving skills, but to a lesser degree (Relevant sections: OO designing, algorithm development, debugging skills). To an even lesser and minor scale it caters for communication skills (Vocabulary, UML, listening and comprehension).

To improve analytical and problem solving skills you may consider learning about design patterns, and more about algorithm development.

To improve your communication skills you may consider attending speaking and writing classes. Preferably you should look at improving your English language skills. Presentation skills, drawing and understanding technical diagrams (for example UML) also count.

Note that we will send you the details only if the certified individuals prefer to do the same. We don't disclose their details without their intent.

Please proceed with filling and submitting this form.

Yes, you can surely develop serious applications only with the knowledge of Java Standard Edition.

Yes. The training includes an introductory section on Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) library and MySQL database management system. You should not consider this to be comprehensive in covering the relational database management systems, database designing, Structured Query Language (SQL) and database related coding. However, you will gain sufficient skills to develop simple applications that interact with databases.

There is another library known as Java Persistence Architecture (JPA) which is a part of Java Enterprise Edition which greatly simplifies database driven application development.

Modern day development of database driven applications in Java mostly depends on JPA since JPA significantly reduces the amount of time spent on database related coding . As a Java programmer, you should however know about JDBC.

Yes. The training includes a section on Swing library that you can use for this purpose.

Yes, but only to a very limited extent. You should preferably depend on Java Enterprise Edition to develop web based applications. Specifically, JavaServer Pages (JSP) and Servlets as described in Java Enterprise Edition allow you do to this.

Not immediately. You should depend on Java Micro Edition for this purpose. Or else, you should depend on specific Software Development Kits (SDKs) available for the target devices. For example, there is a separate SDK for Google Android based devices.

This training program sets the foundation needed to use such specialized extensions. Hence you may for example complete the training program and go about downloading the Google Android SDK and start experimenting.

A degree program conducted over a number of years teaches you many other important matters that you should know to be a successful professional in the fields. You will also waste enough time since  different things you learn will not be equally useful in the future (but is generally accepted since we cannot predict the future).

A short training program like this has a limited scope and a specialized outcome. You participate in a training program like this if you need to close a skill gap that will surely be benefitial in near future. Here are some possible reasons:

1. You may want to apply for a Java developer job post and you want to solidly demonstrate your specialized skills to potential employers.
2. You have forgotten what you may have learned during the past. You want to quickly brush up your knowledge.
3. You may have a project that requires Java skills.
4. You are a Java enthusiast and thrilled about Java. Whether you may be reading for a degree or not, you want an accelerated mechanism to boost your Java skills either to support your degree or to do some other work.

Given the above facts, you cannot just say one is better than the other. They serve different purposes.

If you get a chance to read for an IT degree, go for it. It will add significant value to your future career. Also consider participating in training program likes this that are more specialized and more oriented towards immediate industry needs. Also, you receive accelerated learning.

Look no further. This training program is ideal for you.

No, but the industry will recognize you as a sound entry level Java programmer with good skills in the language and some other programming skills (as covered by the training).

We are a small company. But we offer a continuum of training programs that varies from basic computing to advanced software engineering topics. We also offer training programs on IT governance  related topics for the IT management oriented professionals. Here's a limited list of what we have for you: http://www.training.lk/

We are a well recognized corporate training provider. We train freshers, skilled and senior employees in companies on various topics (for example Software Engineers, Tech Leads, Software Architects, Project Managers, CIOs). Our training programs are characterized by accuracy, practicality and applicability.

The trainer is way overqualified to carry out this training program. He was the senior most technical trainer in Virtusa during 2003 and 2006. Virtusa is the largest software services company in Sri Lanka with headquarters in the USA. Software View is an educational establishment that was set up after his departure from Virtusa.

We don't maintain any distance between the trainer and participants. We encourage you to ask questions during the training program and actively learn. We don't repress you. We have no reason to hide ourselves from questions asked by you and we will be very glad to be challenged.

We are well qualified to guide you well.

Having said all the above, we don't undermine others who are offering similar training programs. If you think you need advice in deciding to participate in a training program offered by us or anyone else, talk to several well regarded senior software professionals that you may come across preferably over three years of experience in the field.

Yes. This training program covers everything that you should know to pass the SCJP exam. In fact it covers more than that.

Yes. It's recognized worldwide.

No. SCJP is only an entry level certification. You should consider SCJP only as a pathway to a more recognized certification in Java Enterprise Edition or Java Micro Edition.

Oracle Corporation charges USD 125/= from those who take the SCJP certification exam in Sri Lanka and a few other countries. Elsewhere the exam fee is USD 300/=.

Yes. Oracle Corporation conducts SCJP certification exam through Prometric Services. There are a number of testing centers in Sri Lanka in couple of districts. You can pay using a credit card directly and register to do the exam. Or else, you may contact a test center directly to pay and sit for the exam. Visit http://www.prometric.com/Sun for details.

Visit this page of the Oracle web site.

No, we don't. We provide the training needed to pass it successfully.

No. The fee we charge is for the training program and the associated certification exam conducted by us. If you want to sit for the SCJP certification exam, you can do so by paying USD 125/= to Prometric.

Generally, consider doing the Sun Certified Web Component Developer (SCWCD) certification. Then consider gaining more industry experience. Only after that decide if you should go for other certifications (for example SCBCD). In general we don't recommend going after all certifications without gaining industry experience. This is because employers do not simply offer senior job posts just because you have all the certifications. A more practical approach is to work and learn.

Of cause there's nothing wrong if you continue to go after certifications without working experience. But be mindful since the time and money you spend may not result in sufficient value.

What about the Sun Certified Mobile Application Developer (SCMAD) and Sun Certified Developer for Java Web Services (SCDJWS)? Consider doing them if you come across a special need or driven by excessive interest.

There's this Sun Certified Enterprise Architect (SCEA) certification. Once you gain good working experience in the field (say at least 3 years), go about this certification.

Certification is useful in convincing others about your skills. A certification like SCEA surely needs to be complemented with working experience to be recognized by others. If you target at becoming an architect, you should start small. Just receiving the certificate will not help you. There are many other aspects that you need to master. For example you should be well conversant with the technologies, evaluating them, project management aspects, people management aspects, communication and the like. That's why it is important to have the experience.

At the moment, no. We just got started with this certification. It will take some time for the organizations to be familiar with and recognize our certification.

No. We have no plan to promote our certification program outside Sri Lanka. Hence, you should consider sitting for the SCJP certification if you plan to go abroad.

You may however present the Software View Certified Java Programmer certificate you receive with a list of topics covered during the training program to foreign companies. They may decide the soundness and appropriateness of the training program and the certification of their own. However, you should not count on it.

The scope is different. The training and the associate Software View Certified Java Programmer certification covers additional topics beyond the coverage of Sun certification (SCJP).

SCJP mainly focuses on testing your skills in the Java programming language features.

Our certification also focuses on testing the same and some extra. The training program includes additional sections on Java itself (for example JDBC, Swing, networking, annotations, details of garbage collection and memory management). Also the training program includes sections on programmer skills (Debugging and refactoring, IDE usage) and introductory object oriented designing. These extra areas are also covered by the  Software View Certified Java Programmer certification.

You should not interpret like that.

Sun certification is always respected and comes from the source of Java (presently from Oracle Corporation, previously from Sun Microsystems Inc.). It is worldwide recognized.

Software View certification is built around a training program we offer. We have designed this training program to include what we think to be a best mix of Java programming language features and programmer skills. Why we have included additional topics (beyond SCJP) is for that purpose. We believe the outcome from this training program will be favorable for the software development companies. The target is to create a Java programmer well skilled with Java Standard Edition itself and  some more skills that are mostly sought after from Java developers.

We offer our certification to be more rigorous about our training program itself, to assist job candidates in easily expressing their level of proficiency to potential employers and to assist the potential employers in easily evaluating job candidates.

Software View Certified Java Programmer certification is not a replacement for Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP) certification.

Software View Certified Java Programmer is a rigorous guarantee that a participant of our training program actually demonstrates the skills expected. It is more than a certificate that simply certifies the participation in the training.

Yes, there is. Software View will cancel an issued certificate or withhold issuing a certificate if any fraudulent activity is experienced (as deemed fraudulent by Software View). This includes but not limited to cheating on the exam, altering score reports and certificates.

No, we are not.

There will surely be topics that you may already be familiar with. There will be some more topics that you may not have come across.

Our experience suggests that you will have much to learn from this training program even if you may have completed your IT (or related) degree or even after receiving postgraduate qualifications.

The specialized certification will be valuable in applying for job opportunities.

No. We are not a degree awarding entity. We only carry out short term training programs.

Yes. 8 days are more than enough.

Sun Microsystems itself (and now Oracle) suggests and offers two training programs that one might go through before sitting for the SCJP exam. They are:

1. Fundamentals of the Java Programming Language, Java SE 6 (SL-110-SE6)
2. Java Programming Language, Java SE 6 (SL-275-SE6)

Duration of each is 5 days. So the total is 10 days. However these are two separate training programs with some level of overlapping. In fact, most of what comes for SCJP is in the second training program. Also you find that the content covered during these two training programs go beyond the syllabus of SCJP.

That's why we only use 8 days. It is more than enough to cover the SCJP syllabus. Similar to the above two training programs, we also cover a syllabus that goes beyond SCJP.

Different training providers have different offers for you. Given that SCJP syllabus can be covered within less than 50 hours, training providers may schedule such courses to accommodate different periods. For example one may offer a 3 month course (12 weekends, 4 hours a day). Also, different training providers may offer additional topics that may not fall under SCJP syllabus. Accordingly, their total training period will differ.

This doesn't mean that you should always spend 3 or 6 months to cover the SCJP or a similar syllabus. For example, Software View offers a 64 hour training program where 8 consecutive weekdays are used. We also offer the same training program for those who cannot come during weekdays. So they may come for 8 days during weekends to complete the training.

If someone says that you should necessarily spend 3 to 6 moths just to cover the SCJP syllabus, that's an utter lie. As indicated in the above question, even Sun Microsystems (now Oracle) suggests only 10 days for the two separate courses they offer. Even those two courses contains some overlapping content.

If you don't have a tight schedule, consider covering the syllabus within the shorts possible time. It will be more productive, more efficient and more effective.

The more time you take, you may need to spend more time to revise the previously covered topics. Also consider the time and money you spend just to travel for the classes. More importantly consider the waste of your valuable time. If you follow a course for 3 or more moths just to cover around 50 hours of training need, most of your other time is just wasted.

If you are already engaged with other work (for example you may be a full time student or a working professional), you may not be able to go for a weekday training program. Then you should look at a training program that may run through a lengthy period of time.

Finding a training program that will match with your time availability is your responsibility. Make sure you do so in a manner where you will not be idling excessively. For example, if you spend more than 2 weeks only to receive SCJP qualification but does not do anything else, it is more likely that you are wasting your time.

80 multiple choice questions. Maximum of 240 minutes are given but you may leave if you finish early. Questions will be similar to SCJP certification exam questions. No illusive questions are included.

Yes, you do.

No. But if you fail the first time, you will have to pay an additional amount. See below for details.

75%

You may retake the exam after paying Rs. 2500/= for each additional attempt. You will be allowed to sit for the exam for the second time only after 15 days from your first attempt. Subsequent attempts will be allowed only after 45 days from the date of your last attempt.

No. Consider doing the SCJP certification exam.

We offer training programs at varying prices. Sometimes we conduct seminars and training programs absolutely free as well. We consider the demand, number of participants, market conditions, our expenses, our growth plan and similar factors when arriving at a price.

This low price is not a joke. Nor we want to deliver inferior quality training. We assure you a superior learning experience.

No hidden charges involved.

We reserve the right to change the price in future. Registered participants will not experience such changes in pricing if registered before a price change. A participant is considered registered for the training program only after he or she makes the full payment or the advance booking fee.

Corporate training requests are priced differently and is way higher than the amout we have indicated for the individual requestors. You may recognize that this training program and the certification has been priced out of the band.
However, we will not do any harm or treat differently if your staff members individually request and participate in the training program and sit for the certification exam.