Computer Certification: 2003 in Review and a Peek at What Lies Ahead

By Anne Martinez

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Major Mergers and Re-Orgs

The big merger of the Hewlett-Packard and Compaq certification programs is proceeding smoothly. All of the Compaq ASE certifications have been integrated into a unified HP certification program. Anyone who was certified under Compaq and doesn't yet know how this affects them can check the HP certification Web site.

IBM is in the midst of a large reorganization of its certification program as well. As one of the most prolific vendors of certifications, IBM has quite a bit to organize. The new structure organizes certifications around job roles, creating a three skill level hierarchy (sound familiar?). All of the IBM product lines are incorporated, including Lotus and Tivoli.

Certification and Salaries

One of the primary questions that IT professionals always want answered about certification, is - will it help me increase my earnings? At least one research study completed this year indicates the answer is yes. Certification Magazine's annual salary survey for 2003 queried more than 19,000 IT professionals. The average survey respondent held 3.2 certifications. According to the study, on average, certification brought a 15.1% salary increase to IT professionals in 2003. In the same survey in 2002, that number was just 7%.

Overall, 2003 was a pretty good year for computer certification. Many positive changes took place, and it's looking a lot like certification in the information technology industry will make it through its somewhat turbulent teen years and mature into a lasting force for computer professionals and their employers.

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