Re: [nashvillephp] Introduction

[Brian Dailey]

Welcome to the list, James.

I passed the ZCE test about 4 years ago (e.g., YMMV). At that time they were focusing primarily on the transition from PHP4 to OOP in PHP5. My experience was that it's just a lot of memorization. If you're able to read material and recall it, you should do fine.

However, I took it just so I could poke fun of it. :) Some companies place a lot of value in certifications, but in my experience, it's far more important to have some code samples on a semi-active GitHub account. Interesting companies will want to see what you have built, not a lists of tests you've successfully taken.

On the positive side, studying for the ZCE is probably good if you're just learning PHP. It will give you a fairly broad overview of the language. It does not, however, address the full stack of web development skills. If you're working in that area you'll have a lot more material to cover than just PHP syntax.


On Tuesday, October 30, 2012 at 10:15 AM, James Butler wrote:

> Hello NPUG, my name is James Butler and I have been programming for the last 19 years, the last 7 of those years was with PHP, MySQL, Apache on RHEL 3, 4, and 5. I have recently accepted a PHP web development position in Murfreesboro and will devoting all of my focus on PHP development. I have an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Nashville State Tech (2001) and I also attended University of Phoenix and was only 4 classes away from my BS when my money ran out!(2005) I plan to go back and get my BS soon. I also want to get Zend certified as a ZCE (Zend Certified Engineer).
>
> Speaking of certification, is anyone in this group a ZCE and can anyone give some feedback of their experience with studying and taking the exam and also how they have done with the certification?
>
> I would also be interested in helping out those new to PHP in any way I can.
>
>
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[Ben Ramsey]

By the way, the book is not out of print. It is still available in digital and print versions from the publisher's website, which is the best place to purchase it: http://www.phparch.com/books/phparchitects-zend-php-5-certification-study-guide-2nd-edition/

I believe that the other co-author of the book (Davey Shafik) is working on a 3rd edition to cover PHP 5.3 material. I don't know of any timeframe for when this will be released, though.

-Ben

On Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 12:29 PM, oxyclean wrote:

Hi James,

I took and passed the ZCE PHP 5.3 exam back in March of this year.  If you wish to prepare for this exam, I would do the following.  Get Ben Ramsey's book.  It is old, out of print, and written for the PHP 5.0 exam.  Much has changed since it was written,  but it is still useful.  You can pick up a copy HERE.  There is also a PHP 5.0 practice test book.  Like Ben's book it is geared towards the 5.0 exam, but it is useful.  You can find it HERE.  Zend also has a study guide HERE.  The practice questions in the study guide at the end of each chapter are good,  but I would wait to take those practice questions towards the end of your study.  There is a practice test engine for the exam (requires Windows) that you can purchase from uCertify HERE.  I bought the test at a discount, and it was useful.  (Search for online coupon codes.)   Its good to use as a practice for taking timed PHP exams, but don't expect it to reflect the actual exam.  The actual exam is MUCH more difficult.  As I said, the Zend study guide is helpful as is Ben's book,  however they are by no means comprehensive as to what you need to know.  So what do you need to know?  THIS pretty much says it all.  You need to know everything.  Its a lot to memorize, but to pass this exam you'll need to go to the PHP Manual and memorize it ALL.  That includes classes, functions and methods, function parameters, what gets returned given the different arguments,  initialization settings, etc, etc...  Memorize the whole manual because they can (and probably will) ask you anything or a little of everything.  For me, the amount of memorization required was the most difficult part of preparing for this exam.   However, its more than simply memorization.  The questions make you think while you are taking the exam.  Be prepared for the unexpected, trick questions, and don't panic.  :-)  You have to know how it all fits together.  All this being said.  I'm not trying to discourage you.  Just be prepared to study hard,  and when you pass you'll know and appreciate (even if no one else does) what it is you have achieved.  To date, only 25 people in Tennessee have passed this exam.  Good luck.

Regards,

John 

On Tuesday, October 30, 2012 10:15:23 AM UTC-5, James Butler wrote:

Hello NPUG, my name is James Butler and I have been programming for the last 19 years, the last 7 of those years was with PHP, MySQL, Apache on RHEL 3, 4, and 5. I have recently accepted a PHP web development position in Murfreesboro and will devoting all of my focus on PHP development. I have an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Nashville State Tech (2001) and I also attended University of Phoenix and was only 4 classes away from my BS when my money ran out!(2005) I plan to go back and get my BS soon. I also want to get Zend certified as a ZCE (Zend Certified Engineer). 

Speaking of certification, is anyone in this group a ZCE and can anyone give some feedback of their experience with studying and taking the exam and also how they have done with the certification?

I would also be interested in helping out those new to PHP in any way I can.

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[oxyclean]

My apologies to Ben for the mistake.  As he states his book is indeed still in print.  It is the practice test book that is out of print.  

One note about Ben's book.  Even though the current revision is geared towards PHP 5.0, it was an essential part of my study for the exam.  I read it a couple of times and took notes while doing so.  You can ignore "Appendix A - Differences Between PHP 4 and 5" as that material is no longer on the exam.

Regards,

John Wallace

[Ben Ramsey]

John,

Thanks for the kind words. :-)

The study guide and practice test book you mentioned were for the PHP 4 version of the exam, if I recall correctly.

-Ben

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