Java Certifications: What's Happening Now?

If you visit the Oracle Java and Middleware certifications page at Oracle University, you'll find there are still a large number of credentials available under that heading – 49 of them, in fact, of which 14 specifically mention Java in their names and at least one more on NetBeans takes Java as a primary subject matter.

Despite Java's recent security woes, which include a recommendation from the Department of Homeland Security in 2012 and 2013 that companies disable Java in employee Web browsers, there are still plenty of ongoing programming efforts in this language, and lots of certifications for interested programmers to pursue. Here's a list of names and links for Oracle's current Java offerings (links lead to Oracle's website):

• Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 5/SE 6
• Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 7 Programmer
• Oracle Certified Associate, Oracle WebLogic Server 11g System Administrator
• Oracle Certified Expert, Java EE 6 Enterprise JavaBeans Developer
• Oracle Certified Expert, Java EE 6 Java Persistence API Developer
• Oracle Certified Expert, Java EE 6 Web Services Developer
• Oracle Certified Expert, Java Platform, EE 6 Web Component Developer
• Oracle Certified Expert, NetBeans Integrated Development Environment 6.1 Programmer
• Oracle Certified Master, Java EE 5 Enterprise Architect
• Oracle Certified Master, Java SE 6 Developer
• Oracle Certified Professional, Java EE 5 Business Component Developer
• Oracle Certified Professional, Java EE 5 Web Component Developer
• Oracle Certified Professional, Java EE 5 Web Services Developer
• Oracle Certified Professional, Java ME 1 Mobile Application Developer
• Oracle Certified Professional, Java SE 7 Programmer

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In addition to Oracle's own Java certs, other companies also integrate Java coverage into some of their credentials as well. IBM, for example, offers a variety of Java-inclusive credentials, including its Rational Functional Tester for Java. What I am seeing tells me that Java certification remains at least somewhat viable – a recent (March 21, 2013) Oracle University blog entitled "Wanted: Certified Java Experts" makes some interesting claims about Java, in fact, including

• Java is still the #1 developer platform in the world
• Java appears on 97% of enterprise desktops, 115 million TV set-top devices, and 3 billion mobile phones
• Surveys of hiring managers and recruiters validate strong demand for skilled Java developers in the marketplace
• Technical and labor resource/hiring sites including Dice, Jobstock, E-Skills, and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics all agree that Java remains among top technical skills in high demand

The latest Java versions from Oracle include Java SE (Standard Edition) 7, EE (Enterprise Edition) 6, and ME (Mobile Edition) 1. Certs at various levels including OCA (Oracle Certified Associate), OCP (Oracle Certified Professional), and OCM (Oracle Certified Master) are available for most of these, with additional Oracle Expert-level certs available for several EE topics. Check them out!