Recession Puts Spotlight on Certification Benefits - Page 2
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When people who held technical certifications were asked how they felt about the overall importance of their technical certifications, only 38 percent said that having the certification was important. In total, 47.9 percent felt that having the certification was important to help demonstrate professional competency, 42 percent felt that the certification had helped them to prepare for a career in information security, 39.3 percent felt that the certification had been important in helping to gain professional recognition and 36.7 percent felt as though their technical certification would be important in helping to qualify for a new position. Only 15.6 percent of those who hold technical certifications planned to pursue additional technical certifications.
While many pay premiums for IT skills have seen a correction due to the market conditions, there is "counter-trending, especially in architecture and methodology and process skills," said David Foote, co-founder, CEO and chief research officer, Foote Partners. Based upon results from the firm's IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index of pay for 354 skills and certifications earned by 22,550 IT professionals in the US and Canada, Foote noted, "Employers are obviously now aware that continuing to invest strategically in IT skills and labor is the smartest thing they can possibly do to make it to the other side of this recession as stronger, undiminished enterprises."
For example, increasing process efficiency through the adoption of software automation and workflow tools is a popular recession budget strategy in 2009, evidenced by the sharp increases in pay and demand for ITIL, COBIT and similar expertise tracked in Foote Partner's survey that are highly valued in facilitating process standardization and change management. While valuable in short range cost reduction initiatives, these are also core enterprise skills with high re-use value long term.
Education goes hand-in-hand with certification and is also highly valued in a professional's career trajectory. In ISACA's CISM survey, nearly 42 percent had pursued a degree in business or within the specialized area of information security or assurance. When asked what importance education has played in different situations, many respondents felt that education was important for obtaining a job in information security (72.1 percent) and also for promotability within a career (77.8 percent).
At all times, but especially in the current challenging economic situation, professionals at all levels need to pursue certifications and other educational opportunities because their roles will be continually evolving. From the CEO to the most technical function, the main focus of a person's job is on enabling their organization to thrive and expand. By attaining the right certification for their own, and their enterprise's needs, professionals help ensure that technology is aligned with and supports business goals and priorities.
