Before taking training courses and certification exams offered by cloud vendors to partners, you'll need an account.

Creating a Microsoft Account

Create a personal Microsoft account to apply for an exam.

Select and enroll in an Azure training course from below.

Applying for Training:

You can browse and register for training directly from the ESI Portal.

• You must complete the initial ESI Portal setup before registering for training through the portal.
• This process applies to Hitachi, Ltd. employees and employees of Hitachi Group companies participating in the ESI program.

Self-study is essential for certification, supplementing the knowledge gained in training courses. We recommend the following resources:

Microsoft Learn:

Microsoft Learn offers training on various Microsoft services, including Azure. Its Azure certification-specific learning paths are ideal for exam preparation.

Please note that Hitachi Academy does not provide Azure subscriptions for hands-on exercises in Microsoft Learn. To practice working with Azure, you have two options:

• Obtain a Personal Azure Subscription:
  You can utilize the Azure free account (limited to one per person).

• Enroll in an ESI Program Training Course with a Hands-on Lab:
  Courses such as the intensive exam preparation course offer a hands-on lab environment.

Exam Preparation Course:

We recommend enrolling in the exam preparation course to review the material and practice with exercises and explanations. For application details, see:

Practice Exam:

We recommend taking the practice exam to familiarize yourself with the format and experience of the actual certification exam. For application details, see:

Certification Exam:

Access the exam registration page.
You can easily access it by visiting the URL listed in column L of the corresponding qualification row in the "URL List".

Notes on Microsoft Vouchers:

In the GenAI Professional Talent Development Initiative, Microsoft provides vouchers to support the development of Hitachi's IT and software engineers.

• Eligible participants in the GenAI Professional Talent Development Initiative will receive a voucher covering 100% of the exam fee.
  Voucher distribution contacts are listed below.

  Company	Name	Email
  Hitachi Digital	Tomonori Momonoi	tomonori.momonoi@hitachivantara.com
  Hitachi Vantara	Ralph Lobato	ralph.lobato@hitachivantara.com
  Hitachi Digital Services	Dileep Kumar Nanda	dileepkumar.nanda@hitachivantara.com
  Global Logic	Alok Agarwal	alok.agarwal@globallogic.com
  	Santosh Gupta	santosh.gupta@globallogic.com
  Hitachi Solutions	Lisa Mitchell	lisamitchell@hitachisolutions.com
  	Joseph Tanner	jtanner@hitachisolutions.com
  Hitachi Systems Trusted Cyber Management	Julie Hamelin	julie.hamelin@hitachi-systems-security.com

  Not all employees will be eligible for a Microsoft certification voucher.
  Currently, the primary audience of these vouchers are within the DSS and CI Sector.
  If you are interested and obtaining a voucher, please first consult with your supervisor and, if approved, then consult with your HR department. Thank you!
• Please be sure to use the voucher before its expiration date, as it will become invalid afterward.

Even without a voucher, employees of business units or Hitachi Group companies that have contracted Microsoft's ESI program will receive a 50% discount on the exam fee.

ESI Program Participants (Business Units and Hitachi Group Companies)

Exam Rescheduling and Cancellation:

Once your exam appointment is scheduled, you will receive a confirmation email from Pearson VUE.
If you need to reschedule or cancel your exam, please follow the instructions in the email and complete the process by the specified deadline.
Similar to the exam registration process, if clicking the "Submit" button has no effect, please try using a different device (your company mobile phone) or a different browser.

Certifications expire. If you do not renew your certification within the validity period, it will become invalid.

Eligible for Renewal:

Intermediate and advanced certifications.
Fundamental certifications do not expire.

Validity Period:

One year from the expiration date of the previous validity period.
Certifications acquired before June 2021 are valid for two years.

Confirming Your Validity Period:

• Check your Microsoft Certification Profile.
• Check the email notifications sent to the account used at the time of the exam (four notifications starting six months before expiration).

Certification Renewal Process:

You must pass the renewal assessment accessible through your Microsoft Certification Profile. You can retake the assessment at no cost, as many times as needed, until you pass.

• Reference materials are permitted during the assessment.
• The passing score is approximately 60% or higher on a test containing about 25 questions.

For the detals, see:

Cost:

Free (including retakes)