AppleCare Technician Training
Feb 6, 2000

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Name: Keith A. Peregrine
Subject: Apple Tech Certification
Timestamp: Saturday, February 5, 2000, 4:14pm

I've read with interest about Apple selling training kits for Apple Tech Certification. One thing everyone must understand is that you cannot become an authorized Apple Service Technician even if you've passed the Sylvan Tests. Re: You have to work at an Authorized Apple Service Center.

Last summer I moved from an area in which I did work as a Certified Apple Tech to an area which does not have an Authorized Apple Service Center. Because I could not find a local Apple Service Center (you only have one month), I lost my certification. Bummer.

In essence, all that Apple is supplying is the documentation on servicing Macs. This is still very helpful, but unless I've read their conditions incorrectly, you simply cannot become an Apple Certified Technician.

Keith A. Peregrine

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Name: Frank Rezny
Subject: Apple Technician training
Timestamp: Sunday, February 6, 2000, 1:24am

Apple dealers have been informed through channel news that there is a reason that Apple is making the technician training available.

Apple is expaning the number of dealers that are authorised (and certainly the number of locations of chain stores) carrying Apple product as well.

This has led to serious problems in the market with the hiring of competant staff for service departments. Many retailers who wish to also provide service to clients are finding it difficult to find qualified people to provide those services.

It is believed (and I concur) that making the training available more broadly will increase the pool of qualified technicians. The certification of service technicians for Apple Authorised Service locations is essential. Dealers do not necessarily want to have to send employees off to training courses.

It is very hard to find quality employees and if this new publicly available training program is successful, then it just might be easier to identify enthusiastic and, at the very least, some basic level of competance on which to build.

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Name: Aaron Drucker
Subject: AppleCare Technician training
Timestamp: Sunday, February 6, 2000, 2:54am

As a minor addition, you'll notice that being an Apple Certified Technician through any Apple program does not qualify you to do AASP (warantee) repairs. Though after you pass the Sylvan test, you will be qualified for hiring at an AASP certified store. Troubleshooting will be easier, and the tools will be more readily available to you, but the repairs themselves will still require an AASP Certified Location for AppleCare hardware repairs. Though with this new program, I hope Apple will extend AASP Repairs to quailfied technicians in smaller consulting firms, as of now it seems as if their stringent guidelines are still in place.

And the Sylvan test as of this week is $125.00.

Contributed by: Aaron Drucker

Included URL: http://service.info.apple.com/businessreadiness/us-index.shtml#SPS

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From: Rick Kayser
Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2000 14:24:21 -0500
Subject: re: AppleCare Technician training

Hi,

Just read your bit about the above mentioned. It sounds a little misleading. As far as i can tell, after having purchased the training program and have completed it you are able to 'troubleshoot and support your own machine' (from blurp at Apple store), but are not an Apple Certified Technician. If you read the datasheet on the subject (or the link you have on your website) you'll notice that you still have to take an exam at a Sylvan Prometric testing center in order to actually become certified. There is no pricing info at the Sylvan website
that I could find.

rick

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News item from Saturday, Feb. 6

As first reported by AppleInsider, Apple is now offering AppleCare Technician Training for $300 to US residents through the Apple Store. The training, once completed, certifies the individual as an Apple technician. The course can be completed at one's own pace and includes a Technician Training CD, Service Source CD, and MacTest Pro Diagnostics CDs. One reader, however, provided some additional info:

As far as i can tell, after having purchased the training program and have completed it you are able to 'troubleshoot and support your own machine' (from blurb at Apple store), but are not an Apple Certified Technician. If you read the datasheet on the subject (or the link you have on your website) you'll notice that you still have to take an exam at a Sylvan Prometric testing center in order to actually become certified. There is no pricing info at the Sylvan website that I could find." [pdf indicates a $150 exam]

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