This is about a long term goal that I’ve had which isn’t posted on here, and that’s to eventually be a technical trainer in some capacity. The fact of the matter is I love to teach. I learned that when as a sophomore at The Citadel I spent much of second semester that year in public schools around Charleston teaching drug and alcohol prevention and while doing tutoring at Burke High School, also as a cadet. I teach at least twice a week as part of my duties as a junior high youth minister,  and every so often I put on a “brown bag lunch” presentation at work, talking about a technical subject. Plus, I’ve spent a lot of time over the last couple of years giving presentations to user groups, both to give back to the community, but also because I just love teaching.

So one day I would love to be a technical trainer in a part time capacity (I think you need some time doing real world work, too, to make you a more effective trainer). And I took my first solid step in that direction by completing a Train the Trainer course at MicroStaff IT that Microsoft recognizes for its Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) certification. We also recorded the presentation (part of the exit requirement for the class) that hopefully is good enough to submit for the second part of the Certified Technical Trainer+ (CTT+) certification from CompTIA. I’ve got other requirements to complete (MCITP for the MCT and a written exam for the CTT+), but the Train the Trainer course was the most difficult because it’s not offered very much and because the cost was completely out of pocket. However, if my goal is to be one day be a technical trainer, it is a worthwhile investment in my career.

On a related note, Pete Mourfield, head of the Augusta Developers Guild, was also taking the class and we got a chance to work together. Pete’s a smart guy and passionate about the developer community. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him and learning from him. If you get a chance to get to one of his presentations, even if you’re not a developer, you certainly should. You will definitely take away some useful knowledge. Pete is, as we say in the South, “good people.”