Microsoft Certified Professional - Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)

The Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) certification program is for individuals who intend to train others who want to obtain any of the other certification programs of Microsoft. They must have some type of certification from the Microsoft Certification Courses, they must also prove their instructional presentation skills, obtain a "Metrics that Matter" ID and apply and pay an annual to become and remain an MCT. A Microsoft Certified Partner for Learning Solutions (CPLS) organization must employ or contract with a suitably certified MCT to deliver any Microsoft Official Courseware (MOC) courses they offer, whether to private closed groups or public classes. On the other hand, only a CPLS can purchase MOC materials, and while they may sell these on to an independent MCT (if they choose to) for them to run a private class (for participants from a single organization), an MCT may not run public classes using MOC materials other than for a CPLS.

There are currently (2012) around 18,000 MCTs worldwide.

In Australia: many MCT's have either a diploma or degree in teaching with reference to primary or secondary education. Further, it is also a mandatory requirement for many training companies, especially Microsoft Gold Partners to have MCT's with a degree in teaching.

Requirements for MCT's have changed throughout the era of this certification program. During the Windows NT era, an MCT had to have (1) a premier certification and (2) have passed the examination associated with a course he delivers. Instructors also had to continue to earn Continuing Education Credits or C.E.C.'s to maintain the certification title. They were required to deliver a minimum number of days of official training each year to maintain the certification title.

During the Windows 2000 era, the requirement to pass the examinations associated with a class was relaxed. This meant that an MCT with MCSE could teach programming classes and a MCDBA could teach engineering courses. For the XP/Server 2003 era, even the requirements of premier certifications like MCSE, MCDBA, MCSD, etc. were removed. CEC's and training requirements were removed in total. Only an annual fee was required to be paid to maintain an MCT. MCDST's could also be certified as a trainer. Today an MCT can be certified in only office applications and hold the trainer certification title.

With the 2007/2008 generation of certification programs, MCTS and MCITP, the trainers were tied to "competencies". Each Microsoft Official Course (MOC) requires one or more specialized certifications to be held in addition to MCT certification so that the delivery of title to be allowed under the program. There were 54 different competencies as of March 2010 (with last update May 2009). For example, to deliver a Course 50213A (related to Data Protection Manager 2007), the instructor requires the certification title MCTS: System Center Configuration Manager 2007 certification. In general an MCT is now required to hold an MCSE / MCITP level certification in a track and version (e.g. SharePoint 2010, Exchange 2010) to teach MOC courses in that subject at a CPLS. When a new product version comes out, an MCT has a grace period where they can teach the new subject based on their qualification in the previous version (otherwise no-one could teach any new subjects at first). This period ends 90 days from the release date of the updated exams, during which time the MCT must pass the new requirements or continue to teach only the older version courses after this grace period elapses.

Quality control of MOC, CPLS companies and MCTs is monitored via student evaluations submitted to Metrics That Matter (an independent third-party company). The MCT program agreement includes a requirement of minimum average scores, without which an MCT may not (in theory) renew their membership in the program.

Microsoft also publish "Community Courseware" written by third-party authors in the Microsoft Learning Courseware Library. This is not MOC and does not bear Microsoft's branding nor have the same restrictions about who can deliver these courses or where. Some consider this to be a loophole which allows unqualified instructors to provide public classes. For example, a MCT certified in only Word 2003 can legally deliver an ISA Server 2006 class (Course 50002A) since that is not a Microsoft Official Course, or could even deliver a private class in Windows Server 2008 using MS Press books, but could not teach any MOC course to a public class organized themselves or via a CPLS. Of course, there is nothing stopping any expert teaching a class in their subject area using their own materials, books or any other training resources they have legally obtained. They do not need to be an MCT or work for a CPLS, unless they wish to deliver MOC courses, for which they must be qualified.