The future of Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certifications

[alexpayn]

While the responsibilities of IT professionals have become increasingly complex, the importance of having relevant technical skills and industry-recognized certifications has grown. To help our next generation succeed and attain necessary skills for jobs of the future, we are committed to supporting educational institutes, educators, and students.

For anyone starting out into the broad world of technology, our fundamentals training and certifications on Microsoft Learn are a great place to start. With eight fundamentals certifications and growing, they validate foundational understanding with mixed concepts and applied learning of Microsoft technologies, and are a springboard to our role-based certifications across emerging and in-demand jobs such as data analysts, IT administrators, developers, and security engineers. And designed for academic leaders and teachers, the new Microsoft Learn for Educators program provides instructional resources to help their students learn new technical skills and prepare for their certification journey. Microsoft Learn also includes learning paths for students to help build technical skills for the future with foundational programming languages like Python, PowerShell, HTML, JavaScript, etc.

As we continue to invest in our fundamentals and role-based learning offerings, all remaining exams associated with the Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certifications will retire on June 30, 2022.

Important dates and next steps:

• MTA certification exam licenses can be purchased until June 30, 2021.
• MTA certification exams will retire on June 30, 2022. Effective July 1, 2022, MTA exam deliveries by our exam delivery providers, Certiport and Pearson VUE, will cease.
• If you’re working towards an MTA certification, you’ll want to pass the required exam(s) before they retire on June 30, 2022.

If you have an existing MTA certification, it will remain on your Microsoft transcript, even after the exams retire. It will remain in the active section of your transcript for two years from June 30, 2022; at that time, the certification will be moved to the “Certification History” section of your transcript.

Be sure to visit Microsoft Learn to access free self-paced learning paths aligned to roles, and discover certifications, instructor-led training courses, and more. We look forward to you joining us on this journey as we continue to invest in helping our next generation keep pace with businesses and technology.

Still have questions? Check out our FAQ.

Existing MTA exams that will retire June 30, 2022:

MTA: Database Fundamentals

Exam 98-364

MTA: Windows Server Administration Fundamentals  

Exam 98-365

MTA: Security Fundamentals

Exam 98-367

MTA: Windows Operating System Fundamentals  

Exam 98-349

MTA: Introduction to Programming Using Java

Exam 98-388

MTA: Software Development Fundamentals

Exam 98-361

MTA: HTML5 Application Development Fundamentals

Exam 98-375

MTA: Introduction to Programming Using Python

Exam 98-381

MTA: Networking Fundamentals

Exam 98-366

MTA: Introduction to Programming Using HTML and CSS

Exam 98-383

MTA: Introduction to Programming Using JavaScript

Exam 98-382

MTA: Mobility and Device Fundamentals

Exam 98-368

[Luigi Bruno]

MTA exam 98-349 was my first Microsoft certification exam.

[YOUNGHYO_KIM]

I have obtained a total of four MTA certificates since 2011.
It was the best certification to learn basic IT knowledge.
However, in the cloud era, MTC AZ-900 and MTC PL-900 certification have been achieved.
I highly recommend MTC as an alternative certification of MTA.

[Luigi Zambetti]

And all these withdrawn certifications, what other new certifications will replace them?

[Astansbery]

So what exactly will replace these? I get retiring MTA. But there still needs to be a replacement to get people started down the technology certification path.

[SuzyMOliver]

The C# exam was retired on 1/1/2021 already. As far as I can tell, they haven’t replaced it with anything else. We need some sort of certification for C#.

[Douglas Spindler]

Can't say I'm sad to see them go....  I had many students who spent nearly a thousand dollars taking and passing several of these exams in hopes it would assist them in getting there first job in the IT industry.  It didn't help them at all.  None of the employers had ever heard of the MTA exams.  And to think I was a beta tester and thought the exams were pretty good.

What's the value of any Microsoft certification today?  Very few employers care if you are certified or not.  They certainly care if you are certifiably or not.  

[rootsmusic]

@Douglas Spindler, I don't have any MTA certification but I've been considering one.  If no employers have heard of MTA certifications though, do they value other certifications for developers?  The other ones (that I'm aware of) are specific to a single programming language, unlike MTA's variety.

Microsoft hasn't been promoting MTA certifications.  They've been promoting role-based developer certifications, but I'm skeptical about how successful that promotion has been in terms of value among employers.  Have their promotion been successful among your students?

[rootsmusic]

@alexpayn, please add MTA exams to Microsoft's discount offer to help job seekers.  Thanks.

[Douglas Spindler]

@Rootmusic  Employers see very little in developer certifications as they view these certifications as there is only one way/thought process to write code.  Employers are looking for developers who can think and solve problems, not just follow someone else’s way of doing things.  Best way to get employment as a developer is to work on projects found on GitHub.  Submit code so employers can see how you code and go about writing code.  

[Douglas Spindler]

MTA exams are NOT Microsoft exams.  Certiport entered into a licensing agreement with Microsoft to create and market the MTA exams with Microsoft’s name.  The target audience is for 12 to 18 year olds who are still in K-12 school.  The amount of money Certiport was charging to take an exam is outrageous.  The Microsoft MCP exams which employers be familiar with can be less costly and far more valuable.  

[hodberman]

Here are the links from Certiport in regards to the new/future MTAs:

Press Release (Feb 17th, 2021): https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/About/Press-room/Press-releases/2021/Certiport-Announces-IT-Special...

IT Specialist: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/ITSpecialist/Certification/Overview

For entry-level students, I found the MTA exam materials a good start for getting a win. For being able to study multiple areas without having to go too deep and maybe not passing a big cert. As an instructor for CompTIA, I would provide students with MTA learning materials and practice exams to cover topics covered in A+, Network+, Security+ etc. to get more of the MS angle.

The MS role-based Fundamentals exams are the evolution for that step as the MTA exams retire. I am not a fan of the MCSA/MCSE retiring at all though since I feel that on-prem is here for a while still and that employers still hold those certs in high-regard for employment.

[Rachananayak33]

When will new certifications arrive after June 30,2021

[Douglas Spindler]

What’s the value of an MTA certification?  Especially since employers see no value in them.  

[Dantheman1080]

@alexpayn Does anyone knows where I can purchase an MTA Voucher? I checked everywhere on Microsoft Website and there's NO Buy button of any kind, except to schedule an exam with Certiport or Pearsonvue, I don't live nearby any Certiport testing centers. If anybody provide me a link that will be great.

[hodberman]

@Dantheman1080 Here is the link:

1. https://shop.certiport.com/category-s/1907.htm 

[gaodelade]

@Dantheman1080  you can get the proceed to schedule exam. In the process, you would be given a form to fill where you will input your credit card details for the purchase of voucher for your desired exam.

[rascove]

@Douglas Spindler, I'm very interested in your quote:

Certiport entered into a licensing agreement with Microsoft to create and market the MTA exams with Microsoft’s name.

Do you have any supporting evidence for this? I've been looking for this kind of information, actually.

[Douglas Spindler]

Sure do.  First you can't buy the MTA test voucher from Microsoft only from Certiport/Pearson VUE.  Microsoft does not license or create the MTA courseware, books or exams.  If you are an MCT and teach any MTA classes you do not receive credit for teaching.  Look at the MTA course material and you will see it's Certiport product. 

[rascove]

@Douglas Spindler , it all makes sense. Thank you very much for your explanation. I was hoping actually hoping for an article or official statement, but your response is already satisfying.

[Dantheman1080]

I have several MTA Vouchers that I am willing to sell ($150.00) I don't believe I will make it before the deadline (June 30th 2022).  Maybe use paypal to get the money.

[Dantheman1080]

Anyone

I saw a message on the Microsoft forum Called Tech community Microsoft, wanted to know if  interested in BUYING any MTA VOUCHERS you need this to do ANY MTA EXAMS, I Purchase these VOUCHERS from ITExams.com? NOW I AM willing to sell them, I was planning to do ALL the MTA but there's no way now, maybe 3 or 4 of them. if your interested please email me back asap email address removed for privacy reasons

Dan