# [2018.12.08] Exam Preparations

I want to pass a Teradata Database Certified Associate exam next 
year, so I tried to remember what I knew about Teradata 
certification process when I last wrote some SQL for it. Actually, I 
last contacted Teradata in 2014 and first wanted to become certified 
in 2012. Then, in 2012, I even bought a book, an official 'Teradata 
12 Certification Study Guide: Basics' using a Kobo e-books service 
(never used it neither before nor after and even never heard of it 
in any other context). All Teradata 12 certifications will become 
officially unsupported in 2019. Now one can certify either for 
Teradata 14 or join a new certification track, named simply Teradata 
Database (without exact version). All Teradata Database 
certifications won't have a version number attached to them but will 
have an expiration date, e.g. an Associate level certificate will 
expire 5 years after obtaining it (given one doesn't receive any 
so-called job role certificate, namely Developer, DBA or Architect).

The main question now is how to prepare. The preparation path for 
Teradata 14 Basics is already well-treaded: there is an official 
900+ pages study guide (yes, Teradata likes thick books) and a 
mobile application ('TCAPP', Teradata Certification APPlication) for 
Android and iOS in which one can buy a 100 sample questions package. 
Those who already hold Teradata 14 Basics certification can bypass 
the Associate exams in a new track. Even more, the 14 version Basics 
exam duration is two hours, and the Associate one is only 75 
minutes. Also, the Associate exam only includes multiple choice 
questions and doesn't require six months of hands-on experience, 
unlike the older version. So I bet on materials for Teradata 14. 
There are also ca 40 free official sample questions online for it, 
and an introductory user guide which as I remember usually is nearly 
the same as a study guide.

I've already taken two free online courses from Teradata Education 
Network which are recommended as a preparation for the Associate 
exam but they were quite weak, and I didn't manage even to answer 
all free sample questions. So, there are many things to do in a 
meanwhile:)