Why is computer certification important?
In the past, I have been against certifications as a means of hiring IT employees. IT changes so quickly, that learning never seems to stop and certifications were just a snapshot of knowledge at a set point in time. Well, it turns out that many of the students coming out of schools with IT degrees also have a snapshot of knowledge at the time of their learning. And in many cases, the curriculum and material are outdated when they get to us as potential employees.
So, I am reversing my lack of support of IT certifications for employees? The short answer is yes, but with reservations. In a study conducted in 2006 by Foote Partners, it was found that pay premiums for non-certified IT skills grew 3x faster than for certified ones between 2005 and 2006.
As an IT employer, we value many skills and educational values as more valuable than certifications. Customer service and communications skills alongside a solid liberal arts background are very important to us. Place that alongside adaptability and a willingness to be life long learners, and we usually get a good employee. However, finding these people has become an increasingly tough challenge in the information technology field today.
Given the problems with finding qualified people as described in the last paragraph, I believe we must turn to using certifications as a means of holding up continuing education as an important ArrowQuick company value. ArrowQuick already offers employees an incentive for continued learning in the form of lynda.com training, but for IT employees we must look to additional resources.
IT Specialists at ArrowQuick should have obtained A+ and Net+ certifications within the first three months of employment, if they do not already have it coming into the job. Internal re-certification of A+ and Net+ should occur on a regular basis to include new material and technologies. Afterward, IT Specialists should be required to gain additional certifications in Microsoft, Linux and Apple technologies.
The order of certifications is not necessarily important, but consistency and a continued path of learning is important to build an employee’s skill level and make them more productive in the field. Gaining Microsoft Certified Desktop Service Technician and Apple Certified Technical Coordinator are solid credentials to becoming a productive field technician.
Of course, having employees with passion for IT and computer technologies is just as important in becoming a valuable employee at ArrowQuick. I believe we will continue to adapt our processes, expectations and training at ArrowQuick to make us a better company.
This article was written by Perry Lund on Sunday, March 23, 2008. Permalink.