Agenda

What is Professional Certification?

What is Java Certification (SCJP)?

Structure and syllabus for SCJP

How to prepare for SCJP?

What books and mock exams are available?

What after you are certified?

Sample questions from Mock exams

Q&A

1
 What is Professional Certification?
Professional certification often called simply certification, is a
designation earned by a person to assure that he/she is qualified to
perform a job or task.

Why Professional Certification?

Academic degree doesn’t prove your proficiency in a technology
that is used in real-world applications, such as Java, .NET, Oracle
etc.

Training institute (including Authorized training centre) issues
certificate to everyone – so cannot be used to measure your skill.

Industry needs a way to asses your skills regarding the
technology they use (like Java, .NET) to build applications.

To prove your credentials in global market.

2
 Why Professional Certification?

IT jobs are among the 10 hardest jobs to fill, according to an April 2008
survey by Manpower.

Nearly 25 percent of employers are having problems filling open jobs
because of a lack of talent.

Multiple studies suggest there will be a wide gap in the next five to 10
years between the demand for IT workers and the supply of workers with
the right technical skills.

Research firm IDC puts that gap at 40 percent.

Past and Present

In late 80’s Novell started Certified Netware Engineer (CNE).

In early 90’s, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco etc. started

Now, every technology company provides some sort of
certification related to its products.

3
Who offers Professional Certifications?

Apple Inc

Cisco Systems

Hewlett-Packard

Dell

IBM

LANDesk

Microsoft Corporation

MySQL

Novell

Object Management Group

Oracle Corporation

Red Hat

Sun Microsystems

Sybase

Zend Technologies

Value of Certification

True value is the ability to verify whether a person possesses skills that
are important to employer.

Software company can either grab a contract or charge higher bill if they
have more certified professionals – so they sponsor certification.

Certification can prove to be an added advantage on the graduate’s
resume. It proves you knowledge about real-world technology.

Employers are looking for job candidates with some level of industry
knowledge. What better way for an entry-level worker to demonstrate his
or her knowledge than by obtaining a recognized industry credential?

Certification in the IT industry is critical for getting your foot in the door.

It helps you to learn technology completely – gives you broader picture.

Though IT certifications take time, effort and resources — including
money — to attain, the return on investment can be significant.

4
 500000 …

Sun Microsystems Has Awarded 5,00,000 + certificates.

That includes Java and other certifications of Sun

Sun reached this milestone a few months back

It is less than 10% of total number of Java professionals –
assuming there are 5 million Java Developers

Would you like to join 500000+ community?

Sun Certified Programmer for the Java Platform,

Standard Edition 6 ( CX-310-065)
This foundation certification is for programmers interested in
demonstrating proficiency in the fundamentals of the Java
programming language.

5
 Java Certification Path

SCJP 6.0 Exam Details

Exam type: Multiple choice and drag and drop

Number of questions: 72

Pass score: 65% (47 of 72 questions)

Time limit: 210 minutes

Prerequisite : None

6
 Declarations, Initialization and Scoping

Classes (including abstract and all forms of nested classes), interfaces, and
enums,

JavaBeans naming standards.

Variable-length argument list.

Legal return values (including covariant returns)

Flow Control

Switch statement

All forms of loops and iterators

Assertions, and distinguish appropriate from inappropriate uses of
assertions.

Exceptions and exception handling clauses (try, catch, finally),

Understand which of these are thrown by the virtual machine

7
 API Content

Primitive wrapper classes and/or autoboxing & unboxing.

Differences between the String, StringBuilder, and StringBuffer classes.

Reading from files, writing to files, or interacting with the user, develop the
correct solution using the following classes (sometimes in combination),
from java.io:

BufferedReader, BufferedWriter, File, FileReader, FileWriter, PrintWriter, and
Console.

Serializes and/or de-serializes objects

java.text package to correctly format or parse dates, numbers, and currency

Describe the purpose and use of the java.util.Locale class.

java.util.regex packages to format or parse strings or streams.

Concurrency

Write code to define, instantiate, and start new threads using both
java.lang.Thread and java.lang.Runnable.

Thread states

Object locking to protect static or instance variables from concurrent access
problems.

Given a scenario, write code that makes appropriate use of wait, notify, or
notifyAll.

8
 OO Concepts

Encapsulation, loose coupling, and high cohesion in classes

Use of polymorphism. Further, determine when casting will be necessary
and recognize compiler vs. runtime errors related to object reference
casting.

Declares and/or invokes overridden or overloaded methods and code that
declares and/or invokes superclass, or overloaded constructors.

Develop code that implements "is-a" and/or "has-a" relationships.

Collections / Generics

Comparable interface.

Overrides hashCode() and equals() methods,

Write code that uses the generic versions of the Collections API

Recognize the limitations of the non-generic Collections API and how to
refactor code to use the generic versions.

Write code that uses the NavigableSet and NavigableMap interfaces.

Write generic methods or methods that make use of wildcard types

Use the java.util.Comparator and java.lang.Comparable interfaces to affect
the sorting of lists and arrays.

Natural ordering of primitive wrapper classes and java.lang.String on sorting.

9
 Fundamentals

Appropriate access modifiers, package declarations, and import

statements

Object becomes eligible for garbage collection

Recognize the behaviors of the Object.finalize() method.

JAR file, construct the appropriate directory structure for that class.

Classpath

Operators

Write code that determines the equality of two objects or two primitives.

Difference between 1.5 (055) and 1.6 (065)

Exam Objectives

java.io.Console,

java.util.NavigableSet,

java.util.NavigableMap.

You will be tested in greater depth: exception handling, collections,
assertions, threads, and flow control.

10
 Difference between 1.5 (055) and 1.6 (065)
Exam Structure

Number of questions: 72 (no change)

Time: 210 minutes (increased from 175 minutes)

Passing score: 65% (increased from 59%)

Format of questions: No change.

Other Certification Exams Related To Java

SCWCD - Sun Certified Web Component Developer

SCBCD - Sun Certified Business Component Developer

SCDJWS - Sun Certified Developer for Java Web Services

SCEA - Sun Certified Enterprise Architect

SCJP is prerequisite for all these exams

11
 Question Format

Question format is multiple choice, including some drag-and-drop

questions.

The number of correct answers is given in case of multiple choice
questions with multiple answers.

There are hardly any questions with true/false answers.

There are a lot of questions with three (or sometimes two) correct
answers.

Question with radio button answers means that only one answer is
correct.

Questions vary from very easy to very difficult, but mostly difficult.

No credit is given for partially correct answers in case of questions with
multiple answers.

No Negative marks.

How to prepare for exam?

Understand exam objectives, registration, tests

If you do not know Java then learn Java first.

Refer to the API documentation and the Java Language Specifications

Study at least one good (and current) certification preparation book.

Take as many mock exams as possible. Use these to determine where
additional study is needed, and as a guide to when you are ready.

12
 How to prepare for exam?

Go through one book at a time

If you're brand-spanking new to Java, don't go directly to a Java Cert
book

Code Code Code

Don’t memorize answers, understand answer.

Don't try to learn the entire language in a week/month, take your time –
walk before your run.

How and when to take exam?

After having purchased the exam voucher, contact an authorized Prometric

Testing Center near you.

List of authorized Prometric Centers can be obtained from
www.prometric.com

Reach the testing center at least 15 minutes before the test start time, and
be prepared to show two forms of identification, one of which should be a
photo ID.

You can’t bring anything with you into the testing room.

You will be provided something to write on and something to write with.

13
 How Exam Is Conducted?

A cubicle with a desktop computer

No personal belongings or food allowed.

Candidates can make notes, but cannot take the notes with them after the
exam.

A test run before the actual exam

Presents a set of randomly-selected questions one at a time through a
graphical user interface.

Ability to navigate back and forth through the questions.

Use the EXHIBIT-button to open the code scenario in a separate window

Utilizing the allotted time

72 questions within 210 min., less than 3 min. on average to answer each
question.

If the answer does not become apparent within a reasonable time, move on
to the next question.

Time permitting, you can return to any questions left unanswered.

Review the answers if you have any time remaining.

At the end of Exam

After you finish the test, the computer screen will display your result
(whether you have passed or not). You will also receive a printed copy of
the detailed results.

Within a month or so, you will receive your certificate from Sun in the mail
if you passed the exam.

However, if you fail to pass the exam, you can take the exam again, but you
will need to purchase another voucher and wait for 2 weeks before
retesting.

The test program will not divulge which questions were answered correctly
or the answers to the questions asked.

14
 My Mark sheet

My SCJP Certification

15
 How long is my certification valid?

Beginning with all Sun certification exams taken on or after August 1, 2003,
certification offerings from Sun no longer have an expiration date.

Books On SCJP

SCJP Sun Certified Programmer for Java 5 Study Guide (Exam 310-055) by
Katherine Sierra and Bert Bates

SCJP Sun Certified Programmer for Java 6 Exam 310-065 by Katherine

Sierra and Bert Bates

A Programmer's Guide to Java Certification by Khalid A. Mughal, Rolf W.

Rasmussen - Covers 1.4 only.

SCJP Exam For J2SE 5 - Paul Sanghera, Ph.D

I Strongly recommend Kathy’s book

16
 Prometric Testing centers

http://www.register.prometric.com/Centers.asp

367 test sites are available in India

SAI - Sun Academic Initiative – Go avail discount.

Prometric Testing centers In Vizag

SREENIDHI INFOTECH
Visakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530016
Phone: 6642699 Site Code: IIH302nd Floor
Varanasi Majestic Complex, 2nd Lane, Dwarkanagar
Opp. Pizza Hut.

CALIBER TECHNOCRATS
VISAKHAPATNAM, Andhra Pradesh 530016
Phone: 6648412/6649300 Site Code: IIH41DOOR NO 49-24-51/A/8
SRI PAVAV ESTATES,
FLAT NO 103 SHANKAR MUTT ROAD

KRISHNA INFOTECH
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530016
Phone: 6662071 Site Code: II461IIHT, IIHT House, 48 - 8 - 1
Chaitanya College Road
Dwarkanagar

17
 Mock Exams

www.javaranch.com

www.javabeat.net

www.enthuware.com

www.javaprepare.com

www.jcertify.com

www.whizlab.com

www.jdiscuss.com

The ultimate website for Java certification aspirants is

www.javaranch.com

Some opinions about Certification In Blogs

You're willing to sacrifice your time and money to get something which will
formally indicate a level of ability.

You are self-disciplined enough to do an exam you're not forced into doing.

You have a certain level of commitment to Java

You know the nitty-gritty detail of Java.

18
19
 SAI - Sun Academic Initiative
The SAI is one of many programs Sun offers to further its collaborative
relationship with educational institutions.

Free access to an extensive portfolio of Web-based courses through Sun

Learning Connection

Free Web-based access to Instructor Led Training (ILT) courseware

Free Web-based ePractice Certification Exams

Discount for Certification Exams

20
 SAI - Sun Academic Initiative
Go to https://sailearningconnection.skillport.com

SAI - Sun Academic Initiative

Click on
Register link
to register to
SAI
Learning Connection

21
 Thank You

 It was my sincere attempt to share my knowledge of Java

Certification with those who aspire for certification.
 Material related to this workshop is found at
www.srikanthtechnologies.com/workshops/scjp.html.
 Please fill Workshop Registration Form (given to you) and return at
the Front-office.
 On the back of the form, please write your suggestions.
 Please let me know what you want from me!

All best for your certification endeavors!

22