* Research shows that employers are placing greater value on non-certified IT workers
Recent research from Foote Partners shows that employers are placing a greater value on non-certified IT skills than on certifications. According to the Hot Technical Skills and Certification Pay Index, pay for non-certified IT workers grew 4.4% this year vs. 2.6% for those workers with certifications. (See “Study: Non-certified IT worker pay gaining ground”).
This news isn’t likely to be well-received by vendors because certifications are a big part of their business. “Vendors created the certifications industry principally to sell their products,” says David Foote, CEO and chief research officer of the company that bears his name. “What fascinates me is that when we asked several vendors recently if they use their own certifications internally to qualify their own employees’ technical skills, the answer was largely ‘no’.”
Employers are placing less emphasis on technical certification and more on specific skills, industry knowledge and experience with customers. Foote notes that companies have responded by creating new “guru” level accreditations. Examples include the Master Certified IT Architect from the Open Group, a vendor-neutral consortium which counts HP and IBM among its members. This program requires candidates to have three years of experience and pass a peer board review to achieve the credential. For more information, click here.
Industry behemoth Microsoft is piloting the Microsoft Certified Architect Program that focuses on non-Microsoft best practices, tools and technologies in addition to knowledge of the vendor’s platforms and products. The certification is targeted at IT professionals who have at least 10 years of experience. Like the Open Group certification, this program also will require peer review. For more information, click here.
