Computer Certifications Orlando

In an environment of constant rain, a little sunshine is greatly appreciated. I remember spending some time in Seattle and never felt that much love for our New York sun. Sometimes I think the media has become the "dark whisperer." We are inundated with reports that propagate fear. Is it all gloom in IT? I will admit that the situation is alarming, but certainly not all doom. Today the IT professional is forced to compete for that one position. An uni-skilled IT worker is considered more or less a liability than an asset. Employers are forced to maximize the Return on Investment. It is a necessary business decision that results in being competitive or not. Surveys done by different groups present views that can be ambiguous to the worker. One survey reported that there are nearly 1,600 certifications available, as well as 227 accreditation programs. IT schools are popping up all over, there is a certification for almost any field. I recently had the pleasure of assisting a friend who is an experienced lawyer with an Associate CISSP qualification. Her objective is to now get the needed experience to receive the CISSP recognition. I was amazed at the amount of security certs out there. One of the first things I stress to the IT professional is to become a knowledgeable consumer if one is seeking career advancement through certification.

The situation in the IT field has presented a playground for dishonest sales teams and organizations. The National Organization for Competency Assurance has defined certification as "the process by which a non-governmental agency or association grants recognition of competence to an individual who has met predetermined qualifications specified by that agency or association." there are certifications that immediately come to mind on reading this, CISCO, Microsoft, CompTIA, ISC2, Novell, CWNP and IBM. The Certification and Accreditation Programs Directory offers a list of questions that you should ask of the organization when you are thinking of obtaining certification.

o What is the reputation of the issuing organization?
o Do the benefits of the certification justify the cost?
o What are the requirements and costs for recertification?
o Are there educational and experiential requirements for the certification? (Experience requirements are an important consideration for career-changers since they could prevent one from using a certification to move into a new career quickly.)

o Is the certification national in scope as well as recognized outside the U.S.?
A list of the hottest certification in terms of pay growth, the top five certifications according to the Foote Partners are:-

* IT Certified Architect (ITCA/OPenGroup)
* Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
* InfoSys Security Architecture Professional (ISSAP/CISSP)
* Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Messaging (MCSA)
* Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)

One will realize that these qualifications involve data security. I am a staunch supporter of the wonderful curriculum presented by the CompTIA group. The Security+ is the logical start for anyone moving into data security. With the recent corporate failures we have witnessed over the past years, companies are highly aware of the need for risk management, auditing, and internal controls for risk mitigation, so there is an overwhelming need for security trained personnel. Microsoft has and always will be a forerunner in certification. The security advancements in the new Vista will present opportunities for the desktop support worker.

My observation during research for this article has pinpointed one common factor, security. Although there seems to be a decline in hiring for people with technical certs like systems and database administrators, the only area where there has been an increase is security. The IT professional with an MCSE or CCNP will improve there demand if he/she includes a certification from a well -recognized and accepted certification that involves security. The employers in this field has increased significantly. There are positions available with Homeland Security, and Health and Hospitality (HIPAA). Says Trish Harris, assistant vice president, corporate marketing, media relations, and public relations for the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), Orlando, FL. "With the many corporate failures that have occurred over the past two years, more and more organizations are concerned about risk management, ethics, corporate governance, and internal controls that mitigate risks and help deter and prevent fraud."

Harris notes that because IIA certifications require extensive knowledge, experience, and study, they clearly demonstrate the competency of those who have earned them. "Our premier designation, Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), is the only global certification for the internal audit profession," she says.

Harris attests to promising career potential for certified internal auditors. "During the past year, we've seen a marked increase in the number of internal audit jobs available on the market," she observes. "We've also received numerous calls from audit-committee members and company heads looking for guidance on starting up an internal-audit department. CEOs who did not have internal auditing in the past are now understanding just how important the internal-audit function is in regard to assurance and effective risk management." Harris says that many of these companies are requiring the person they hire as chief audit executive to hold the Certified Internal Auditor designation."They want to be sure they are getting the skills and expertise they want in a competent leader of their internal audit function, and the CIA designation clearly provides that assurance," Harris says.

Further, Harris notes that her organization is seeing students and seasoned professionals moving into the internal-auditing field from many other areas, including information technology, operations, business management, and finance.

This brings me to another trend that the IT certification seeker should be vigilant off, that is economic cutbacks that trickle down to quality of training. I have been fortunate to work with a top level training company that has, though extremely difficult in these times, committed to not letting cutbacks affect the quality of their programs. The student/professional is better served when dealing with the organization that is accredited by one of the headliners like Microsoft, Cisco, CWNP, CompTIA. These institutions are regulated as to curriculum quality.

The decision to present IT training budget is a difficult one for the corporation. Managers are faced with the question of "who should we train?". I've seen employees fortunate to be sent to training classes a nd show very little interest. Thankfully, these are in the minority. Employers though sometimes appearing to be removed from the everyday operations of the company are making decisions that will benefit the organization. They will therefore be more prone to training the employee who presents himself/herself as a good investment. It is now up to that employee to show that the decision to train was worthwhile. I have seen employees who realized immediate advancement in their careers after training. I always think of a young Canadian woman who leaped to WLAN support after achieving her CWNA and CWSP.

It therefore brings me to conclude that the economic pulse is not all hopeless. It takes creativity and dedication and research on the part of the IT worker. Relevance to job duties is of utmost importance. The old adage "don't purchase a cat in a bag" is so very relevant today. The IT community need not think that their monetary investment in achieving certification is in vain. It takes a lot more planning and customizing your career track. My advice, always go with a winner.