OCJA: The java journey
I began my journey to obtaining the Oracle Certified Java Associate (OCJA) certification during the 2021 COVID lockdown and ultimately took the exam that same year. The experience was filled with ups and downs, but the sense of accomplishment I felt upon passing made it all worth it. In this blog post, I want to share my experience with you in hopes that it will aid in your own journey to becoming an OCJA.
At the start of my journey, I had moderate experience with Java and had dabbled in a few other programming languages. To pass the OCJA, I knew I needed to become more familiar with the language, so I began by reviewing the exam objectives to gain a clear understanding of what I needed to study and focus on.
The first step was to learn the basics of Java. I had some prior experience from 9th grade but knew that without a solid foundation in the language, I would struggle with the more advanced topics covered in the OCJA and OCJP(OCJP is the exam for which passing OCJA is necessary). I decided to take an online YouTube course to learn the basics and found it to be a great way to get started. I was able to learn at my own pace and structure the lessons in a way that worked for me. Once I had a good grasp of the advanced concepts, I began to practice PTOs and multiple-choice questions.
As I progressed in my studies, I delved deeper into the Java SE platform and its components. The OCJA covers topics such as the Java Virtual Machine, the Java Development Kit, and the Java Runtime Environment. I found that understanding these components was crucial to passing the exam, so I spent a lot of time studying and practicing.
The journey was not always easy. Balancing college academics with extracurriculars and the OCJA was a difficult task. There were times when I felt like giving up, as I struggled with certain concepts and had trouble understanding more advanced topics. However, I knew that if I wanted to achieve my goal, I needed to push through the difficulties.
I was worried that I would not perform well on the test, so I decided to take several practice tests. This helped me to get a sense of what to expect on the actual exam and identify any areas where I needed to focus more.
Here are some important details of the exam that one must remember:
· Exam Number: 1Z0–808
· Exam Price: 245 USD
· Duration: 150 minutes
· Number of Questions: 77
· Passing Score: 65% (50 out of 77)
Finally, the day of the exam arrived. I had spent months preparing and felt ready to take the test. I went for the test feeling confident but also a bit nervous. However, as I sat down and began taking the test, I found that I was able to focus and answer the questions with ease. When I received my test results, I was overjoyed to see that I had passed!
Obtaining the OCJA certification was a great experience. It was a journey filled with challenges, but the sense of accomplishment I felt upon passing made it all worth it. If you’re considering pursuing the OCJA, I would encourage you to do so. With the right resources and determination to succeed, you can achieve your goal as well. After achieving the OCJA certification, the next step would be to take the OCJP (Oracle certified java professional).
Some important topics to study include JVM architecture, polymorphism in-depth, the working of the garbage collector in detail, multithreading, and nested classes. Here are some resources I found helpful while preparing for the OCJA: Oracle’s website (oracle.com) and official study guides available on Amazon.
Below are two sample test links to get a glimpse of the test:
https://www.java8certificationquestions.com/java8/1Z0-808/free-test.html
https://www.epractizelabs.com/certification/oracle/ocajp-8/mockexam.html
Earning an Oracle certification comes with many perks and benefits. Not only does it expand your knowledge base and validate your skills to appeal to potential employers, but it also improves your potential earning power to command a higher salary. Through lab, study, and practice sessions, you will learn to perform complex, hands-on activities. Additionally, you will gain access to a secure digital badge that you can add to your social media profiles, and be exposed to a wide variety of important features, functions, and tasks to use on the job.
In conclusion, preparing for and obtaining the OCJA certification was a challenging but rewarding journey. I hope that sharing my experience can help others on their own journey to achieving the certification. With the right resources and determination, anyone can achieve the OCJA certification. Remember to focus on key topics such as JVM architecture, polymorphism, and the garbage collector ( We can never force the garbage collector to run but rather request it only😊), and use resources such as Oracle’s website and official study guides to help guide your studies. Good luck on your journey! And try to climb the Java ladder shown below.
