One of BOPA's primary missions is to help its membership obtain additional Microsoft certifications. To obtain additional certifications, members must pass Sylvan Prometric exams developed by Microsoft's Certification and Exam Development Group. BOPA sponsors a Certification Study Group that meets twice a month. A BOPA member who is a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) chairs the study group. The group focuses on a specific Prometric test and on specific troublesome questions. The results of these study sessions not only increase members' chances of passing tests but also give members valuable skills in everyday network troubleshooting.
BOPA works with local Microsoft Authorized Technical Education Centers (ATECs) and Authorized Academic Training Programs (AATPs) to offer discounts for members who take instructor-led classes based on Microsoft Official Curriculum (MOC). The group distributes Microsoft Press self-study information at meetings.
If you live in the St. Louis area, Bryan Muehlberger (bryan@directpoint.net), of DirectPoint Information Group, leads the Windows NT User Group of St. Louis (WNTUG-STL). This group has grown to more than 220 members in less than 1 year.
WNTUG-STL meetings help professionals keep up with changes in the industry. Meeting topics highlight NT and BackOffice. WNTUG-STL covers topics on troubleshooting, integration, hardware solutions, and software solutions. The group sponsors open discussions about administration and maintenance of servers and related applications.
WNTUG-STL has formed partnerships with local ATECs and the local Microsoft office to help members with certification. The group offers discounts on classes, two-for-one deals, and day-long seminars on different technologies. Members also benefit from relationships with other people in the industry. Members share solutions that have worked for them. (If you're in the St. Louis area and would like to attend or join WNTUG-STL, join the mailing list at http://www.directpoint.net/wntug-stl/mailinglist.html. Joining the mailing list will automatically enroll you as a member of WNTUG-STL, and membership is free.)
If you prefer a tropical climate, visit the Big Island NT Users Group (BINTUG), led by Mathew Pierce in Waimea, Hawaii (http://www.bintug.org). By offering classes through the local community education program, providing a lending library from which members can borrow references, and pooling the knowledge of individual members as a living knowledge base, BINTUG attracts both the neophyte and expert. BINTUG class topics range from small business networking to data security modeling and from migrating Windows 95 desktops to NT to developing NT-based Internet and intranet applications.
Don't Miss the Opportunity
I've given you a brief glimpse of the types of user groups across the US. Many other user groups offer similar services and opportunities. To find a user group near you, see the WANTUG list of NT User Groups (http://www.wantug.org), or check the list of user groups on page 223. Also, Robin Hoye highlights a user group in Windows NT Magazine's weekly UPDATE email newsletter.
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