Calif. The majority of certifications are vendor-specific the training applies only to one company s software for a particular application. However, the Network Professional Association, a nonprofit association of network computing professionals, has been promoting its vendor-neutral certification program, the Certified Network Professional. And IBM, Lotus, Netscape, Novell and Sun Microsystems recently announced plans to develop a multi-vendor core Internet and intranet training program to reduce course redundancy. The cost, curriculum and duration of vendor training varies depending on the desired certification. Certification programs actually measure the effectiveness of the training.
Certification can also provide objective benchmarks to help determine raises and promotions.
It s a great way to measure the skill sets of your employees, says Fox. You know what is tested, so you know your employees meet a certain level of competence. In addition, having employees with certifications on staff makes long-range planning easier. Technical managers can be confident key technical skills are available when and where they need them, explains Corcoran. Certification also helps manage professional development.