At techstore computer training we offer instructor lead certified courses.
What Does Certified Mean?
Certification provides independent verification of a certain level of expertise in a particular area. Basically, it means you’ve completed the steps required to receive a particular designation. But this basic definition comes with a weakness. In some cases, individuals can become “certified” simply by paying a particular membership fee or by attending the required seminar. Such certifications are meaningless and a waste of time and money.
Certifications that mean something are about achieving designations that demonstrate to your employer and/or clients that you are, indeed, an expert in a particular area or areas, and that a reputable, recognizable organization is willing to attest to that.
Such certifications typically arise from a scenario like this: a computer–related organization, vendor, or consortium identifies a particular function that requires specific skills, knowledge, and expertise–for example, intranet security. They detail just what those skills are and which knowledge is critical. This information makes up the common body of knowledge (CBOK) related of the specialty. The sponsoring organization also identify a series of steps that will enable you to obtain the targeted level, and they implement methods of assessing your progress. Certification is conferred when you prove that you have, in fact, obtained the specified abilities and knowledge.
With many certifications, you’ll also be granted a privileged relationship with the program’s sponsor. The relationship can include priority technical support, early product updates, access to special forums, or other perks that will enable you to perform at a higher level.
Who Benefits From Certification Programs?
Certification programs can benefit people and organizations that work in the computer field, sell to the computer market, or employ technical people to perform computer-realted tasks. Those with the most to gain are:
Computer professionals
Certification sponsors
Employers
Clients and customers
Virtually any IS professional can get something (in addition to the official piece of paper) by pursuing a well-chosen certification. Most will reap many benefits. The payoffs may come in the form of a salary increase, better job, added confidence, or additional skills that allow you to move into a new area or perform your current functions more effectively. Course work often includes hands-on exercises with up-to-the-minute software and/or equipment, exposure you might not otherwise have.
This is not to claim that every certification program is equally valuable. But when the urge strikes to branch into something new or simply to escalate your level of expertise in something you already know, certification is a good way to go.
Certification sponsors benefit from the deal too. In addition to revenue from training courses and materials, certification programs generate product and company recognition. Every Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) is a confirmation of the power and importance of Cisco, every Certified Banyan Instructor an endorsement of Banyan. By establishing the A+ Technician Certification and the Certified Document Imaging Architech (CDIA) designation, the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) has enhanced its own value and reputation.
The more people vendors can teach to master their product, the more likely it is that the product will be successfully utilized to its fullest extent, an added plus for both.
To employers, certification serves as independent evidence that you have demonstrated the skills and abilities required to complete the program. It also offers a method for bringing employees up to speed on the latest technologies, as well as a way to provide for the continuing education computer people often crave. Certification training can reasonably be billed as an employee benefit. Research has also shown that certified employees are more satisfied and more productive than their non-certified counterparts.
Customers benefit, too, because a certification gives them additional evidence of your qualifications and suitability for the task at hand. Nontechnical clients especially find that reassuring. Witness that some reseller programs require certified personnel to be on staff.
