Well it's been a while since my last update, but how do you top "We're going to Moscow!" Well I'm not even gonna try. But I'll say training is progressing nicely. We should be getting into more technical training next week. I gotta say the campus we are training at is just like a college campus. It's cool to see all the different people practicing languages, socializing outside at lunch and best of all, the feeling everyone seems to have that we are all part of an important mission.
I also am studying at night, working on upgrading my Microsoft certifications and going through Rosetta Stone Russian. I've been mostly focusing on the Microsoft side of things, because with the right certification(s) I can earn a Skills Incentive Pay (SIP) of 15%. Hard to pass up money for doing something you like to do. I've got two more exams to take to finish my certification as MCIT Enterprise Administrator. Unfortunately, in order to earn the SIP, you have to have earned the certification while working in the State Department, so the certifications I already have don't count for SIP. So needless to say I'm keeping pretty busy.
Today I plan on heading to the Taste of Arlington festival. Over 40 restaurants set up for sampling. Of course there will be beer and wine to sample as well :)
Great to see another post from you! I've been reading your blog since I passed the IMS OA almost 2 weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteI would really like to learn about the SIP. What certs are they interested in? Do other pay different rates than others?
After my OA I asked this question and was told MCSE and CISSP can give you an extra 5%...those are pretty agressive certs. But I see you talked about one of the MCITP certs.
Any more info is appreciated...
Let me start by saying, Fantastic blog. I start orientation later this month and have been prepping for my PMP exam. I know it qualifies for SIP. My question is can I take it any time after my first day to qualify or do I have to be through training. Thanks...
ReplyDeleteJ