Cert Offerings at Oracle OpenWorld

Lots of news coming out of Oracle certification these days. This time, it's certification opportunities at Oracle's conference, Oracle OpenWorld 2009.

OpenWorld, which starts Oct. 11 in San Francisco, is making its premier show more certification-friendly than ever. To start with, there's the Oracle Certification Program (OCP) lounge. The lounge is basically an informal networking space that allows attendees to rub elbows with other Oracle credential-holders. One additional perk is free access to  Self Test Software practice exams, to help you prepare for your next cert.

Oracle certification staff will also be available throughout the show, if you have any questions/comments. I find that making your opinion known in these types of settings can be valuable for you and the staff; if they're real professionals, they take any such feedback seriously.

Finally, there are several certification sessions being presented at the show. That's an excellent chance to learn more about the various certification offerings from Oracle.

One thing I don't see offered on the OpenWorld website is onsite certification testing. If this is the case, it seems like a missed opportunity to me. This is your certified community, Oracle; let them get or upgrade certifications while they're there! If onsite testing is being offered, I'm hoping someone from Oracle can correct me, and I'll add an update. It's offered at many vendor-sponsored shows, and always seems to be popular.