The integrity of the certification program matters
20 December 2011
Certification, as an industry-recognised validation of skills, is a proven differentiator — whether the individual is a seasoned professional looking to demonstrate his or her value to the organisation or someone hoping to break into the industry for the first time.
Technology is advancing at a record pace these days, In light of the rapidly changing IT landscape, the integrity of the certification program matters for both students, IT professionals and for employers. Employers are demanding more trust & security in the value of the skills that people have. Over the past 19 years, Microsoft has invested heavily in training and certifying individuals so they can differentiate themselves from others. The certification and training offered validates real-world IT skills for IT professionals, developers and students.
Certification delivers proof of obtained skills and knowledge. This being exactly what employers are seeking to help ease the matching process between vacancies and candidates, especially in the case of bridging the gap between the worlds of education and work which is one of the goals of the New skills for new jobs initiative. The IT Academy program is an effective platform that helps to bridge this gap by offering relevant courses and equipping students with future ready skills for the jobs of today and tomorrow. The power of the Certification Program lies in providing an international standard for the different skills levels. Worldwide recognition of these certifications enables students and IT professionals to have a cross border orientation for jobs, as well as working on their certification path in pursuing their career goals wherever they are. Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs) have the opportunity to connect with a global community of over 6 million other Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs) and access valuable career-building tools and training to help individuals obtain meaningful employment that is so important in today’s economic climate.
To keep today’s certifications relevant in the market, the way we approach validating those skills needs to change as technology changes. For example, as we move towards a cloud based economy, we need to think about ways to help people demonstrate the capabilities they have that are relevant to cloud-based solutions. Microsoft learning designs certifications to test the range of skills most needed in the marketplace, focusing on the real-world use of technologies in organizations. We consider the skills that employers and hiring managers acknowledge as most essential to their employees’ success on the job.
To keep the security of the qualification intact, we work closely with Prometric, our exam delivery provider, establishing a range of security measures to ensure that neither candidates nor test centers can steal exam content or cheat in any way. Making it increasingly difficult for examinees who lack the legitimate skills to pass, employers and candidates know that a certification earned carries solid value in the marketplace.
To find out more about the Microsoft certification and training program, visit the Microsoft Learning site. For ongoing updates on Microsoft certification and training, visit the Born To Learn blog.
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