MCT Success Story: David M. Rigney
MCP Success Story
David M. Rigney had been in the United States Navy for four years when he was assigned to be a trainer at the Navy’s advanced electrical training school, where he had recently completed a course of study. He had never been a trainer. He didn’t want to be a trainer. He was sure he wouldn’t be any good at it. "I knew there was no way I could get up in front of people," Rigney recalls. "But orders are orders."
So Rigney became a trainer, and he found, much to his surprise, that he liked training from the first moment. His supervisor was surprised too—surprised that, despite Rigney's immediate rapport with students, he didn’t have any previous training experience. Rigney has long since bridged that gap, gaining experience as a Navy trainer, a training manager for ChipSoft (maker of TurboTax), a trainer for Software Etc., and a trainer for the Naval Air Reserve Headquarters. Rigney had reason to feel he knew everything there was to know about training—until the Navy sent him to The Biermangroup, a Microsoft Certified Technology Education Center (Microsoft Certified Partner(s) for Learning Solutions program), to earn his certification as a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). Rigney had attended technology training classes before, but this experience with the Microsoft Certified Partner(s) for Learning Solutions program and Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs) was a revelation.
MCTs Lead by Example
"The MCTs were so good, so knowledgeable at what they did," says Rigney. "They were comfortable with the material and knew how to present it to students despite the widely varying backgrounds of those in the class. After the grade-school type experiences I’d had with technology trainers before, this was like attending graduate school, in terms of the expertise of the MCTs."
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And that’s when Rigney decided to become an MCT as well. Four weeks after gaining his MCP credential, he went on to earn his own MCT credential and to join The Biermangroup, which soon changed its name to Momentum. After six months at the company, he earned something else: a substantial raise. He’s been at Momentum ever since. Rigney now has certifications as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA), and Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA). He teaches Microsoft Official Courses in database design, security, datawarehousing, networking, Web design, and more. His students range from recent college graduates and career switchers to employees of major corporations—including ExxonMobil, SAIC, and Entergy—who are participating in programs sponsored by their companies.
The MCT Credential Lends Credibility
Rigney credits his MCT certification with securing his success as a trainer. "To earn the MCT certification, I have to demonstrate both my technology expertise and my teaching ability," says Rigney. "It’s a rigorous certification and people know that. They also know that trainers with the MCT credential are a relatively small group worldwide. So, as an MCT, I have the credibility I need with my students. It instantly validates me as the preferred instructor for education on Microsoft technologies." Rigney has trained more than 1,000 students since joining Momentum in 1999 and now also serves the company as a senior consultant.
Rigney has helped clients to design and implement directory service infrastructures based on the Active Directory service in the Microsoft Windows Server System. And his MCT certification has made sure he's providing the best help possible. "I know how to communicate more effectively with clients due to my skills as an MCT," says Rigney. "And my MCT credential gives me greater credibility when I make presentations to clients. The MCT credential isn’t just for classroom instruction anymore."