IT Certification
There are hundreds of IT certifications available today. These certifications come in all different types sizes and ranges of difficulty. Some certifications are non-industry-standard and some are vendor specific. So the larger most sought-after certifications are from companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle and Sun systems. It really doesn’t matter what type of certification you’re after, being certified helps your employer know your qualified to work for them.
Types of IT Certifications?
- Vendor neutral Certifications — this type of certification is used across many different types of industries. One example would be an A+ certification, this type of certification tells employers you understand basic computer systems and hardware. Other certifications such as PC repair, Web design and others are more general and nonspecific to the vendor or company that makes the product.
- Vendor specific IT Certifications – this type of certification is specific to one company. For example; Microsoft has many certifications but their main one is the MCSE certification. Cisco also has many types of certifications including CCNA networking certification. The certifications must be obtained by a vendor school or authorize school, once you have learned all that you can about the specific product you must pass a test to be certified. These types certifications can be difficult as well as expensive. This is done make sure that only the highest quality people work in these fields. The certifications also must be renewed every few years as products change and upgrade.
There are many other types of certifications including but not limited to, Content-Based IT Certifications, Performance-Based IT Certifications and Instructor Lead IT Certifications. These fields are highly specialized and not usually found in the standard job field.
How much can I make ?
These types of IT certifications have a vast broad salary range anywhere from $25,000 a year to over $250,000 a year depending upon your specialized field. Check with your local college or university for more information.
Where can I get training?
Training is available at most community colleges, universities and technical schools for the majority of these types of certifications. Sometimes the certifications may have to be gotten from the vendor or company directly.
IT Certification job outlook?
The IT field is always been growing sometimes slower sometimes faster, check out the growth in your chosen field before investing time and money in becoming certifie