Government IT Certifications Mimic Private Sector
It’s long been known in the private sector that IT professionals who seek out and earn various certifications open up opportunities for better entry-level jobs, more promotions, and increases in pay and benefits. This is true despite the fact that many older certifications are falling by the wayside.
Now, a new survey of IT workers employed by the federal government reveals that public sector IT certification trends closely follow those in the private sector. The survey was conducted by Network World and SolarWinds, two companies heavily involved in the IT sector.
According to the survey, more than 60% of the respondents claimed that pursuing IT certification paid off in terms of getting new jobs. Furthermore, 58% claimed to have received either bonuses or a pay raise, and roughly 27% reported being given a promotion. These numbers pretty closely reflect those in the private sector. Not surprising, a good number of the survey’s respondents specifically said they pursued IT certification either because it was required of them or they wanted the opportunity for promotions.
What and When
Survey after survey reveals the importance of IT certifications for career advancement. That means the only real questions that remain for industry professionals is what certifications to earn and when to get them. This is not as easy as it sounds. While it would seem that every IT certification has some tangible value to it, that’s not necessarily true. One only need look at a number of Microsoft’s network administration certifications that are no longer used. Deciding which certifications to get requires a pretty good vision of where your employer is headed.
The other difficulty lies in the fact that quite a few certifications are moving from the paper model to the electronic model. In case you’re unaware, the paper model simply requires professionals to study text books and pass a certification exam without any real experience. It’s been the standard method of choice since IT certification began. But because this model is churning out more and more certified professionals without real experience, we’re seeing a trend to electronic certifications which require candidates to actually apply their skills in a real-life setting.
With electronic certifications students still study the books, but then they are placed in a lab environment where they’re given real-life IT problems on live computers which must be dealt with. In addition to passing the written exam one must also properly handle the lab scenarios. For IT professionals simply looking for quick certifications in order to increase their pay grade, they must be more discriminating in deciding what certifications to earn.
Special Challenges for Federal Workers
For those working for government agencies, getting IT certifications presents a special challenge because of the unique environment in which they work. While government computer systems may use plenty of standardized hardware and software, government networks are somewhat unique in terms of their infrastructure and security. Knowing what certifications to get and when to get them requires more knowledge of the direction the agency is heading. Then again, government agencies make it easier to get certifications you might not need while still providing a pay raise or promotion.
At the end of the day the statistics regarding the benefits of IT certification don’t lie. It is indeed a changing world which has led to the demise of some certifications, but there are always new ones coming up to take their place. For the IT professional who wants to stay on top of his game and maximize earning potential, pursuing applicable new certifications when they become available is a must.