Why bother getting a certificate as a Webmaster if you can learn Dreamweaver?

Question

Can someone tell me what the benefit is to taking a year-long course to become a "certified webmaster" if you can take a course in dreamweaver and essentially do the same thing with less time and less money (or even buy the book and learn on your own)? Also, isn't the market for Webmasters pretty saturated and competitive? If you were to take a year course and graduate with a certificate as a webmaster, wouldn't you STILL have to compete with those people who have 4-year degrees and tons, and tons of experience? What would a one year course offer you that some time with dreamweaver couldn't?

Answer 1

If you want to create only 1 website for your personal use then you're right. But, if you would like to work as Web Designer or even more Web Developer you have to understand that Dreamweaver is Design tool and design is only one of many steps in the process of creating web site. You need to know how to edit and corectly implement photos and videos (thats done with different programms, like PhotoShop), you have to understandHTML, XML and XHTML, present and future trends in web design, Internet fundamentals, some at least 1 another programming language to create dynamic effects like Java or ASP or PHP, you need to learn how to implement shopping carts, payement gateways and all e-commerce aspects. How to implement different programms and their downloads within website like Acrobat, Word documents, Excell sheets, Media Viewers, etc. Finally, after you have created website, it's there and so what? Is it visible? One of the most important aspects - Search engines Optimization girl!!!!! That has NOTHING to do with Dreamweaver, you need to know what and where to implement, there are softwares that can help too, but mostly you need to add HTML code tags "by hand", of course after you've done your keyword research, competitors research, compared their SEO, you can also add Google performance tracking code and track your website performance and rankings - this is special knowledge that has totally nothing to do with dreamweaver - ALL THAT STUFF YOU SHOULD LEARN IN CERTIFICATION PROCESS. plus it is only beginning, becouse you will soon discover that more you learn and see, really you feel like you need to learn more and more and more. you can never stop learning in IT field, at the end Certification is some good proof and summary of your knowledge. If you want to learn only dreamweaver and design part of creating website, you will be fraction of a designer.
good luck!

Answer 2

Not that I'm entirely qualified to answer this, but I have taken a class on HTML, and I have played around with Dreamweaver. I'd rather use the HTML because I know the codes and can manipulate them the way I like to. I've noticed that I can't really do all that I want to with the Dreamweaver software.

Then again, I suppose if you'd take a course in it, you'd be better off than me..

Answer 3

My husband took a one year 'webmaster certificate' and he was asked to teach at the same college he went to BEFORE he was done with the program. Now he's a 'web developer' for an 'advertising display' company, and he's doing all kinds of 'really new and different stuff' like 'digital displays' that are 'interactive' for store windows, as well as designing websites. YOU CAN NOT JUST LEARN DREAMWEAVER and 'know enough' to get hired ... but you MUST BE GOOD to get the sort of job my husband now has ... but his 'four years and more' of college were in ART, not 'computers' ... and that gives him 'the edge' ... so GET YOUR CERTIFICATE because it's 'worth more than it seems' to you now ...

Answer 4

You're right.

The IT business doesn't need anyone with the personal inititive to just earn their own 'street knowledge' degree.

You go girl. Get that Dreamweaver job with that "oh, I taught myself' credential.

Let us know how that works out.