Rival technology vendors are putting their differences aside to jointly develop and address the perceptions of IT certifications.
Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Sun and Novell, alongside industry organizations CompTIA (Computing Technology Industry Association) and the LPI (Linux Professional Institute) have formed the ITCC (Information Technology Certification Council).
The council will provide information to employers, government officials, academia and individuals on the IT certifications available as well as position professional certifications for major new growth.
"The industry has come together to drive the value of certification," said Bill Horzempa, ITCC chair and director of the Worldwide HP Certified Professional Program at HP. "We want our customers and partners to know that we, as industry leaders, are providing them with well-equipped people to do the job."
The ITCC will examine and discuss issues affecting IT certification exam security, perceptions versus realities of IT certification value and return on investment, and training to testing ratios.
"Organizations that benefit the most from their investment in technology are the ones that understand that certified IT professionals have the job skills necessary to run IT infrastructures efficiently and reliably," said Neill Hopkins, vice president, skills development, CompTIA.
"The positive impact of IT certification is measurable in many ways: greater network availability; higher worker productivity; and improved security are just a few examples. All of these factors have a positive impact on a business's financial bottom line. That's why more and more organizations view IT certifications as a business necessity."
Test development and delivery providers Pearson VUE and Prometric, and education provider Kaplan are also founder members of the ITCC.
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