Recently I rediscovered Java Black Belt which is now apparently called BlackBeltFactory.
I always liked the concept of community driven skills testing and assessment. For those that don't know; JavaBlackBelt has various categories of Java centric programming quizzes covering everything from basic Java to Spring and even Scala etc. etc. that you can take to earn points toward various belts that reflect your success. The tests are free. The brilliance is that after a certain point you must contribute to the community to earn contribution points to spend on taking the various tests. One of the main contribution vectors is writing test questions. What they have ended up with are tests that cover a wide range of Java and related technologies that have been written and well vetted by the community itself.
I love tests and koans and all of that so I was really pleased when I first ran into JBB a few years ago...I earned a few belts and I set it aside and forgot about it for awhile.
Fast forward to about a week ago and I visit the site again. Boy has it changed! And all for the better!
Now not only does the original format still exist for your belt earning pleasure but they have a Java Technology Coach brokerage thrown into the mix as well! Once you take a test showing your proficiency in an area you can sign up as a coach and offer your services to others wishing to learn that particular technology for a fee (assuming, of course, that the prospective student agrees to the coaching). I love it! Not only do I get to mentor people which I enjoy doing anyway, but I get to earn a bit of extra scratch while I do it. Having students charged for the service helps to ensure that they are motivated to learn the material and finish the course. Everybody wins!
At any rate, it is a really friendly community with a lot to offer all levels of Java developers. It is definitely worth checking out.
