Certification versus Training by Guest Blogger Mike Qaissaunee
You can read Mike's blog at: http://q-ontech.blogspot.com/

Global Knowledge conducted a salary survey of 1,607 IT professionals during the fourth quarter of 2006. The survey yields some interesting results - in particular with regard to certification and training. More than 80% of the respondents hold a certification, with Microsoft certifications leading the way, followed by CompTIA. Key concerns are which certs to maintain and which to pursue - not surprising, since there are more than 850 certifications available. What's interesting about the certification results is that 41% of the certifications are more than two years old and only 12% plan on updating their certs and less than half plan on pursuing any new certifications. In contrast to certification results, 62% have attended training with the past nine months. What's even more surprising, is that only 5% attended as an employer requirement and a staggering 20% paid for the training themselves.

The report confirms what has become conventional wisdom for IT educators in the ongoing debate regarding certifications versus training. Certifications are still valued by employers, particularly for new hires and employees with little or no experience. Absent any other data, certifications serve as a strong indicator of a potential employees skills and ability to learn. As an IT professional gains experience, the pendulum starts to swing - for both the employee and the employer - from certification to training , as evidenced by the results above and the stated number one concern for IT professionals - keeping up their skills.

2007 IT Salary and Skills Report
http://images.globalknowledge.com/wwwimages/pdfs/2007_SalaryReport.pdf