Microsoft MTA Exam - 98-381 - Intro to Programming with Python

Setting My Sights on Data Analytics Certification

I have set my sights on my first certification in my journey to the Data Analytics realm, specifically the Microsoft MTA Exam - 98-381 - Introduction to Programming with Python.

My Preparation

Books

• Intro to Python, 5th Edition - Mark Lutz
• Programming in Python - Mark Lutz

Self-Practice

• Writing Python applications

Timeline

• 180 Days (December 2017 – May 2018)
• Tentative Exam Date: Early May 2018

Note

I won't feel competent in Python until I have spent at least a full year writing serious code. For now, I want to understand the basics and apply them at work. I have some small projects in mind to gain practical experience with Python, and I plan to implement them in 2018. I consider this the foundational step to solidify my Python knowledge.

Updates

Update (2/1/18)

I got busy at work and had to push back my Python studies. I am still studying, but my progress is slower than I had hoped. However, I am committed to continuing.

Update (7/4/20)

Life happens, and I never got around to taking the certification exam. However, I've been using Python more regularly at work. I've automated simple tasks, like extracting files from one location and moving them to another, then transforming them into a different format. It may sound complex, but it's not, and that's the beauty of Python.

Despite two years of tinkering with this language, I wouldn’t call myself a Pythonista due to a lack of consistent practice. After two years, I've read thousands of pages of Python books and spent approximately 200 hours reading and writing code. While this helped me learn the basics, I believe that working on a meaningful project would have made my learning experience much more valuable.

So, it's back to studying.

Update (7/28/21)

Wow, it’s been four years since I first began my Python studies, and I am now using it regularly at work. It’s true that you don't truly care to learn something until you need it, and my proficiency in Python has improved considerably since I started using it for production work.

All those years spent casually studying and coding in my spare time were not wasted; they helped me become comfortable with the language and various tools.

I am now studying for the Microsoft DP-100 Data Scientist certification, which I feel is more relevant than an introductory Python certification.

Update (11/30/25) - ChatGPT

I never got around to getting the Python certification and turns out I didn't need to.  I use Python extensively everyday at work and that practical hands-on provided me most of what I needed to feel comfortable using Python.

And everything else, honestly ChatGPT has proven a perfect coding companion.