[Infowarrior] - Study Shows Downside of IT Certification

[Richard Forno]

(c/o J)     

Study Shows Downside of IT Certification
By Deborah Rothberg
April 26, 2006     

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1954198,00.asp

Long seen as a method to maximize employment opportunities and salaries in
the post-dot-com-bust era, a study released today finds that pay for
certified IT skills falls short of the pay for non-certified skills.

The Q1 2006 Hot Technical Skills and Certifications Pay Index, released
April 25 by Foote Partners, a New Canaan, Conn., IT compensation and
workforce management firm, found that pay premiums for non-certified IT
skills grew three times faster than for certified ones in a six-month period
spanning 2005-2006.

The study suggests that there has been a change in employers' acceptance of
the value of non-certified tech skills versus certifications in maintaining
competitive pay for their workers.

"This is the first time skills have trumped certifications since our firm
began surveying tech skills pay in 2000," said David Foote, president and
chief research office for the workforce research and consulting firm, in a
statement.

"Eighteen months ago, it was all about certifications for IT workers as
employers stumbled out of the wreckage of an economic recession, looking to
start hiring again.

"This is a clear indication that employers are not placing the same emphasis
on certification that they once did. Perhaps more to the point, they are
finding other qualities of IT professionals more critical to their
businesses going forward, and they are willing to pay more for those."

Tracking the market value of 212 IT skills and certifications, premium pay
for 103 non-certified skills averaged 7.1 percent of the base salary for a
single skill. This number was up from 6.8 percent in Q1 2005, and 6.6
percent in Q1 2004.

Pay for non-certified skills grew nearly 70 percent more than
certifications, or 4.4 percent versus 2.6 percent respectively.

Among "cooling" certified tech skills, those that have lost their value in
the last year, the study lists nine, including MCDST (Microsoft Certified
Desktop Support Technician), CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor),
and three Novell certifications (NCDE, MCNE, and CNA).

Fourteen certifications have grown in value, showing an 11 percent or higher
growth over the last year, including SCNP (Security Certified Network
Professional), CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) and MCT
(Microsoft Certified Trainer).

Highest-paid certifications include CISM (Certified Information Security
Manager), CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor), and five different
Cisco certifications (CCDP, CCEA, CCIE, CCIP and CCSP).

Skills categories showing the most growth in the survey included
Applications Development/Programming Languages, Project Management,
Training, Webmaster and Security.