What Is Best in Cloud Computing Certifications?
Cloud computing is quickly turning into a Lovecraftian leviathan that lurks in every corner of the information technology (IT) realm, with tentacles snaking above, beneath, and through every platform and process, calmly and ruthlessly remaking the world in its image. So with cloud computing gradually taking over everything, it would be good to find out which of the many certifications options available to beef up your cloud portfolio is, y'know, the best. Tech industry association CompTIA thinks it has an answer, and you perhaps won't be surprised to learn that if the question is, "What cloud certification is the most awesome," then CompTIA's answer is, "Ours." In a new post to CompTIA's IT Career News blog, tech writer Jessalynne Madden makes the case for Cloud+ being your best path to master the skills and knowledge needed to jump into cloud computing with both feet. In Madden's defense, Cloud+ is one of just a handful of cloud certs that are platform agnostic. So maybe if you want to get a firm grounding in the technology before going down the path of Amazon's AWS, Microsoft's Azure, Google Cloud, or what have you, then this is actually a smart place to start.
Oracle Blogger: Certification Is More Than Just an Exam
Once upon a bygone generation, Boston singer Brad Delp belted out that the power of a good song is "more than a feeling." Once upon a Monday (this past Monday, to be exact) guest blogger Eric Bruno echoed the sentiment in a post to the Oracle Certification blog that explains why Java certification is more than an exam. You know, sure, there is an exam: You can't become Java-certified without passing an exam. Bruno's point, however, is that getting certified is more about the journey than the destination. More to the point, as with most journeys, you can't simple express a desire to get somewhere and then just waltz your way to Point B. Every road has its obstacles. Bruno likens the certification journey to the path that a would-be martial arts practitioner must follow. It takes time, commitment, and discipline to learn, practice, and develop skills. Bruno has some worthwhile advice for Oracle Java beginners who are considering whether to embark down the road to certification, but there are principles discusses that could apply to other certification journeys as well.
CertMag Profiles Top Cert from Salary Survey 75
Earlier we shared some words about cloud computing and its far-reaching application, and here's an example of that. The top-salaried cert from the most recent Salary Survey conducted by Certification Magazine is a credential offered by cloud identity management provider Okta. The Okta Certified Consultant designation – with an average annual salary nearly $20,000 higher than the No. 2 cert listed in the Salary Survey 75 (also an Okta credential, incidentally) – gets some extra love in the first installment of CertMag's annual Deep Focus series, which spotlights entries to the Salary Survey 75 and provides a heaping helping of extra survey data. If you've ever wondered, for example, how frequently IT pros who are also Okta Certified Consultants work from home, or what their educational background tends to look like, then you'll love this Deep Focus article and all of the others that are soon to follow it.
Red Hat Now Accepting Nominations for Women in Open Source Award
The IT industry has long had a woman problem. In the first place, there aren't nearly enough women who choose to seek employment in IT. Perhaps more to the point, those who do are frequently not paid as well as men, and typically suffer from a laundry list of various other gender-based indignities besides. In recent year, many tech companies have contributed to an informal effort to make the industry as a whole more welcoming to women. Recognition of women's accomplishments is part of the movement, and Red Hat is currently pressing forward with the sixth year of itsWomen in Open Source Award program. The Women in Open Source Award is actually a series of awards available to women who are either computer science students or full-time contributors to the open source development realm. Winners will be feted at Red Hat Summit 2020 in San Francisco, and will also receive a $2,500 cash prize. Nominations are being accepted through Jan. 27, and self-nomination is permitted.
That's all for this edition of Certification Watch. Please keep your certification news and tips coming to the GoCertify News Editor.
